A small cathedral city founded by the Romans, Chichester is filled with reminders of its seafaring connections. Former residents include Vice-Admiral Sir George Murray, who was the captain of Nelson’s fleet and once lived at 57 North Street. He is commemorated with a blue plaque affixed to the side of Harbour Hotel Chichester.
Its most popular attractions include the cathedral, its arts scene and nearby coastline. It is around 20 minutes’ drive to the Blue Flag West Wittering Beach, from which there are views over the Chichester Harbour National Landscape and South Downs National Park. Lesser-known charms include Dell Quay, less than an hour’s walk from Chichester centre, where fishermen unload crates of Selsey crabs.
When to go
The annual Goodwood Festival of Speed, held at Goodwood House (13 minutes by car), means July is the busiest month, but spring and summer are great times to enjoy Bishop’s Palace Gardens. The arts and crafts Festival of Chichester draws to a close this Sunday.
During winter, find warmth in the art galleries and cafés, many of which are tucked into half-timbered buildings.
How to get there
Chichester is located just below the South Downs National Park and halfway between Portsmouth and Worthing. Chichester Harbour is a natural harbour, and it takes 10 minutes to drive from the city centre to the closest bit – the tiny waterside hamlet of Dell Quay.
Chichester railway station is served by Southern. The city’s buses offer easy access to nearby villages. A PlusBus ticket, which gives unlimited travel on most local buses is £3.30 a day.
Where to stay
For plenty of heritage, book a room in the cathedral’s Treasury Building, just off the cloisters – or at the guest house on Cathedral Close. Self-catering accommodation on the cathedral’s grounds includes the Grade II listed 2 St Faith’s House, just metres from the cathedral walls. This four-bedroom Georgian house sleeps seven, from £400 a night. Doubles in the treasury building start from £155 a night; there is also a single, accessible room, from £100 a night, chichestercathedral.org.uk.
North Walls House, within the city walls, is a B&B run by Philip and Claire Wake. The Grade II listed property has guest parking. Its drawing room welcomes visitors with a grand piano and an open fire in the chillier months. When the weather allows, its garden is ideal for sundowners. Philip was in the Merchant Navy and pictures of ships and seascapes fill the bedrooms. All cost £105 a night, year-round, wolseylodges.com.
Day one
Up with the sun
Fuel a busy day with a stop at The Fat Fig. Highlights include the eggs Fat Fig-style – eggs Benedict made with a layer of figs, instead of ham. Alternatively, head to the Serendipitous Bakery for homemade sourdough delights, including flavourful, flaky croissants (£1.50).
Souvenir hunting
Winter’s Moon sells Fairtrade and handmade items including soaps, candles and bags. There are regular crafting workshops held in-store, too.
Nearby, The Cloud Gallery is filled with pictures of the wave-bashed beaches. Keep an eye out for pieces by Ken Hammond, a local resident whose paintings of the area’s coastline span a range of styles.
Don’t miss
For a modern art fix, visit the Pallant House Gallery. Located in a Grade I listed townhouse, it features works by Damien Hirst and Lucian Freud. A highlight is the grand staircase in the gallery’s Georgian building. It has been transformed by artists who decorated it with 20,000 velvet-filled shells.
Time for a sundowner
Boat House, on the edge of Chichester Harbour, is a leisurely place to soak up views over the water as the sun sets. The wine menu includes tipples from Sussex vineyards – rosé fans should try the Fitz English Sparkling Rosé (£10 a glass/£55 a bottle), produced in Worthing. It pairs well with a roll from the café’s Lobster Hatch, housed in a shipping container.
In the city centre, try Brasserie Blanc for a glass of fizz and some boquerones (fresh anchovies with pickled shallot rings) on the patio.
Dinner reservation
Purchases restaurant serves locally sourced fish and game from the South Downs, and there is a lovely, plant-filled terrace. The three-course set menu costs £29.95pp, its highlight being the grilled whole Cornish sole.
Day two
Hit the beach
Yes, West Wittering can be crowded, but that is because it has one of southern England’s prettiest Blue Flag beaches. It also attracts birds such as dunlins and sanderlings – their preferred hangout is East Head, the dunes at the beach’s northeastern end. These dunes also offer a habitat to coastal plants including sea bindweed, which produces lilac-hued blooms. The beach is around 20 minutes from Chichester by car, or around 40 minutes by bus.
Lunch time
The Crown & Anchor on Dell Quay Road overlooks Chichester Harbour. It is known for its fresh fish, and you can offset culinary excesses by getting there on foot. It’s 4km from Chichester city centre or, from West Wittering Beach, take a 9km walk, which skirts the Chichester Harbour National Landscape. “We get lots of Selsey crab and South Coast plaice along with other daily catches straight off the boat,” says head chef Philip Dankwa.
Time to relax
Chichester Cathedral, which next year will mark 950 years since it became the seat of the Bishop of Selsey, has stained-glass windows and exposed mosaics that are a relic of Roman rule. It is open for visiting from 9am-5pm Monday to Saturday and 12.30pm-2.30pm on Sundays with a recommended admission donation of £5 per person. Services take place daily.
Bishop’s Palace Gardens, between the cathedral and the city wall, date to the early 12th century. The gardens’ 14 acres include fragrant shrubs, water features and a pergola walk, and there are plenty of benches on which to rest.
A final treat
Chichester Cathedral’s Cloisters Kitchen and Garden is known for its homemade cakes. Order a brownie and admire the architecture – the café is in the 600-year-old cloisters.
Three things you might not know about Chichester…
1) Astronaut Tim Peake, who is from Chichester, has a sports centre named after him in the city.
2) In 2017, a parchment manuscript copy of the United States Declaration of Independence was discovered in the archives of The West Sussex Record Office on Orchard Street.
3) Chichester Harbour, one of the UK’s largest recreational harbours, is home to about 10,000 vessels.