Vacation Rentals in South East England

The south-east of England lies directly on the English Channel and is subdivided into the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent and the Isle of Wight. Although this is a limited area, the counties are characterised by a very varied landscape, ranging from the characteristic chalk cliffs of Dover to the beautiful sandy beaches between Newhaven and Portsmouth and the dreamy meadows along the banks of the Thames.

Hardly any other region in Europe is as well connected as the southeast of England. If you wish to travel by plane, you can choose between London's Gatwick and Heathrow airports and the regional airport in Southampton. The latter, however, is currently only served by a few airports. These include Hanover, Düsseldorf and Salzburg. Alternatively, one of a total of eight ferry connections is available. The most important ferry connection, like the Eurotunnel, which you can also use to get to your holiday home, runs from Calais in France to Dover.

Like the rest of England, the southeast is also strongly influenced by its island location and the Gulf Stream. Accordingly, the temperatures are mild both in summer and winter. While mercury rarely falls below the 4-degree mark in winter, it hardly rises above 23 degrees Celsius in summer. However, it is much warmer in southeast England than in the rest of the country.

Since winters can get very uncomfortable and wet, you should plan your trip to South East England for the summer. Due to the pleasant temperatures and the very low rainfall at this time of year, especially on the south coast, it is high season, which is why you should book your holiday home as early as possible. The warm months between June and September are also ideal for hiking and cycling in the hinterland. If, on the other hand, you are primarily interested in visiting the countless museums and historic buildings of the region, autumn and late spring are also well suited.

High up on the white cliffs of Dover, which in themselves are an attraction that should not be missed when visiting south-east England, the fortress Dover Castle is enthroned. The fortifications, which for centuries had been regarded as the "key to England", were built on Roman foundation walls and over the centuries have been extended to become the monumental building that exists today. During a guided tour you can explore not only the walls, but also the secret tunnels of the surrounding area.

Built in 1175, Canterbury Cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988 and is a magnet for tourists from all over the world. Particularly impressive are the vaults of the interior, decorated with ornaments, and the many stained glass windows, some of which date back to the Middle Ages. The cathedral also houses the splendidly decorated tomb of King Henry IV and the tomb of the legendary Black Prince.

Brighton's old pier bears a striking resemblance to the world-famous Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles, due to the fact that the architecture of this pile dwelling was the inspiration for its US counterpart. Opened in 1899, the building once served as a jetty for passenger ships, but after a serious ship collision in 1973 it was visibly converted into a tourist attraction. Especially in summer the Baywatch feeling really comes up there.

Especially for fans of the sorcerer's apprentice Harry Potter, the venerable medieval building is likely to be on the to-visit list of the Southern England holiday, as a large part of the magician's adventures inside the fictitious castle of Hogwarts were filmed at Oxford University. In order not to disrupt the running of the university, however, the tour is only possible at fixed times as part of a guided tour.

London is Britain's epicentre and therefore a city you should definitely visit, even if your holiday home is a few kilometres away. Between historic buildings like the Big Ben, the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge as well as the Buckingham Palace you breathe royal flair and with a little luck even cross the path of one or the other world star or even see the Queen personally. Night owls should also not despise the clubs and bars on the Thames.