Broadstairs Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
coastal town on the Isle of Thanet in the Thanet district of east Kent, England
About Broadstairs
The village of St Peters was established around 1080 AD, an outpost of theCinque Portsresponsible for maritime defence. Around 1350 a shrine was erected on the clifftop, and acted as a landmark for fishing vessels. The fishing folk cut a flight of broad stairs from the shore to the shrine and so their hamlet was named. It was a poor sort of place, lacking a sheltered harbour and hemmed in by cliffs to impede inland transport. But in the 18th century high taxes made smuggling lucrative, and Broadstairs' out-of-the-way landing beach and cliff-face hidey-holes made it a popular smuggling route. The town grew from 1824 with the fashion for sea bathing, and a steam ferry service from London. Prosperous visitors included the writer Charles Dickens and the future Queen Victoria; the railway arriv
Top Attractions in Broadstairs
Explore the best things to see and do in Broadstairs:
- ★Crampton Tower Museum
- ★Dickens House Museum
Where to Eat in Broadstairs
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴Kebbells Seafood Bar
- 🍴Morelli's Gelato
- 🍴Posilippo Pizzeria
- 🍴Stark
- 🍴Thai Four Two
- 🍴The Tartar Frigate
Where to Stay in Broadstairs
- 🏨Belvidere Place
- 🏨Royal Albion Hotel
- 🏨Travelodge Margate Westwood
- 🏨Yarrow Hotel
Broadstairs Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: