Things to do in Margate

If there is one aspect of Margate you simply cannot miss, it is Margate Main Sands beach. It was a beloved subject of painter JMW Turner (1775-1851), who came here often and famously stated that “the skies over Thanet are the loveliest in all Europe.” Margate Main Sands is family friendly, with loads of facilities both on the beach and nearby, and it won a Blue Flag Award and Seaside Award in 2019.

A stone’s throw from the beach is a warren of quaint streets dating back to the town’s Georgian heyday: Margate Old Town. Be sure to factor in time to wander round the fabulous mixture of vintage shops, trendy restaurants, beautiful boutiques and cute cafes. You’ll find the Margate Museum and Tudor House nestled in Old Town, too. Two attractions in one, the little museum tells the story of the town, including some of its most notable residents, while a few streets away, the 16th century Tudor House is a wonderfully preserved piece of Margate’s past.