Rye is one of my favorite towns in East Sussex, if not all of the U.K. It’s full of historic stone buildings, winding cobbled streets, and plenty of great restaurants! After spending lots of time in nearby Brighton (my husband was born and raised here), I finally visited Rye a couple of years ago and since then I’ve been back several times. This charming town really captured my imagination and to think I only visited Rye in the first place to snap some photos of Mermaid Street for my Instagram! But I quickly fell in love with the rest of the town
I’ve come up with what I think is the perfect day in Rye. It includes the Rye’s top sights, excellent hot chocolate, the best restaurants as well as a few unforgettable hidden gems! And the best part is that most of the activities I’ve listed below are free, so, it’s the perfect one day in Rye itinerary if you’re on a budget!
I’ve done the research so you don’t have to so let’s uncover how to have the best one day in Rye!
How Do You Spend a Day in Rye?
My perfect day in Rye would begin with climbing the bell tower at St. Mary’s Church for the best view of the town. And this would help me get my bearings. Then, I’d grab a takeaway hot chocolate from the famed Knoops and stroll over to the very photogenic Mermaid Street to take some photos.
In the afternoon, I suggest learning all about the history of ancient Rye by visiting Camber Castle and Lamb House. And finally, in the evening I’d go for a stroll around Rye Harbor Coastal Reserve (and see how many birds I could spot). Before ending my day watching the sunset on Camber Sands Beach!
Morning – Climb the Bell Tower & Have the Best hot chocolate in England at Knoops
Before setting off on your full day exploring Rye – stop in for breakfast at The Fig on High Street. This small and cozy spot is one of the most popular breakfast spots in town and serves a variety of yummy dishes. From pastries to my favorite halloumi eggs to a full English breakfast. Please note The Fig doesn’t open until 9:30 am so my advice is to have a lie-in this morning!
The Bell Tower at St Mary’s Church
After your feed, head over to the bell tower at St Mary’s Church in Church Square, which offers the best view in all of Rye. In fact, I’ve been told it’s a very popular spot for marriage proposals. Yes, the views are that wow-worthy!
On the way up, you will see the eight church bells, which weigh a shopping combined weight of 5 tons. These are not the original church bells; these ones were re-cast in 1775. The original bells were, in fact, stolen in 1377 by French invaders and brought to France. Thankfully, they were recovered the next year.
Knoop’s Hot Chocolate
Later this morning it’s time for a treat – in the form of the most delicious hot chocolate you’ll ever taste! A bold statement!
Knoops concept is based on a carefully curated percentage menu that offers chocolates to suit every taste and mood. In-store, try out the different % chocolates and flavors in a process the staff call ‘Knoopology.’ This process is simple; choose your chocolate %, milk, and extra flavors like sea salt, orange zest, or chilli to be made into a hot chocolate, milkshake, or iced chocolate. Delicious!
Personally, I love the 34% milk hot chocolate. But, my husband prefers the darker versions.
There are now 6 Knoops Stores in the country – one in Brighton and several dotted throughout London.
Late Morning – Snap some photos on Mermaid Street
Grab your hot chocolate to-go and make a beeline for Mermaid Street, aka the poster child for Rye! Drenched in storybook charm. Mermaid Street is a winding cobbled street with great views and slightly wonky stone and timber houses. Sort of Harry Potter-ish if you’re into that sort of thing. I am!
The best spot for a photo on Mermaid Street is to stand in the middle of the cobbled street just outside The Mermaid Inn (like I have done in the photo above). The best time of day to photograph Mermaid Street is at dusk – because little lights light up the houses down the street, making it seem very magical (and a little like Diagonal Alley from the Harry Potter movies). It’s also quieter at this time of the evening, beware it does get very busy here during the day and is especially busy at weekends.
Be sure to pop into the coziest pub in prime position on the street – The Mermaid Inn for a pint or maybe some lunch if you’re feeling hungry! One of the best seats in the house is at the Giant’s Fireplace Bar – it’s full of history as a local gang of smugglers in the 1730s frequented the bar.
There’s a secret passageway into the bar – can you spot it?
Afternoon – Lamb House & Camber Castle
This afternoon you’ll uncover the history of Rye (which dates as far back as the year 1289) on a visit to Camber Castle and Lamb House, former home of Henry James.
Lamb House
First up this afternoon is Lamb House, which as I said was once home to writer Henry James as well as E.F. It is now owned by the National Trust and is one of the top things to do in Rye for literature fans! To the rear of the house is one of the largest gardens in Rye – filled with lilies and roses and even contains the graves of Henry James’ dogs. Inside the house, there’s a varied collection of unique artworks and sculptures. When visiting Lamb House, you will learn all about its history as well as its famous past occupants.
It costs £8 to visit Lamb House and is open Friday – Tuesday every week, 11 am-5 pm.
Camber Castle
Camber Castle, once the home of Henry VIII, is one of the most important historic sites in Rye. And as you can probably guess it remains one of the most popular things to do in Rye! It lies within the nature reserve between Rye and Winchelsea. It is an unaltered artillery fort that was built in 1539 to protect Rye Harbur. You can’t drive to the Castle, instead, it is reachable only by a mile-long footpath from Rye.
Did you know – Camber means safe haven (you could safely anchor a vessel behind the castle). The word is derived from the French word ‘chambre’, which means bedroom.
The Castle was abandoned in 1637 and is now managed by English Heritage, who have made updates to the structural work of the Castle. You can visit the outside of the Castle any day of the week – here’s where the walk to the Castle starts but guided tours of the Castle’s interior usually occur on the first Saturday of the month in Summer. On a tour of Camber Castle, you can expect to see the flower-like shapes on the curtain wall and the brick-vaulted tunnels.
Late afternoon – Rye Harbor Coastal Reserve
At the Rye Harbour Coastal Reserve, spot amazing wildlife like the Marsh Frog and more unique species like the Spangled Button Beetle and the Medicinal Leech along this long coastal path which also has five bird hides where you can truly get up close to the native birds. The most common birds seen here are Terns (Little, Common & Sandwich), Oystercatchers, Redshanks, Lapwing, and many more.
This area is known to be one of the most important nature reserves in the country and is home to approximately 4,355 species of plants and animals, including 300 that are rare or endangered. The walk begins from the Discovery Center, which also contains a shop and Cafe with fabulous views.
Evening – Camber Sands Beach
When I visited, I was surprised to learn that Rye does have a beach! It’s called Camber Sands and it’s lovely! And this is where we suggest heading this evening for sunset!
The good news is you can easily walk from Rye to Camber Sands! Yep, just a 3 km walk from the center of Rye will take you to one of the best golden-sand beaches in the country. Camber Sands is 5 miles long and can get quite windy, so it’s a very popular Rye activity for windsurfers and kite surfers.
The Western End of the beach next to River Rother is the most popular section of the beach with locals and is especially pretty! It’s safe to swim at Camber Sands but beware of fast-moving tides that can quickly drag you out to the deep.
If you can catch a sunset here, even better; the sky sure did put on a show for us when we visited in October just gone.
Dinner – The Hoof
For dinner this evening, we suggest Hoof at The Mint. We loved our dinner at this cozy, warm pub that specializes in farm-to-table ingredients in a fun way. They’re famous for their burgers but they also serve more hearty dishes like steak and pork loin. Oh, and you can’t miss out on their freakshakes which come in flavors like Biscoff Sundae and Brownie of the Day. Yum!
Where to Stay in Rye
Seeing as there’s so much to do in Rye, why not extend your stay there with an overnight stay at the 600-year-old Mermaid Inn? The rooms here have sloping ceilings and creaky floorboards, and the hallways in the hotel have several winding staircases – all adding to the unique factor!
It is also believed the hotel is haunted – so keep an eye out for ghosts or other supernatural occurrences! Some people love that sort of thing, and travelers specifically book into the Mermaid Inn, hoping to see a ghost! The Mermaid Inn is extremely popular and tends to sell out quickly, so book early!
Book your stay at The Mermaid Inn here; rooms start from £130 per night.
We also loved –
- Extraordinary Huts is a quirky hut-style accommodation that still has all the features of a comfortable hotel room. This is one of the most unique properties in Rye!
- A Grade II listed building in the center of Rye – Whitehouse Rye is top of my list for a luxurious stay in Rye. There’s a restaurant and award-winning bakery onsite.
Thanks for Reading!
To me, one day in Rye is enough to see most of this charming town. I just love it here and I know after visiting you will too!
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Last Updated on June 28, 2024 by snaphappytravel