Margate seriously impressed me and I can see why it's been getting a fair bit of attention recently. The combination of beautiful Georgian architecture, unique interior shops, antique furniture galleries and quirky Shoreditch-style brunch spots, complete with a Contemporary Art Gallery on the seafront to top it all off, it's fair to say Margate has a lot to offer.
It was such a beautiful day full of all my favourite things: sun, sea, yummy food, vintage shopping, cider, fish & chips and of course, my best pals.So keep reading to see what we got up to...
BRUNCHING IN THE BACK STREETS.
After a 2 hour car journey and a 40 minute detour attempting to find a service station to cure our starvation (which we never found may I add), it's fair to say we were absolutely ravenous by the time we arrived in Margate. Once the car was parked and we were all sorted, we took a stroll along the back streets in an attempt to find the perfect brunch spot.
We stumbled across 'The Cupcake Cafe' after eyeing up their scrambled eggs and it certainly did not disappoint. I only paid £6 for a latte and scrambled eggs & bacon on a bagel...what a bloody bargain! And it was absolutely delish.
SIDE STREET STROLLIN'.
After some essential refuelling, we wandered up and down the side streets to see what Margate had to offer in the way of shops and cute cafes. When you first arrive in Margate, I'll be honest, the first impression isn't exactly the greatest. The seafront just looks like any other tacky British seaside, complete with a Wimpy, run-down amusement arcades and of course a Wetherspoons. However, just take those little feet for a walk for 5 minutes up a few side streets and you're in the heart of Margate, with beautiful Georgian buildings, adorable independent gift shops and my absolute favourite...vintage furniture stores. Every building was so photographable and (my god I hate this expression)...'Instagrammable' and the whole place just had such a cute and quaint charm about it.
VINTAGE BROWSING.
There's absolutely nothing I love more than browsing vintage stores...especially when we're talking vintage furniture stores. A sucker for interiors, unique one-off furniture pieces are my weakness and shops like these leave me so sad, because I got a hell of a long way to go until I'll be kitting out my own place in antique furniture. (Sob) But it still doesn't stop me from browsing!Margate pleasantly surprised me and had plenty to offer in the way of antique furniture stores. Definitely worth a browse.
TO THE BEACH.
After an hour or 2 of brunching and browsing, it was time to actually do what we came to Margate to do...and hit the beach! A rarity to find a sandy beach without having to travel 5 hours drive away from London, Margate beach is an absolute blessing compared to the agonising pebble beaches of Brighton and Southend; the usual seaside spots. It was so nice to be able to walk along the shore without crippling my feet and for the first time since I was a child, I actually swam in the sea! And I mean full on swam...we're talking biniki on, hair up and breast stroke galore (even if I did squeal like a little girl every time a piece of seaweed touched my leg...).
JULY SHOWERS?
And of course in true British fashion, we couldn't have one full day out without a rain shower. So after a few hours of cloud-bathing, it was time to flee the beach and to seek refuge in a bar until the weather brightened up again. And what better way to shelter from the rain than on a rooftop bar hmm? Despite the rain polluted cider, the bar was adorable. Positioned at the top of the hill, it was the perfect spot to people watch, with a fabulous view looking out onto the whole bay.'FISH & CHIPS' SUNSET
Is it even a trip to the seaside if it doesn't end in Fish & Chips though? Nope, I don't think so. We were recommend 'Peter's Fish Factory' by a friend and word obviously gets around, as the queue was out the door. We had to wait about 20 minutes, but my god it was well worth it. Hands down, the best Fish & Chips I have ever had and there's just something oh so satisfying about messily tucking into it on your lap sat by the sea and watching the sun set. Sunday's don't get much better than that do they?
SUN SETTINGS.
On the walk up the hill to the car park, we stumbled upon the perfect viewing point. The sea was so blue and calm that I almost had to remind myself that I was in England and not Spain. It's so easy to automatically flock to other European countries for sun and beautiful views, when sometimes such beauty actually exists on our own doorstep. Britain has such natural beauty and it really reminded me that I need to appreciate it and get out and explore it a little bit more. The pictures honestly do not do the view justice and I honestly could have sat for hours and hours and watched the sun go down. There was not a soul around and it was just so peaceful.
But sadly, reality called and we had to set off to drive back to London to get ready for work the next day. Booooo.
Margate seriously impressed me and I will definitely be returning this Summer. The perfect destination for a perfect day out. Until next time Margate...
xoxo
No comments
Post a Comment