Discover Hastings: castle, museums and coastal landscape

Hastings brings together striking castle ruins, museums, a historic pier and a distinctive coastal landscape. Its attractions range from art and world history to fishing heritage, ancient woodlands and funicular railways. If you are looking for a holiday rental in Hastings, you can shape your stay around the experiences that interest you most: culture and architectural history, maritime history or nature in Hastings Country Park. This can help you define your travel plans more clearly when choosing where to stay.

Castle, pier and different stories

Hastings Castle stands on West Hill, a castle ruin with a keep and bailey. The castle complex and its two sections are the focus here. Another part of the town’s history is Hastings Pier: it was built between 1869 and 1872 to designs by engineer Eugenius Birch and reopened on 21 May 2016. The construction period belongs to the pier’s origins; the date in 2016 marks a distinct, later moment in its history. Those interested in architecture can explore both the castle and the history of the pier in Hastings.

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery offers the opportunity to explore art, culture and history from around the world. This broadens the cultural offering beyond Hastings’ architectural history to encompass global themes. Hastings Fishermen's Museum focuses on a specific aspect of maritime history: it is housed in a former fishermen’s church, built on the beach in 1854 for the local fishing community. Visitors can go aboard the Hastings fishing boat “Enterprise”, built in 1912. Admission is free; donations are welcome. As visiting details may change, it is advisable to check the latest information before your visit.

Coastal scenery and nature in Hastings Country Park

Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve is part of a unique coastal landscape in the south-east. The reserve contains three ancient gill woodlands: Ecclesbourne Glen, Fairlight Glen and Warren Glen. The combination of coastal scenery and these three named woodlands gives the natural area its distinctive character. If you want to include nature as well as culture in your trip, this offers a clear contrast to the castle, museums and pier.

Hastings Country Park Visitor Centre is on Lower Coastguard Lane, opposite the main car park in the Firehills section of the park. Facilities may change, so check the latest information about the Centre before your visit. This gives you both the stated location of this stop and a practical planning tip.

Two funicular railways, different points of reference

The East Hill Lift is the steepest funicular railway in the United Kingdom and gives visitors easy access to Hastings Country Park. The West Hill Lift runs through a tunnel; its lower station is on the traffic-free George Street. These details distinguish the two funicular railways by their specific features: the East Hill Lift provides access to the natural area, while the tunnel and the location of the lower station are the key points of reference for the West Hill Lift.

When looking for a holiday rental in Hastings, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay. The castle, pier and museums suit a trip centred on culture and architectural history; the nature reserve and the funicular railway providing access to the park offer a focus on nature. This is a matter of personal planning, not a prescribed itinerary.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Newhaven, Iden, Winchelsea Beach, Maresfield, Nutley, Ringmer, West Hoathly, Groombridge.

For the broader travel overview: East Sussex.