Be Beside the Seaside

Come on in, the water’s lovely

The traditional seaside holiday began in Margate some 200 years ago and the town has been welcoming visitors ever since. Pioneer of the quintessentially English Seaside traditions – it has also been a centre of popular culture from the early 19th century onwards. It was home to JMW Turner, one of Britain's most popular artists who took inspiration from the area's amazing quality of light and another famous artist, Tracey Emin, grew up in the town and is a frequent visitor.

The area is known for and proud of it's unspoilt coastline that features chalk reefs, cliffs and golden sandy beaches.  Since 2001 Blue Flag Awards have been awarded to beaches across Europe that meet a wide range of criteria, from cleanliness and water quality to facilities and number of life guards.  In 2010 only 71 beaches in England were awarded Blue Flag status and Thanet boasts nine of them, amongst the most of any area in the country.  So whether you prefer to roll straight off the train and onto Margate's expansive Main Sands, or to seek out the one of many smaller bays along Thanet's 26 miles of stunning coast, you are guaranteed some of the best quality beaches the country has to offer.

Click the images to enlarge them and get more info.

Web links

Isle of Thanet Tourism Association

Thanet District Council

Visit Britain

Visit Kent

Visit Thanet