KENT, SURREY & SUSSEX - England 2012 and the Best of Wales - page 274

comforts. Most rooms enjoy views across the square and out to the sea. Some have a
historic feel (with four-posters); others (including several family rooms) are simple
and modern. The Regency Suite has antique furniture, and a balcony facing the sea.
28 Regency Square, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 2FH. www.regencyhotelbrighton.com. & 01273/
202690. Fax [phone] units (shower only). £60-£155 double. Rates include English breakfast.
AE, DC, MC, V. Parking £13. Amenities: Breakfast room; bar; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi
(free).

6

CHICHESTER & ARUNDEL
Chichester: 31 miles W of Brighton; 69 miles SW of London. Arundel: 21 miles W of Brighton; 58 miles
SW of London
Chichester has it all. On one side there's the sea, a natural harbor with 48 miles of
coastline, where you'll see plenty of yachts. On the other side is the undulating coun-
tryside of the South Downs, Britain's newest National Park. And Chichester itself?
It has all the charms of a smart market town yet is actually a city, courtesy of its
cathedral. It can also boast being the former Roman city of Noviomagus. The streets
are neat and historic, no more so than at the Tudor Market Cross, a stone structure
at the centre of East, West, North, and South streets near the cathedral. And there
are many upmarket shops (there aren't many places in England where you'll find an
Orvis store). It's an arty place and home to the Chichester Festival, one of the
country's leading arts festivals, which takes place each July in the 1950s-era Festival
Theatre in Oaklands Park. At other times of the year the building also hosts every-
thing from orchestras to the likes of folk-rock veterans Fairport Convention.
Arundel is a small town a short drive from Chichester. It is dominated by the
might of Arundel Castle, yet there is more to it than that: The River Arun crosses
it, serene and regal (this was once a river port), then meanders, like a scene from the
Middle Ages, through water meadows that make for lovely walks.
Essentials
GETTING THERE Trains depart from London's Victoria Station every 30 minutes
during the day. The trip takes 1 1 ⁄ 2 hours to Arundel, another few minutes to Chiches-
ter. The Southern service costs about £25 to either. However, if you visit Chichester
for the theatre, you'll need to stay over—the last train back is mid-evening.
If you're driving, take the A3 from London, turning onto the A286 for Chichester.
From Chichester take the A27 east to Arundel.
VISITOR INFORMATION Chichester Tourist Information Centre, 29A
South St. ( & 01243/775888; www.visitchichester.org), is open October to March,
Monday 10:15am to 5:15pm and Tuesday to Saturday 9:15am to 5:15pm; April to
September it's open Monday to Saturday 9:15am to 5:15pm and Sunday 10:30am to
3pm. Arundel Tourist Information Centre, 1-3 Crown Yard Mews, River Road
( & 01903/882268; www.sussexbythesea.com), is open April to October, Monday
to Saturday 10am to 5pm (to 6pm July-Aug), Sunday 10am to 4pm; off-season hours
are daily 10am to 3pm.
Exploring the Area
Arundel Castle CASTLE The ancestral home of the dukes of Norfolk,
Arundel Castle is a much-restored mansion of considerable importance. Its legend is
associated with some of the great families of England—the Fitzalans and the