Chichester

Chichester is a seaside community with lots of history and activities for the entire family. There is everything from horseracing to visiting old castles to festivals every week. There are plenty of pubs and restaurants to go out to after hours. The shopping is first rate, and one of the most attractive retail areas in south England.

You'll definately want to stop by Chichester Cathedral, one of the most beautiful cathedrals on the south coast. Chichester Cathedral is a magnificent building which has stood at the centre of Chichester for nearly 1000 years. You can visit the cathedral from 7:15AM to 6:00 PM every day. You can see the a number of treasures including the 12th century Lazarus Reliefs and works by Sutherland, Chagall and Piper.

For those who like to walk and be with nature, we recommend the West Dean Gardens. Here you are immersed in a classic nineteenth century designed landscape. Their gardens contain everything from the fantastic to the mundane. It is a peaceful way to spend an afternoon and a good way to unwind from a busy week at work. You can even bring your own picnic for a romantic afternoon!

Probably the most fascinating is the Fishbourne Roman Palace. This was unknown to modern man until it was discovered by accident during the digging of a water main in the 1960's. After many excavations, it was found that the site was once a Roman palace which developed from a military base at the time of the Roman invasion in AD43 to a 100 room palace at the end of the first centuary. There is an entertaining audio visual programme which tells the story about how the palace came to be and about many of the artifacts found on the site. You'll also be able to see the largest collection of in-situ mosaics in Britain including the Cupid on a Dolphin Mosaic. It is nearly not possible to see everything in a day, as there is so many interesting artifacts to study. The gardens were even planted to closely resemble the original plans of the palace. There are many hands on programmes such as workshops in Roman Textiles: Spinning, Weaving and Dying, Ceramics, Making Mosaics, and Roman Plants and Gardens. Admission charges are £6.50 for adults. The palace hours are from 10:00AM to 4:00 PM.

Many people come to visit the beautiful Chichester Harbour. It has 27 square miles of navigable water with the most incredible scenery in all of England. You can rent a sailboat for the day or simply walk along the beach. Without question, Chichester has a little something for everyone.

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