Vacation Rentals in Kent

On the edge of nature reserves, in picturesque fishing villages and on first-class beaches, travellers will find relaxing holiday resorts in Kent that combine culture and nature. An apartment or holiday home on the Isle of Sheppey or in the quiet coastal towns of Whitstaple or Birchington will give you a wonderful view of the North Sea. Especially charming are the white cliffs of Dover in the south. Some accommodations offer views as far as the French coast.

Numerous hosts let you first-class cottages, lodges, town villas or farms, where you have generous living space, gardens or barbecue areas with your family, school classes or friends. Along the coast you will find a charming holiday home in towns like Shepway or Sandgate. You can spend your free days in seclusion like Fordwich and Throwley or enjoy the vibrant city life in Maidstone and Dover.

About 39 kilometres southeast of central London, the ceremonial county of Kent extends over 3,736 square kilometres in the extreme southeast of England. The largest cities include the capital Maidstone, the port cities Dover and Margate as well as Canterbury and Ashford. The entire region has about 1.7 million inhabitants.

Kent is bordered to the north and south by the natural water borders of the Thames, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. Inland, Kent borders on the counties of Greater London, East Sussex and Surrey. France is connected to Kent through the Eurotunnel.

Manor houses, magnificent palaces and castles belong to the breathtaking collection of historical buildings. Cultural travellers will encounter sacred places such as Canterbury Cathedral, walk through medieval alleys where Winston Churchill already strolled or enter mansions such as Charles Darwin's former residence. Visits to the most beautiful fortifications in the country are highly recommended. They include Dover Castle, Leeds Castle, Hever Castle, Rochester Castle and Walmer Castle.

Eleven of the 37 national parks in Kent create a spectacular landscape of hills, coniferous forests, salt marshes, mud flats, swamps and lakes. The green region captivates with regions like the Buckland Lake Reserve, the Oare Marshes Nature Reserve or the Dungeness National Nature Reserve. The colourful gardens of Kent, which present themselves with woods, roses, daffodils, watercourses or rhododendrons, are particularly attractive. A visit to Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Goodnestone Park Gardens or Bedgebury Pinetum is worthwhile.

The Kent & East Sussex Railway, Spa Valley Railway, East Kent Railway, Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway take you on a historic journey through time in the restored steam locomotives of the early 20th century. You will pass the fascinating landscape, interesting railway stations and wonderful villages.

In Broadstairs you can walk in the footsteps of Charles Dickens. The writer, to whom four of his works of world literature belong, has family roots in Kent. The harbour town honours the writer with schools and restaurants and dedicates itself to his life's work in the museum of the same name.

The county looks back on a legendary past as a defensive and naval power. The royal shipyard in Chatham still exists today. Visitors can visit the 400-year-old dry dock, warships and sailing ships. Other maritime achievements can be found in the Dover Museum.