{"id":2718,"date":"2019-04-10T14:19:29","date_gmt":"2019-04-10T14:19:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/com.sx-magazine-wp.sixt.io\/magazine\/?p=2718"},"modified":"2022-05-31T11:48:18","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T11:48:18","slug":"best-small-towns-near-london","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-near-london\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 Most Scenic Small Towns Near London"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>London is a fast-paced metropolis with an endless wealth of culture, nightlife, and history to explore. If you can\u2019t keep up,&nbsp;we highly recommend taking a few days&nbsp;outside the city&nbsp;visiting some of the picturesque villages close by to refuel your energy reserves. London\u2019s M25 ring road gives you quick access to the surrounding counties, countryside, and coastline. Here we give you&nbsp;five&nbsp;of our top small towns near <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/car-rental\/united-kingdom\/london\/\">London<\/a> that are within easy reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"#alfriston\">1. Alfriston, East Sussex<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#castle\">2. Castle Hedingham, Essex<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#dungeness\">3. Dungeness, Kent<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#avon\">4. Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#ely\">5. Ely, Cambridgeshire<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"alfriston\"><b>1. Alfriston, East Sussex<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Alfriston\u00a0is your quintessential chocolate box English village complete with half-timber\u00a0houses and thatched cottages. Many of the buildings date to the 14th\u00a0century, such as St. Andrews Church, and strong evidence of ancient occupation has been found throughout the town. There are\u00a0three\u00a0great traditional English pubs and the town is situated on the scenic River Cuckmere, great for walks and swimming. To reach\u00a0Alfriston\u00a0from London take the A23 south towards Brighton. The town is 66 miles from the center of London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2022\/05\/alfriston-uk-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"old stone st. Andrews Church and graveyard surrounded by green lawn\" class=\"wp-image-10344 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2022\/05\/alfriston-uk-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2022\/05\/alfriston-uk-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2022\/05\/alfriston-uk-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2022\/05\/alfriston-uk.jpg 1140w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/683;\" \/><figcaption>St. Andrews Church in Alfriston. Photo: Nigel Wiggins on Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"castle\"><b>2. Castle&nbsp;He<\/b><b>dingham, Essex<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Castle&nbsp;Hedingham&nbsp;is 63 miles in the opposite direction to the north on the M11 and A120. The town features one of the best-preserved Norman castles in the whole country and is open to the public from Easter until October. The town also features many half-timber&nbsp;medieval buildings and the&nbsp;historic&nbsp;Colne&nbsp;Valley Railway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"dungeness\"><b>3. Dungeness, Kent<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dungeness is a hamlet and dramatic headland in Kent. It was the home of artist Derek&nbsp;Jarman&nbsp;and many people come here to see his beautiful but simple house and garden that has been preserved since his death. The Old Lighthouse is&nbsp;magnificent&nbsp;and the low-lying shingle, shacks, and shipwrecks strewn on the beaches give the headland an eerie and dramatic atmosphere. You can reach Dungeness from London in just under 2 hours on the M20 south.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-2721 size-full\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1137\" height=\"724\" data-src=\"https:\/\/com.sx-magazine-wp.sixt.io\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Dungeness.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2721 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Dungeness.jpg 1137w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Dungeness-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Dungeness-768x489.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Dungeness-1024x652.jpg 1024w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1137px) 100vw, 1137px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1137px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1137\/724;\" \/><figcaption>A scene by the water at Dungeness<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"avon\"><b>4. Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Shakespeare fans flock to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit his birthplace. It is a beautiful riverbank town with many historic buildings tracing the life of the bard.&nbsp;The River Avon Trail provides picturesque walks along the riverbank and is a great way to tour the town. You can reach Stratford-upon-Avon by traveling north on the M40 for 100 miles&nbsp;and&nbsp;the journey&nbsp;takes&nbsp;around two hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-2723 size-full\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1140\" height=\"729\" data-src=\"https:\/\/com.sx-magazine-wp.sixt.io\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Stratford-upon-avon.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2723 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Stratford-upon-avon.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Stratford-upon-avon-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Stratford-upon-avon-768x491.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Stratford-upon-avon-1024x655.jpg 1024w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1140px) 100vw, 1140px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1140px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1140\/729;\" \/><figcaption>A view of a harbor at Stratford-upon-Avon<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ely\"><b>5. Ely,&nbsp;Cambridgeshire<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ely is famous for its magnificent cathedral and stunning&nbsp;Fenlands,&nbsp;or marshy coastal plain,&nbsp;surround the town. The cathedral is a must-see for its fascinating history and stunning architecture. The town features many listed historic buildings,&nbsp;like&nbsp;Oliver Cromwell\u2019s House, now a tourist center with information about his life. We also highly recommend a trip to the&nbsp;Stained Glass&nbsp;Museum and to absorb some local history at the Ely Museum. The town itself has some fantastic English pubs and teahouses and you can take walks on the&nbsp;Fens wetlands via boardwalk trails on the&nbsp;Wicken&nbsp;Fens National Nature Reserve. Ely is just over 80 miles north of London and can be reached in just under two hours on the M11 motorway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-2724 size-full\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1140\" height=\"728\" data-src=\"https:\/\/com.sx-magazine-wp.sixt.io\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Ely-cathedral.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2724 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Ely-cathedral.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Ely-cathedral-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Ely-cathedral-768x490.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/Ely-cathedral-1024x654.jpg 1024w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1140px) 100vw, 1140px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1140px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1140\/728;\" \/><figcaption>The interior of the Ely Cathedral<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>London is a fast-paced metropolis with an endless wealth of culture, nightlife, and history to explore. If you can\u2019t keep up,&nbsp;we highly recommend taking a few days&nbsp;outside the city&nbsp;visiting some of the picturesque villages close by to refuel your energy reserves. London\u2019s M25 ring road gives you quick access to the surrounding counties, countryside, and&#8230;<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":2723,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2718","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-travel","8":"entry"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The 5 Most Scenic Small Towns Near London | SIXT rent a car Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you need to recharge during a trip to fast-paced London, visit one of these five small towns nearby to see some picturesque and historic sights.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.com\/magazine\/travel\/best-small-towns-near-london\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The 5 Most Scenic Small Towns Near London | SIXT rent a car Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you need to recharge during a trip to fast-paced London, visit one of these five small towns nearby to see some picturesque and historic sights.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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