Mr & Mrs Smith

Have a meal at The Ship Inn (+44 (0)1797 222233) at the bottom of Mermaid Street. The menu champions local, seasonal ingredients, with dishes ranging from the
traditional (potted shrimp with potato and thyme bread) to the unexpected (grilled sea trout with sushi rice, pickled vegetables and avocado). Rye might seem an unusual spot to find authentic Italian, but The Tuscan Kitchen (+44 (0)1797 223269) on Lion Street is run by a husband-and-wife team, and ingredients are plucked from their farm in Italy. Just outside the town’s mediaeval gate, Landgate Bistro (+44 (0)1797 222829) has an excellent menu of classic and contemporary British dishes. Savvy diners will love The Gallivant on New Lydd Road in Camber Sands (+44 (0)1797 225057), where grill-focused grub is made with sustainable, free-range and organic ingredients (meats are locally farmed, and only non-threatened species of Rye Bay fish are used).

There’s no shortage of cafés and tearooms in Rye, but you’ll be magnetically drawn to the cream cakes and savoury temptations at Fletchers House on Lion Street (+44 (0)1797 222227).

Browse the antiques shops along the Strand Quay, or stroll down to gorgeous Camber Sands with a bulging picnic hamper packed for you by the George in Rye. Ramblers will enjoy the High Weald Landscape Trail and 1066 Walk, both of which start at Rye; visit www.highweald.org for routes.

Every Wednesday There's a weekly farmer's market at Rye's Strand Quay, where (if you're up early enough), you'll also see the local fisherman landing their catch each morning. September The Rye Festival is a long-established celebration of art and music (www.ryefestival.co.uk).