The best things to do in Rye for 2025

It’s not technically in Rye, but first place on our list still has to go to the lovely Tillingham, a 70-acre organic farm with woodland, livestock and of course, a lot of vines – and only a ten-minute drive from Rye. Come for wine tastings with friends, sip your afternoon away in the stunning outdoor garden, and dine at the barn barn where sourdough pizzas, with crusts crisped up in the wood-fired oven, are served with draught wine until 8pm.

Time Out tip: If you’ve got budget for a little more than pizza, the dishes on the restaurant’s six-course tasting menu are crafted with produce plucked from Tillinghams’ own gardens and fish caught at Rye Harbour. Eating there is pretty special – just make sure to book this bit in advance. 

Address: Dew Farm, Dew Lane, Peasmarsh, East Sussex, TN31 6XD

Step back in time at The Mermaid Inn, which is as enchanting as it is ancient. This 600-year-old pub is packed with history – with low, sloping ceilings, beams, cosy nooks and fireplaces, and a cellar that dates back to 1156. Smugglers drank here in the 1730s and now it’s frequented by locals and visitors who come for ales and more.

Time Out tip: Happen to be here on the last Sunday of the month? You’re in luck – the owner here, Judith Blincow offers guided tours of the inn to learn about its history. 

Address: Mermaid Street, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7EY, United Kingdom

Rye feels a little like it’s suspended in time – so get lost in the town’s history. Explore ancient Rye Castle’s Ypres Tower before climbing the bell tower at twelfth-century St Mary’s Church for views across Rye’s rust-coloured rooftops. Marvel at Mermaid Street’s story-book charm – it’s all cobbles and wonky half-timbered houses.

Address: Ypres Tower, Gun Garden, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7HH, United Kingdom

For such a little town, Rye punches well above its weight for indie boutiques. Browse a stylish edit of antiques, art books, scent, candles and household tools in a beautiful old chapel at Soap & Salvation. Pick up the fabric, patterns, tools and skills to sew your own unique garments at Merchant & Mills: a dreamy haberdashery in a high-ceilinged old toy factory. Or browse literally thousands of records, CDs and even cassette and eight-track tapes at Grammar School Records, housed in (you guessed it) a handsome seventeenth-century school building.

Take a trip to Camber Sands, one of England’s finest beaches. You can hop on a bus, but the three-mile hike from the centre of Rye will help you walk off lunch. Keep an eye out for marsh harriers and seals popping their heads out above the waves. Just remember it can get a touch windy, even in summer. Thirsty? Head to Camber Landing, behind the beach on Lydd Road, where you can settle in for an Allpress coffee or a new-on-the-scene Camber Beer Tide Lager.

Address: Camber Sands Beach, Camber, East Sussex, TN31 7QS, United Kingdom

Rye Harbour is just a few minutes’ bus from the town – you’ll spot fishing boats sailing by the lifeboat station. Fuel up with a fry-up at the Bosun’s Bite cafe for a stomp around Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, a sprawling patchwork of grassland, saltmarsh and lakes that extends more than two miles along the coast. The modern, well-kitted-out Discovery Centre will fill you in on the abundant wildlife and wildflowers you can expect to find along the way, plus human landmarks like the Tudor-era Camber Castle, an Insta-famous red-roofed fishing hut and a lifeboat house with a dramatic story. Check the website for upcoming guided tours and events. 

Time Out tip: Once you’ve circled back to Rye Harbour, you’ll most definitely deserve an alfresco pint at the very lovely William the Conqueror pub.

Address: Rye Harbour Discovery Centre, Harbour Road, Rye Harbour, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7FW, United Kingdom

Locals will tell you that the best chippie in town is Marino’s Fish Bar – the queue out the door confirms it. Get in line and get your salt and vinegar-drenched chips to go, and don’t forget a pot of curry sauce and a pickled egg on the side.

Time Out tip: Craving something sweeter? Stop by Knoops for a hot chocolate or iced mocha. Sure, you’ll find Knoops chocolate stores on some of London’s swankiest streets, but the first shop was opened right here in Rye.

Address: 37-38 The Mint, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7EN, United Kingdom

Going to see a film is probably not top of your holiday hit list when visiting a new town, but then the Kino Teatr is no ordinary cinema. This beautifully restored space once existed as a Victorian library, and still holds its period features today. Inside there are several small, very plush screenings rooms, but it’s also a spot for coffee, cake or a shandy on the sunny terrace.

Address: 2 Lion Street, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7LB, United Kingdom

Book a table at the lovely Globe Inn Marsh for generous portions of mussels, prawns and smoked mackerel, as well as great veggie options. Their ‘bonfire pizzas’ are a winner. Be sure to leave room for cream tea at Mermaid Street Café.

Address: 10 Military Road, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7NX, United Kingdom

Brunch classics are given a fancy twist at The Fig, on Rye high street. Choose from dishes like avo smash with coriander chutney and pickled pink onions, or french toast waffles, topped with banana, pecans and syrup, with one of the town’s best flat whites (and cocktails post 10am) on the side. Brown leather benches, bistro-style chairs and metro tiles give it a Brooklyn coffee house vibe.

Love bargain-hunting? Prepare for some serious temptation in the sleepy antique shops around Mermaid Street, like Strand Quay Antiques for basically unlimited bric-a-brac. For something truly out there, head to Alex MacArthur Interiors, found in a sprawling fourteenth-century monastery on Conduit Hill. Nearby, Rae Store stocks ethical throws, candles and cushions sourced from independent makers.

Address: Mermaid Street, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7ET, United Kingdom

You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to boozy boltholes in Rye. The George Inn is an ideal spot for a glass of local Chapel Down wine. Other options include sipping super-local craft beers at the tiny Rye Waterworks Micropub – a 300-year-old former waterpump. Or grab a table in the Ypres Castle Inn’s epic beer garden beneath the ramparts of Rye Castle. 

Address: The George Inn, 98 High Street, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7JT, United Kingdom