Folkestone, United Kingdom skyline: the 10 most iconic buildings and best views in Folkestone

Really lovely and informative place. Friendly and helpful staff who are incredibly knowledgeable about local history. Nice and family orientated with great workshops too!

Great little museum. Free but I recommend giving a donation. My photos were from one small area.

Clearly money has been spent to spruce it up Lots of cafes bars and art spots Harbour station now re done as base for fun fair rides with some cool spots to eat and drink

This place is really informative. Loved the clothing section and the sea exhibits. The open note on the drawers was such a fun touch, it kept the kids curious and guessing what might be inside.

Smashing little museum and information centre. Has several small but interesting collections including artwork and a very popular activity room.

A great museum, local history and some fun interactive bits for kids. It’s all well kept and I look forward to bringing my kids along to some of the free events one day. Amazed it’s not busier when I go. A haven in the middle of town.

A small but well laid out museum. Quite modern in its approach, lots of artifacts and some hands on experiences. Mostly 19th to early 20th century displays. Definitely worth a visit.

A nice sandy beach, with toilets available and a cafe. Also very close by you have ice cream, seafood and fish and chips. No parking near the beach but plenty of parking around with a small walk. Life guards during busy periods. What more do you want from a day at the beach.

Nice sunny beach but best to check tide levels and avoid going peak hours on weekends. Plenty of parking available then.

One of our favorite sandy beach to go to, have visited couple of times this summer. The vibes, not too much crowded which is best, calm and nice sandy beach to go with kids.

A beautiful day out but really struggled with finding parking for non-residents till we found the big car park by the Harbour. Stony beach and plenty of space for children to play and run around. A lovely sunny day so we managed to enjoy some dip in the clear blue water beach which was lovely. When it came time to have dinner most places in the food court had run out of fish and chicken so be sure to get there early so you’re not disappointed. There are a variety of food vendors so a mix of cuisine from traditional British to Korean, Mexican, American etc. Toilet facilities available by the beach and food court area which are clean.

Sandy Sands Beach has that perfect summer holiday vibe. The atmosphere is super chill, and the locals are friendly.

Visited here after seeing beautiful sands. Absolutely beautiful.

Amazing beach! However, it’s best to visit after 2.00 pm when the tide goes out, as it’s very crowded and space is limited before then. Allow extra time for parking — it’s chaotic to find a space and the fees are quite expensive.

Fantastic venue! Lots going on, from music gigs to workshops to pub quizzes, it's always a wonderful experience. I love the upstairs area with the quirky wooden arches and great views on Tontine street.

Good venue. They open the doors to the foyer early so those at the front get to queue indoors. There is also a bar in the foyer that is open, allowing people to get a drink before going into the hall. Sound and lighting were good, but it got very hot, so it could do with some air conditioning.

Great, intimate venue with a varied and interesting programme. Friendly staff and the bar echoing cathedral is beautiful

What a gem! I’ll definitely be coming back. Staff are so kind and helpful. Sound is top quality. Prices are fantastic. The bar is beautiful. The music space is a dream.

Great gig at the Quarterhouse, the Buzzcocks were amazing! Fab venue for live music, hope they book more bands like this as it's great for Folkestone. They could do with some air con but I guess the sweaty ambience is all part of the experience!

Great venue. Due to the size you get a good view wherever you are. Staff friendly and have always enjoyed our trips to see comedians there.

Great venue. Seated gigs - all seats have a good view. Capacity - 150-200 I would guess. Great sound crew.

Absolutely amazing place for the whole family! Railway Museum, Countryside&Craft Centre, Nature Trails, and more. I highly recommend 👌 ☺️

Wonderful place. The railway museum is full of great railway memorabilia, has a working Signal box and a lovely model and exhibition of the Channel Tunnel. The Barn has lots of wonderful crafts, café and a Printer which is very interesting to see how printing used to be done. Also, the volunteers are very friendly and passionate, they really have done a great job here. It’s certainly well worth a visit.

A great afternoon out looking at the wonderful crafts in George's Barn and then on to the Railway museum. Highly recommended. Open 10am - 4pm Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

A little gem,lovely place to visit, nice tea shop ,relaxing and plenty to see,the train museum was great, and the small train set out around the museum garden was great,plenty of history at this venue, A LITTLE GEM

This is a lovely little place to come and visit. Nice cafe and barn. The Elham train museum is very interesting. The original train layout showing how the tunnel terminal at Cheriton would take cars and freight before the tunnel was completed is amazing. The last time I saw this was 27 years ago when tunnel was being constructed. The first sod dug up by Sir George Russell in 1884 with spade and barrow is unbelievable for the construction of the Elham railway. This place is a must to visit without mentioning the sit on miniature railway for kids. Brilliant.

Great for young and old alike. What a fantastic place, everything oozes the enthusiasm the trust puts into the place. Thought of everything nice picnic area, crazy golf, craft centre, cafe, nature walk and rail museum, don't forget the miniature railway a must for all ages.

Lovely little museum lots to do for the children the little train ride around the picture perfect pond definitely going back soon

A gorgeous old church hidden and often overlooked in the heart of Folkestone. The building is beautiful with some stunning glass windows. Also it has a very interesting history.

A pretty church on the edge of the town center. The staff are friendly and are happy to tell you all about the church's history. They have regular concerts there, often with an excellent choir.

Beautiful church, so quiet and peaceful. I was allowed to just exist in a chapel on my own while a few people were attending a service on the other side. I really appreciated them understanding my need to be alone in a safe space.

Although I haven't visited this church for years, it was a VERY special place to seek some tranquillity in the chaos of modern Folkestone. I lived in The Metropole, on The Lee's, for almost 32 months...and regularly sought out this church for quiet contemplation. Wonderful sense of history and you will feel that you are in a precious and beautiful place. The attached picture belongs to another poster. Hellie Reumkens. I have changed the orientation to the correct perspective and have informed Google Maps about Hellie's photographic problem. Quite why it wasn't corrected before is a puzzle?

Interesting early history of Folkestone. Informative guides. Good to know that after hundreds of years a worshipping community continues here.

Lovely historic church and beautiful music.

Beautiful church with a lot of history. Always kept clean and tidy, very peaceful to visit if you need a quiet moment to yourself or just somewhere to go and have a look. Great with local schools too 🙂

Small collection of clothes, coffee, technology and sport stores. A barbers, asda and fruit market are also located here. And subway and burger king are all a 3 minuite walk.

It doesn't have all the high street stores, but it has all the popular ones. It is clean and tidy and there are no undesirables in this area

Bouverie Place Shopping Centre is a convenient and well-located spot for getting your shopping done in the heart of Folkestone. It’s compact but has a good mix of essential stores, including high-street names like Asda, Boots, and New Look, making it a practical stop for everything from groceries to fashion and health needs. The open-air design gives it a nice, airy feel, especially on a sunny day, and there’s always a bit of buzz with people passing through. The centre is clean, easy to navigate, and well-maintained, with plenty of seating and space to relax if you’re taking a break from shopping. One of the biggest pluses is its accessibility – just a short walk from the train station and near the bus routes, with parking available nearby as well. It’s not a massive mall, but it does a great job of serving the community with the essentials and provides a reliable, no-fuss shopping experience. Great for a quick visit or to pick up everyday items without having to travel far.

Kids loved it. It's got a Primark, TK Maxx, Sports Direct and other shops next to a bid ASDA store

Plenty of parking. Reasonable parking tariffs. Good shops, easy access

Small shopping centre. It has Asda. Good location in the town centre. The car park is a joke. Terrible paying machines. Most off them are broken. You can't pay with a card on every ticket machine. Paying by card takes ages and although it has contactless it never works. They don't all take cash either. This car park is the main reason why we don't shop in Asda.

Looks new and clean. Car park is confusing tho is it's pay and display it didn't see any signs so assumed it was pay before leaving.

Beautifully restored railway station which opened in 1850 and saw services until 2009. The last train to use the station was a Venice Simplon Orient Express service, and after this the station fell into disrepair. Following an extensive restoration, it reopened in 2018. The curved platforms and canopies capture the spirit of the station in its heyday, while visitor attractions have developed around the station to serve tourists. Information boards are provided, along with sculptures honouring the station's role in WW2. The signal box was repurposed as a café for a few years, and toilet facilities are available. Though trains no longer serve the station, it is one of Folkestone's more interesting sites, connecting the harbour and beach.

I adore what has been done with this old station - respecting its history but regenerating the area with artwork and restaurant/bars. The branch and station closed to regular passenger train services in 2001 although they were used by the Venice-Simplon Orient Express (VSOE) and railtours until 2009. During the First World War, Folkestone Harbour was one of the main ports of arrival and departure for servicemen and medical personnel. So many soldiers left from Folkestone Harbour that it became known as the ‘gateway to the trenches’. Very sad to think that for those who never returned, the train journey to this station was their last view of home. The area also now hosts a vibrant weekly Sunday market full of independent traders selling an eclectic mix of vintage, retro & artisan goods and produce. Well worth a visit!

What a delight to see the regeneration of Folkestone. The pedestrianised old train station has been wonderfully preserved leading you towards the beach!

This was our first visit in a long while. Our visit was on a cold Monday morning in January, so all outlets on the harbour arm were closed. We did manage coffee and cake in the former signal box, but that cafe is now closed. It really was TOO small for a cafe!

It's great that this station is still here and preserved

What a wonderful job they have done converting the old station into a lovely walkway. In the summer months I would guess it be buzzing with the local coffee shops near by

Very Nice place! Very good idea transforming the old station.

Fascinating church. Beautifully kept. Quite a steep walk to get to including many steps. The church holds a macabre history. The crypt is well worth a visit holding up to 4000 skulls of danish pirates killed in the battle of Hastings in 1066. Known as the church of skulls.

St. Leonard’s Church in Hythe is one of the most welcoming and inviting churches I’ve had the pleasure of visiting. Every wedding service I’ve attended here is filled with effort and passion, making each celebration truly special. The warmth of the church community and the beautiful atmosphere create an unforgettable experience. I always look forward to returning for future weddings!

A beautiful church, I would definitely recommend visiting the the crypt.

The ossuary is amazing and the gentleman was very knowledgeable. The church itself is beautiful and has an accessible toilet!

Such an amazing holy place! The church overlooks beautiful town of Hythe and the sea. It is dedicated to St. Leonard, the patron Saint of Prisoners. It was originally built around 1090 and boasts many Norman features, as well as the largest and best-preserved collection of ancient human skulls and bones in Britain. The last ones located in the crypt. Crypt open hours are: Tuesday to Saturday between 11:00 to 4:00 pm ( with lunch break between 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm . Sundays open hours between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. The church open hours are: From Monday to Friday: between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. On Saturday: from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. On Sunday : from 7:30 am to 7:00 pm. Definitely recommend it!

Smaller than expected, with an eerie atmosphere. Worth a visit if you’re into medieval history.

I didn’t catch the persons name on the door but he was wonderful and incredibly knowledgeable, it was a joy to have him explain the ossuary to us. There are bones and history a plenty and when you’re done you can have a little wonder of the cemetery and pop into the church. Really worth the trip, especially as it’s one of only two in the uk. Thanks