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From chocolate box villages, to arresting walking trails and colourful seaside towns, there is so much to choose from when it comes to finding a decent day trip out of London. And if that’s not enough for you, there area also magical forests, foodie meccas, historical cities and even more just a train ride away from the Big Smoke.
Because of the myriad possibilities for a quick sojourn out of the city, we created a ranking of the 20 best day trips from London, to help prospective tourists whittle down where they’d like to visit.
And if you’re still lacking inspiration, may we present to you another fabulous spot that can be reached from the capital within just one and a half hours.
We’ve named Chichester as one of London’s best day visits. Why? Because the dinky, pastel-coloured city looks like it could be built out of macarons. The city 80 miles southwest of the capital has oodles of history, having been home to Roman and Anglo-Saxon settlements, and a market town during the Norman period.
Here’s how Time Out editors recommend spending a day in Chichester: ‘Start at the Norman-meets-Gothic cathedral before moving on to the Pallant House Gallery, home to brilliantly curated exhibitions, a first-class bookshop and a courtyard café that gives Rochelle Canteen a run for its money.
‘Some of the best bits of Sussex are an easy drive (or, if you’re feeling full of beans, a slightly less easy bike ride) away, from the Goodwood Estate to West Dean Gardens and the gorgeous sandy beach at West Wittering.’
To get the most of your trip, we suggest travelling the Chichester by car, which should take around two hours (and maybe less if you step on it). To get there by train, it’s one hour and 30 minutes from Victoria.
See all of the 20 best day trips from London
Oxford Street is going completely car-free for one day in September.
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