Folkestone by the sea
seaside art, all free
A whole free public-art trail by the sea, plus a harbour arm of food stalls and a clifftop park. The arty seaside town that reinvented itself.
Free day out · Folkestone · Kent · St Pancras → Folkestone Central
Folkestone quietly turned itself into one of the best free art days on the south coast. The Folkestone Artworks trail scatters more than seventy permanent pieces around the town, Tracey Emin bronzes, a Cornelia Parker, a clifftop Antony Gormley, all free to find on foot.
Add the cobbled Old High Street of independent shops, the Harbour Arm with its lighthouse and street food, and the Lower Leas Coastal Park below the cliffs, and you have a full free day. The beaches either side are free too.
Getting there from London: St Pancras to Folkestone Central, 55 min high speed, advance singles, book ahead. The Artworks trail, the Harbour Arm and the beaches are free. Book the high-speed advance from St Pancras.
Getting there: Folkestone Central is a fifteen minute walk downhill to the Old High Street and the harbour. The clifftop Leas promenade is signposted from the town.
Best time to go: A dry day for the clifftop Leas and the Harbour Arm. The Artworks trail is outdoors and open all year.
Official site: https://www.creativefolkestone.org.uk/folkestone-artworks/
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