Explore the villages

Beyond the three main resorts a range of coastal and inland villages are waiting to be explored and enjoyed.

The largest of these is Birchington-on-Sea, home to the islands only stately home, Quex House. All Saints Church commemorates the artist and poet, Dante Garbriel Rossetti with a stained glass window. Rossetti was buried at the church in 1882.

On the opposite end of the scale is Sarre, which was once a Cinque Port but is now landlocked. Visit the fully restored windmill and purchase produce made from the mills own flour, or pop next door to one of the oldest inns in the country and sample their famous Cherry Brandy - a very warming tipple.

Another of the Island's tiny villages is Acol, which has a fine gothic-style church dedicated to St. Mildred. Beware though, Acol is reputed to be haunted by Smuggler Bill!

The Abbey at Minster is one of England's oldest inhabited buildings and dates back to 670AD. The Vikings destroyed the original building but it was rebuilt in 1027 and given by King Canute to St. Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury.

Westgate-on-Sea has its own popular cinema and a high street with a row of Victorian canopied shops - a cool place to amble on a hot summer's day.

The village of Manston is famous for being one of the nations earliest aerodromes and the role this played as a Battle of Britain airbase. See restored Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft plus other great memorabilia at the two museums here.

St. Nicholas-at-Wade is named after the patron saint of sailors and because people had to wade across the Wantsum Channel to get to the mainland. Enjoy the famous Wantsum Walk, then relax over a freshly cooked pub meal and refreshing drink.

Nature trails, a study centre and picnic site are ready to greet you at the village of Monkton. The nature reserve has the largest optical telescope south of London.

And last, but by no means least, is St. Peter's village, which rubs shoulders with Broadstairs. The best way to discover this village is to join the award winning St. Peter's Village Tour, where the past is dramatically brought to life by costumed characters along the way.