Rye

Rye is a lovely small town that is a popular spot for many travellers, although there isn’t much to keep you busy for much longer than a day. It is a popular destination for short breaks and it has been described as ‘the most beautiful town in England’.

The town has a rich history dating to Roman times and during medieval times it had an important role as one of the Cinque Ports towns. It is one of the prettiest small towns in the southeast and it retains a large number of buildings from the medieval period.

Rye has several lovely streets that are worth a wander and these include Mermaid Street, which is noted for its half-timbered Tudor-style houses and is often included in lists of England’s prettiest streets.

There are several notable historic buildings in Rye that are worth a look including the 12th-century St Mary’s Parish Church, Ypres Tower (also known as Rye Castle) and several historic hotels including The Mermaid Inn.

Coming and going

Rye has excellent transport connections to London and other destinations in East Sussex and Kent.

Rye is served by local buses to destinations in East Sussex and Kent with Stagecoach bus (The Wave) routes 100 and 101 going to Hastings and route 102 going to Dover via Folkstone and Hythe.

Rye railway station lies on the line linking Hastings with Ashford International (where you can transfer to the Eurostar and to highspeed trains to London). There is one train per hour in each direction.

Buses are usually cheaper and run more frequently than trains but the train is much quicker and is the better option if you want to travel beyond East Sussex or Kent.

Sights and activities in Rye

Places to stay in Rye