Take me there: Margate
Why go?
Mike Leigh’s new film about the life of JMW Turner couldn’t be shot on location in Margate because the Turner Contemporary, the shiny new gallery dedicated to the artist, had altered the look of the seafront too much. But the translucent skies and moody seascapes that so inspired Turner are still found here, and a new generation of artists are making their mark on the Old Town. Much of Margate’s regeneration has been confined to this tiny cluster of lanes, but a new boutique hotel and plans to launch the long-derelict Dreamland as a retro theme park should give a much-needed boost to the seafront.
What to do
Visit Turner Contemporary’s autumn exhibition English Magic (until 11 January 2015, turnercontemporary.org). The Old Town has been colonised by offbeat shops and galleries and gentrification is creeping up the hill to Cliftonville. Among the pioneers are a new homeware shop, Danish Collectables (danishcollectables.co.uk), and the wonderfully original Haeckels laboratory, where you can buy skincare products made from locally foraged seaweed (haeckels.co.uk). Take a dip in Cliftonville’s seawater bathing pool and, from next spring, enjoy vintage rides and arcade games at Dreamland (dreamlandmargate.com).
Where to eat
Try the homemade burgers at the Greedy Cow (3 Market Place) and the pizzas at GB Pizza (14a Marine Drive).
Where to stay
The Crescent Victoria (bespokehotels.com) recently opened on the seafront with 14 smart rooms and a swish bar, but if you’re prepared to forego a sea view, the bijou Reading Rooms B&B, with just three decadent bedrooms, is the best address in town (from £160, thereadingroomsmargate.co.uk).
Insider tip
Sarah Vickery of the Shell Grotto (shellgrotto.com) recommends the Harbour Arms, a micropub perched at the end of the harbour wall: “It’s a tiny place with a great choice of local ales. They’ve shoe-horned in a piano and it’s not unusual for the evening to end with an East End-style singalong.”
Give me a break
Home: City breaks in Salisbury Salisbury has been voted one of the top 10 cities in the world to visit in 2015, by Lonely Planet. But why wait until then? Self-catering specialist Hideaways has a handful of tempting properties in the city, including Thimble Cottage, a cosy bolthole for two within walking distance of the cathedral, shops and Christmas market (from 27 November). Three nights’ rental costs from £278 (hideaways.co.uk).
Away: Off-season holidays in Ibiza The clubs may have had their closing parties, but there’s still life to be found on Ibiza off-season. BA flies to the island all year round (fares from £61 one-way) and the Atzaro, a charming agriturismo in the centre of the island, has announced it will stay open this winter for the first time. The refurbished farmhouse with spa, fitness club and restaurant, has low-season rates from €120 per night (atzaro.com).
