The best place to get your bearings for exploring Rye is at the Heritage Centre on Strand Quay where 700 years of the town's eventful past is brought to life through a sound and light show centred on a beautifully crafted town model. Historic (and ghost) audio walking tours and working Old Pier Amusement machines are also available.

A further way to get an overview of what Rye has to offer is to visit the church which crowns the town and climb to the top of its tower. There you will have panoramic views of the red-roofed town with its secret gardens, its three converging rivers, the sheep-dotted Romney Marsh and the sea in the distance. Rye is the sort of place that you thought existed only in your imagination.

The town still has a busy fishing fleet and fresh fish can be bought direct from the fishermen at Fish market Quay. For those wishing to eat out, Rye has a wide variety of pubs, inns and excellent restaurants, many of these in historic buildings. What could be more perfect in cool weather than enjoying a lunch or afternoon tea in front of a roaring log fire in one of the many charming locations - the famous Mermaid Inn for example.

Rye is renowned for its annual Rye Arts Festival - judged one of the best in the country - but also has many other interesting events throughout the year such as Rye Bonfire Night in November and a Scallop Festival in February, also highly-rated nationally.

There is much to see and do in the surrounding area. Just three miles from Rye is her sister Ancient Town of Winchelsea. So important to the realm had been Old Winchelsea that when it was devastated by the worst of 13^th century storms, King Edward I saw to it that a New Winchelsea was built more safely on its present hill - England's first "planned town." Its many charms include a number of impressive cellars from the medieval wine trade and glorious gardens open to the public on certain days of the year.

For sporting activities there are several local golf clubs, a water sports centre, kite surfing, fishing and tennis - all a short drive away. Of course the sandy beaches of Camber and pebbles of Winchelsea Beach will keep children busy for hours and during the winter these are lovely places to walk and enjoy the fresh sea air. Other nearby attractions include the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, and the Kent and Sussex Railway - both of them premier steam railways, enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Also a short drive away is the Chape

Forge Mews is a pretty, attractive development in the heart of historic Rye. This luxury self-catering cottage is arranged on three levels, making the best use of the light that surrounds it. From the moment you enter Anvil Cottage you know that this holiday home is special: superior furnishings and spacious accommodation are combined to create a peaceful and luxurious ambience.

The ground floor of this Sussex holiday cottage consists of a large comfortably furnished lounge with French doors that fill the room with warmth and light and lead onto the pretty decked back garden, where there is a large table and chairs for al fresco dining. The fully fitted kitchen and dining area are beautifully presented with Maplewood units and granite effect worktops, as well as stainless steel appliances, giving the room a luxurious feel. The round table and black leather chairs add to the stylish look of the room.

Anvil Cottage has its own private parking space right next to the cottage, and with much of Rye best explored on foot, this is a huge advantage. However, Rye railway station is just a few minutes' walk away so you could come by train to enjoy a short break in this holiday home.

This area of Sussex and Kent offers a varied and interesting coastline with a host of attraction for people of all ages. Camber Sands, a few miles to the east, is lovely for children with miles and sand beaches and dunes, idea for a family vacation.

Forge Mews is a pretty, attractive development in the heart of historic Rye. This luxury self-catering cottage is arranged on three levels, making the best use of the light that surrounds it. From the moment you enter Anvil Cottage you know that this holiday home is special: superior furnishings and spacious accommodation are combined to create a peaceful and luxurious ambience.

The ground floor of this Sussex holiday cottage consists of a large comfortably furnished lounge with French doors that fill the room with warmth and light and lead onto the pretty decked back garden, where there is a large table and chairs for al fresco dining. The fully fitted kitchen and dining area are beautifully presented with Maplewood units and granite effect worktops, as well as stainless steel appliances, giving the room a luxurious feel. The round table and black leather chairs add to the stylish look of the room.

Anvil Cottage has its own private parking space right next to the cottage, and with much of Rye best explored on foot, this is a huge advantage. However, Rye railway station is just a few minutes' walk away so you could come by train to enjoy a short break in this holiday home.

This area of Sussex and Kent offers a varied and interesting coastline with a host of attraction for people of all ages. Camber Sands, a few miles to the east, is lovely for children with miles and sand beaches and dunes, idea for a family vacation.

For the garden enthusiast Kent and East Sussex have many wonderful gardens to visit and many an hour can be spent discovering these and enjoying homemade tea and cakes in their tea rooms. Hole Park in Rolvenden, Great Dixter in Northiam and the famous Sissinghurst Castle Gardens in Sissinghurst are just three examples.

Not far from Rye is another of the famous Cinque Ports: Hastings. Today, Hastings Old Town is a charming mix of half-timbered houses, narrow streets and passageways, known locally as 'twittens'. Hastings is also home to the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe. At low tide the remains of the Dutch East Indiaman 'Amsterdam' wrecked in 1749 can be seen, and as in Rye, in the 18^th Century smugglers stored contraband goods in hidey holes throughout Hastings Old Town. Popular family attractions in the Old Town are the Blue Reef Aquarium, Fishermen's Museum and Shipwreck Museum.

Why not visit the recently opened Jerwood Gallery in Hastings, situated right on the seafront and nestled between the famous Hastings fishing huts and the historic old town. The Jerwood Gallery, little sister of the influential Jerwood Space in London, houses some of the most exciting paintings produced in the 20^th and 21^st centuries as well as supporting young artists through its charitable arm, the Jerwood Foundation. It is less than 20 minutes from Anvil Cottage.

For more ideas please visit our 'things to do' section on the website.