Our guide to luxury Kent holidays

Fertile farmland, cultivated country estates, grand palatial gardens; Kent has been affectionately known as ‘The Garden of England’ for hundreds of years because of its fresh produce. Hop gardens in iconic coastal houses are used for beer and acres of luscious orchards and prestigious strawberry fields (supplying Wimbledon every year) coat the landscape. Kent is well known for its locally-sourced food, with Whitstable oysters, Dover sole and Romney Marsh lamb regularly on menus. Born foodies, beware, what to eat for starter, main and dessert is likely to be your biggest conundrum.

Kent is a mere 40 minutes from London, departing from St. Pancras International. By car, it’s not much longer; in just over an hour you’ll be down by the coast, cone of chips in hand.

Many regard Kent to be the oldest county in England, with over 17,000 listed buildings to marvel at. As a result, there are more castles and historic houses in Kent than any other region. Wander rose gardens in the sun at Penshurst Place, tackle the water maze with the children at the double-moated Hever Castle, and lose yourself in 500 acres of regal grounds at Leeds Castle, once home to six mediaeval queens. Oast houses, historically used for drying hops, fleck the horizon and tales of battle linger on the wind at coastal forts. Whether by the sea or among the rolling hills, a historic house with a story to be told is never far away.

If you’ve got time, Canterbury is always worth the trip. Half-timbered houses line ancient cobbled streets in a city steeped in mediaeval charm. The main draw for most is Canterbury Cathedral, built on Roman ruins and home to the Archbishop of Canterbury, having survived the Norman conquest. Cream with Caen stone and lined with kaleidoscopic stained glass windows insides, pilgrims have journeyed here for hundreds of years.

On the Kentish coastline you’re spoilt for choice. Popular with city-dwellers desperate to escape the hubbub and the suburbs, Margate Main Sands offers the sandy respite many so crave. Although busy in summertime months, it carries a kitsch vibe with one of the UK’s oldest amusement parks, Dreamland, on the promenade (penny arcades too), and street food stalls beckoning in the distance. Also popular is Minnis Bay in Birchington, a long stretch of sand for all; beach lizards, families, paddleboarders, kayakers, and wakeboarders. Botany Bay at Broadstairs presents warm, golden sand with chalk giants that tower above the beach, offering cool, shady spots in the midday sun. Rolling dunes and a wide, flat sandy beach make for the perfect family playground at Sunny Sands, Folkestone, whilst those who seek quieter scenes will find their solace among the pastel beach huts and gentle waves of Stone Bay at Broadstairs.