Book a flight to London Gatwick

A multitude of attractions from neighbouring cities sit in close distance to Gatwick Airport. A short 30-minute ride on the Gatwick Express will take you to Central London, where you will find some of the world’s greatest museums, and premier attractions such as the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Westminster, the Tower of London, and London’s famous West End theatres.

In the south coast, you will find the stately seaside town of Brighton, complete with Regency houses, charming boutique shops, a Victorian pier, and invigorating sea breeze. In Portsmouth, you will find the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, housing some of the world’s most historic ships. Also close by is Eastbourne, known for its magnificent countryside, and home of the country’s highest chalk cliff, Beaty Head, from which you can soak in breathtaking views of the English Channel.

One of the most popular and quintessentially British attractions in Sussex is the Bluebell Railway, a delightful steam railway that runs through the stunning Sussex countryside for most of the year. If you’re a history lover, look out for some superb castles such as Bodiam Castle, and Arundel Castle, or take a stroll around the magnificent Petworth House.

Gatwick Airport sits just a few miles from the country’s newest National Park, the South Downs. This historically important area is popular with ramblers and cyclists, and there are riding stables throughout the county offering horseback rides along some of the park’s most beautiful bridleways.

The south of England is dotted with speciality museums, from sites such as the Rye Heritage Centre, to the wonderfully entertaining Shipwreck Museum in the seaside town of Hastings. To really discover the region, it’s advisable to hire a car to fully take in the scenery as you pass between the smaller villages, and in cases where public transport schedule does not align with your own.

In most towns and villages throughout the region, you will find good-quality restaurants, often attached to traditional coaching inns. These serve tasty, fresh food with many of the ingredients locally sourced.  Watercress is a speciality ingredient of the region (it’s why the Bluebell train line was created – to supply London with the region’s fresh watercress every day). Look for homemade watercress soup, usually served with freshly baked granary bread. There are some international restaurants in and around the Gatwick area, offering a wide selection of fare, including Italian, Chinese, Thai, Asian-fusion, and Lebanese cuisine.

West Sussex is famous for its antique stores, and in Crawley – the nearest town to Gatwick airport – you will find plenty of shops selling everything from vintage goods to true antiques. For a more exclusive shopping experience, head to Brighton and take a stroll around The Lanes – a network of cobbled alleys packed full of independent boutiques and exquisite, high-end jewellery stores.

For some serious shopping, hop on a train and visit London’s West End around Bond Street, Oxford Street, and Covent Garden. Regular train services heading into the centre of the capital make it easy to plan a day’s shopping in London, while still staying at a tranquil hotel in the heart of Sussex’s countryside.