One Day in Rye, England

Tudor architecture. Narrow cobblestone streets. Flowers blooming. Pints of cider. Fields full of sheep. English seaside towns. #HeartEyes

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Rye is quintessential England, it feels like stepping back in time. Before I moved to London, Rye wasn’t on my travel radar. But, after finding a few London bloggers to follow, I quickly realized Rye was the picture perfect English seaside town.

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And, Rye is easy to get to. Located south of London in East Sussex, it takes about an hour and a half to get to Rye from St. Pancras station if you take the high-speed trains. I only went to Rye for a day, but if you go for the weekend, there are a few cute adorable places to stay in town.

When we arrived in Rye, The Fig was our first stop for a latte.

Fully caffeinated, we started wandering, heading towards St. Mary’s Church for a bird’s eye view of the town and the Ypres Tower, which used to house prisoners.

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Ready to be charmed, we headed for Mermaid Street, one of the most photographed streets in the UK.

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Is it any surprise visitors ooh and ahh over this darling cobblestone street? Seriously adorable.

Rye is full of the cutest nooks and crannies. Case in point: The House with Two Front Doors and The House with the Seat (both located on Mermaid Street).

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Hungry from a morning of wandering, we stopped at The George in the Rye for lunch, which consisted of Welsh rarebit.

Post-lunch, we stopped by the Lamb House on West Street. Lamb House is an early eighteenth-century house where Henry James lived and wrote for many years. The garden in back of the house was lovely, worth a stop in if you’re nearby.

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After popping in and out of a few shops, we swung by The Cobbles Tea Room to relax for a bit. The cafe opened in 1952, although the building dates back to 1826. I had traditional English sponge with Earl grey tea, and my friend ordered cream tea and biscuits- both were delish.

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We had a few hours left before it was time to catch the train back to London, and decided to wander outside the town. Although Rye is close to the sea, it’s a ~2.5-3 walk if you don’t have a car. So, instead, we went in search of a field with sheep- we’d passed so many on the train on our ride to Rye.

About ~15 minutes from town, we lucked out and found a road that led through a field full of sheep and lamb. The best.

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Like any English town, there’s no shortage of pubs in Rye. With less than an hour to spare before our train came, we grabbed a pint at Cinque Ports Arms. A lovely end to a wonderful day in Rye.

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 Have you ever been to Rye or another equally charming town? 

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