My seaside town is Time Out’s best UK place to visit in 2025.. it used to be a tourist blackspot but now rivals Brighton

FOLKESTONE has been named the apical destination to sojourn by Time Out this twelvemonth - and arsenic a local, I tin spot why.

The Kent municipality featured connected their 15 champion places to sojourn successful the UK successful 2025 list.

Citing it arsenic a "once under-the-radar" seaside town, it since undergone a immense revamp successful caller years.

Time Out said: "In caller years the Kentish municipality has cemented its rep arsenic a top-tier seaside spot, delightful for its colourful, cobbled Old High Street of indie shops, its ever-growing culinary scene, its balmy, sweeping formation and surrounding areas of earthy beauty."

I recognize it's caller examination to Brighton excessively - they are some little than an hr from London (Folkestone is conscionable 54 minutes to St Pancras) and some person an astonishing creation scene.

Folkestone does bushed Brighton successful 1 way, nevertheless - the mean location terms successful Folkestone is £311,673 according to Rightmove, portion Brighton's is £484,154.

And determination are immoderate breathtaking caller changes coming to the seaside town, which arsenic idiosyncratic who lives there, americium excited about.

There is the long awaited Leas Lift, 1 of the UK's past funicular railways, which is undergoing a immense renovation.

Having closed backmost successful 2017, it hopes to reopen this twelvemonth and link tourists from the clifftop to Folkestone Beach.

The Lower Leas Coastal parkland - one of the largest escaped escapade parks successful the UK - is besides laying the groundwork for a immense renovation.

And returning this twelvemonth is the Folkestone Triennial for the archetypal clip since 2021.

The three-month event, moving from July 19 to October 19, volition spot planetary artists make caller structures and artwork to the town.

The municipality already has its ain unsocial creation trail, including a 2014 Banksy, arsenic good arsenic the Antony Gormley formed robust statues and 'Folkestone Mermaid,' akin to the 1 successful Copenhagen.

An oversized pigeon unit, the 'Folkestone Lightbulb' thoroughfare creation and Richard Woods vacation homes are besides spotted successful the town.

Make definite to locomotion on the seafront from Folkestone to Sandgate too, to spot the brightly coloured formation houses, besides portion of the creation trails.

Living determination myself, I often walk my weekends having exploring the multicoloured Artist's Quarter, stopping for a java successful Steep Street (a bookshop-cum-cafe) and picking up immoderate section artwork.

And the Harbour Arm is the champion spot erstwhile the weather improves.

Not lone are determination shipping containers of food and drink stalls, but determination are adjacent much acquisition shops to explore.

In the summer, the large surface has films and unrecorded sports showing, but I emotion going to the different extremity of the harbour walls.

This is wherever you volition find the Lighthouse, an astonishing champagne bar, arsenic good it's sister edifice Tasting Rooms (visit connected Fridays for three-courses, complimentary fizz and Jazz euphony for £29).

Other astonishing restaurants see Rocksalt (you tin enactment determination excessively - here's my review) with immoderate of the champion food dishes successful the area, arsenic good arsenic Burrito Buoy which does fantastic Mexican food.

When it comes to bars, determination is the huge Samuel Peto, a beauteous Wetherspoons successful a erstwhile church.

Otherwise determination is the hidden speakeasy barroom down The Potting Shed - you'll request to get the password, but I volition permission that enigma for you to solve.

But if you're heading to the seaside, you person to travel for the beaches.

There is the immense main Folkestone Beach which is stony but wherever you volition find the bars and cafes.

Or, depending connected the tide, determination is Sunny Sands, a tiny spot of sandy formation (a rarity successful Kent).

Here's everything other I urge to bash if visiting Folkestone.