For nearly 1,000 years, Hastings was famous for a battle that didn’t even take place here. Now it’s gained a new popularity as a characterful seaside town with three miles of pebble beach, a thriving arts scene, and a lively community vibe. Dilapidated Turkish baths on the seafront have been remodelled into the world’s largest subterranean skate park, and its derelict pier was reborn as an award-winning minimalist masterpiece. You can still explore the ruins of the stone castle built by William the Conqueror after the invasion of 1066, but there’s plenty of other history too. Nestled between the cliffs to the east of the beach, the Old Town’s narrow streets date back to medieval times; its Tudor and Georgian shop fronts are filled with antiques, boutiques, and tearooms, as well as museums on everything from the art of flower pressing to the town’s seafaring history.

London Gatwick Airport (LGW) is just over 90 minutes from Hastings, whether you travel by road or on the direct train. Once you arrive at your holiday home in town, it’s quite easy to get around without a car; it’s only a 20-minute walk or a five-minute taxi ride or bus journey to get from the station to the Old Town. The train line can connect you with nearby towns, and there’s a network of local buses, as well as plenty of rideshares and taxis (including a rank at the station). There are good cycling routes around Hastings and along the coast. And for a bit of transport with stellar views, the town’s two funiculars can shoot you up to the top of East Hill and West Hill respectively.

The beach is at its warmest and sunniest (and, yes, busiest) from June to September, and though some of the seaside attractions are seasonal, there’s plenty to enjoy in Hastings all year round. The town keeps a busy calendar of local events, some of which have to be seen to be believed, such as the May Day weekend tradition of the Jack in the Green parade, which involves Morris dancing through the Old Town and burning a leafy effigy. Another special spectacle is Pirate Day in July, when locals dress up as pirates, while Carnival Week in August is no less colourful and includes the delightful Old Town Pram Race. There’s a major bonfire celebration on the beach in October, while each June the town hosts a major global sporting event: the World Crazy Golf Championships.

America Ground

The triangle of streets surrounding Holy Trinity Church has a fascinating backstory. Originally a bank of shingle washed up by a 13th-century storm, it fostered an independent community outside the reach of the town’s governance, and in the early 19th century even declared its allegiance to the United States of America. Today you can admire its rebel spirit from an indie coffee shop, vegan café, or tattoo parlour.

Hastings Country Park

Take the East Hill Lift, Britain’s steepest funicular train, built in 1902, from the beach to the top of the cliffs and you’ll be rewarded with the freedom of this 850-acre nature reserve. Wildlife and birdlife enjoy its many habitats, which range from woodland to open meadow and stretch all the way to Pett Beach. On a clear day the spectacular views can extend to the French coast.

St Leonards-on-Sea

Hastings’s younger sister was born in the 1820s, when the architects responsible for London’s Bloomsbury area developed this seaside resort for Georgian well-to-dos. Its Regency style has taken on a slightly raffish air in the centuries since, and there’s a bohemian feel to its shops and businesses, as well as a lovely park and a beach that reaches all the way to Bexhill.