Day trip to Chichester

Inside Chichester

With years of history packed within the well-preserved Roman city walls, Chichester is just a twenty-minute drive from Bognor Regis. The smart Georgian streets intersect the compact centre, joining at the Market Cross, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. In Chichester you can discover world-class art and culture at the city’s galleries and one of the UK’s flagship regional theatres, the Festival Theatre. There is also an eclectic mixture of shops and restaurants, along with an impressive cathedral and gardens to enjoy.

Chichester is easy to get to by bus, train or car from Bognor Regis and makes the perfect day excursion while staying in the area.

Chichester Cathedral

Located in West Street, Chichester Cathedral stands proud as a place of worship since its foundation in 1108. Inside you can experience some of its 900 years of history, as well as contemporary art, medieval sculpture and Victorian glass work.

In addition to being an active place of worship, visitors can also enjoy a year-long programme of concerts, art exhibitions, talks, study days and family activities. Behind the cathedral you will find the hidden Bishop’s Palace Gardens, which is a pleasant and quiet place to relax with a picnic.

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Arts and culture

Pallant House Gallery is one of Britain’s most distinctive modern art museums. It tells the story of British art from 1900 to the present day through original exhibitions and a world-class collection. In its 20 galleries, housed in a historic Queen Anne townhouse with a striking contemporary extension, you can see the work of Lucian Freud, Barbara Hepworth, John Piper, Eduardo Paolozzi and other greats from the modern art scene.

The gallery holds seasonal exhibitions and a lively programme of talks, workshops and family events.

Make a day of it by visiting the restaurant, relaxing in the courtyard garden and browsing the art bookshop, which are all free to enter, as are the ground floor exhibitions and displays. An admission charge applies to the collection and main exhibition spaces.

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Outdoor activities

From parks to the canal, there is plenty to enjoy outside in Chichester. The Chichester Ship Canal is a leisure waterway linking historic Chichester to the sea. The canal runs four miles from the Chichester Basin to Chichester Harbour at Birdham and today a two-mile section as far as Donnington is navigable. It’s great for narrow boat trips, rowing, canoeing, rambling, fishing, and cycling.