West Sussex

One of the UK’s most diverse counties, West Sussex sprawls both coast and South Downs National Park and offers a beautiful location to explore. This breath-taking stretch of coastline is home to sandy beaches, the freshest local crab, excellent wines, waterfront bistros, harbour side pubs, independent boutiques, art galleries, artist studios, and well-loved cultural icons.

Visit Pallant House Gallery in Chichester – a museum that tells the story of Modern British art from 1900 to now, through exhibitions and a permanent collection housed within an 18th century townhouse and adjoining 21st century gallery. 

Lovers of architecture, contemporary sculpture and stunning natural surroundings won’t be disappointed at the Cass Sculpture Foundation, nestling in 26 acres on the Goodwood Estate near Chichester. Founded in 1992, its mission is to inspire, support and showcase upcoming figures in contemporary sculpture. Here, discover over 50 sculptures within the beautiful grounds, along with two indoor gallery spaces.

Steeped in nearly 1,000 years of English history, Arundel Castle dominates the skyline and provides stunning views across West Sussex and the Arun Valley. Built in the 11th Century by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel, the Castle is one of the longest inhabited in the country and many of the original features still survive to this day. The rooms are full of artefacts, tapestries, furniture and rare paintings by some of the great masters including Van Dyck, Gainsborough and Canaletto. Set in over 40 acres, the Castle truly is a majestic attraction representing a vast timeline in the country’s culture and heritage. Each year the Arundel Festival offers a celebration of music, art and drama set across the historic town.

Escape to West Sussex and you’ll find 80km of coastline to explore. If you love getting out on the water, from water sports to harbour tours, you certainly won’t be disappointed. Discover the sandy beaches of The Witterings with its brightly coloured huts, the bustling cultural city of Chichester, and the coastal towns of Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Worthing where at East Beach, you can explore quirky beach huts converted to studios for local artists to showcase their work. These seaside towns are full of surprises and a happy collision of classic and contemporary activities.

Come and see for yourself why artists continue to be inspired to make this wonderful part of the world their home.

With Gatwick Airport gracing it's north border, the ports of Portsmouth and Southampton to it's south west, Dover Port and the Channel Tunnel further in the east and A roads crossing the county, getting to and around West Sussex is easy and straightforward. Trains can get you straight to the county's south coast, arriving in areas such as Chichester and Worthing. Or, if you're arriving by car from along the coast, there are plenty of country lanes and larger roads such as the A27 to get you to the centre of things in the cities and towns, but also further into the countryside such as Arundel or the area around Goodwood.