Page 241 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

Pavilion Gardens; adult/child
£12.30/6.90; h9.30am- DETOUR:
5.45pm Apr-Sep, 10am-5.15pm
Oct-Mar), the glittering BEACHY HEAD
palace of Prince George Start: 4 Rye
(later King George IV).
It’s one of the most An 8-mile detour off your route leads to a truly
opulent buildings in remarkable view. Around 25 miles west of Rye, peel
England, and Europe’s off the A27 onto the A22 to Eastbourne. Head to
finest example of early- the seafront to take the signed route that climbs to
19th-century chinoiserie. Beachy Head. Pick a parking spot and follow the
Take in the Salvador footpaths to the cliffs themselves. These 162m-tall
Dalí sofa modelled on sheer chalk faces are the highest point of cliffs that
Mae West’s lips at the slice across the rugged coastline at the southern end
Brighton Museum & Art of the South Downs. Far below sits a squat red-and-
Gallery (www.brighton-hove- white-striped lighthouse. Appealing walks include the
museums.org.uk; Royal Pavilion 1.5 mile hike west to the beach at Birling Gap. GREAT BRITAIN 17 THE HISTORIC SOUTH
Gardens; adult/child £5.20/3;
h10am-5pm Tue-Sun), then HMS Warrior (www.hmswar
gear up for a lively night
out by shopping amid the rior.org; adult/child £18/13; 7 Winchester
boutiques of the tightly h10am-5.30pm Apr-Oct, to Calm, collegiate Winches-
5pm Nov-Mar) and a wealth
packed Brighton Lanes. ter is a mellow must-see.
of imaginative, maritime- One of southern England’s
4 p245 themed museums, along most awe-inspiring
with waterborne harbour
The Drive » Next is a 50-mile tours (%02392-839766; buildings, 11th-century
blast due west, largely along Winchester Cathedral
A roads, to the historic port of www.historicdockyard.co.uk; (%01962-857225; www.
Portsmouth. As the 170m-high adult/child £7/5; hhours winchester-cathedral.org.
Spinnaker Tower gets closer on vary). Round it all off with uk; The Close; adult/child incl
the horizon, pick up signs for the the WWII-era submarine
Historic Dockyard Car Park. HMS Alliance (www. cathedral body & crypt tours
submarine-museum.co.uk; £8/free; h9.30am-5pm
Mon-Sat, 12.30-3pm Sun) sits
Haslar Rd, Gosport; adult/
6 Portsmouth child £14/10; h10am-5.30pm at its core. It boasts a fine
Gothic facade, one of the
Portsmouth’s blockbuster Apr-Oct, 10am-4.30pm Wed-Sun longest medieval naves
Historic Dockyard sees Nov-Mar) or by strolling in Europe (164m) and
you gazing at the hulk of around the defences in the intricately carved medi-
Henry VIII’s flagship, the historic Point district and eval choir stalls, sporting
Mary Rose (www.maryrose. by climbing the sail-like everything from mythical
org; adult/child £18/13; Spinnaker Tower (%02392- beasts to a mischievous
h10am-5.30pm Apr-Oct, to 857520; www.spinnakertower. green man. Jane Austen’s
5pm Nov-Mar), and jumping co.uk; Gunwharf Quays; adult/ grave is near the entrance,
aboard HMS Victory child £10/8; h10am-6pm) for in the northern aisle. The
(www.hms-victory.com; adult/ 23-mile views. fantastical crumbling re-
child £18/13; h10am-5.30pm The Drive » Time to head mains of Wolvesey Castle
Apr-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Mar) – the inland; a 30-mile motorway (EH; %0370-333 1181;
warship Nelson captained cruise (the M27 then the M3) www.english-heritage.org.
at the Battle of Trafalgar. takes you to Winchester. uk; College St; h10am-5pm
Then there’s the Victorian Apr-Oct) sit nearby, as

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