For all the artists, excellent restaurants and beautifully curated shops that have arrived over the years, Hastings Old Town retains a raffish edge, which is what we love about it. Fishing boats are still hauled up onto the shingle; its tall black net huts loom over the Stade; crooked old buildings huddle along narrow streets and twittens; and the sea is the constant, salty backdrop.
Better still, almost everything you could want from a day here is packed into a wonderfully walkable pocket between George Street, the High Street and Rock-a-Nore. Come hungry, wear comfortable shoes and leave plenty of room in your bag. Here is our stylish stroll through Hastings Old Town.
Begin Among The Books
Begin on George Street at Hanushka Coffee House, a gloriously bookish café that might just constitute the bibliophile’s dream spot for caffeinating. Shelves groan with second-hand tomes and settling in for a coffee can all too easily turn into settling in for the morning. Resist: there is much ground to cover.
Order coffee and something sustaining, have a preliminary rummage through the books and then head out into George Street. The pedestrianised thoroughfare is an excellent introduction to the Old Town, where you’ll find handsome old buildings, pubs and a proliferation of independent shops that are ideal for those, like us, who like to wander without much purpose.
Shop The Old Town
Hastings plays an exceptionally strong hand when it comes to shops you didn't know you needed until you walked through their doors. First, make for Warp & Weft, an atmospheric boutique and atelier established in 2010 and housed within a restored Victorian building. Its carefully layered interiors are filled with textiles, objects and accessories alongside men's and women's clothing, much of it designed in-house. Delightfully, it doesn't sell online, so this is one of those increasingly rare shops in which you actually have to turn up and see what you find – and, we are delighted to report, what you will find is both chic and artsy.
From there, make your way to High Street and A G Hendy & Co. The creation of photographer and designer Alastair Hendy, it has become something of a Hastings institution: a wonderful emporium of utilitarian kitchenware, brushes, linens, ceramics and simple things for the home that immaculately recreates the look and atmosphere of an Edwardian hardware store. Even the most resolute minimalist may find herself leaving with something she didn't previously know she required.
Don't hurry this part of the walk. The joy lies as much in poking your nose into the little antiques, vintage and independent shops you encounter en route as it does in ticking off particular addresses.
Take The Railway Up
Now for one of the great Hastings institutions. Walk towards Rock-a-Nore and hop aboard the distinctly Wes Anderson-coded East Hill Cliff Railway, which has been carrying passengers up the sandstone cliff since 1902.
It is no ordinary funicular: this is the steepest in the UK, climbing dramatically above the Old Town to Hastings Country Park. The journey may be brief, but from the top, the great sweep of sea and town is magnificent, with the fishing beach, black net huts and boats all laid out picturesquely below.
Take some time to wander at the top and drink in the view before making the journey back down. If you're visiting from October to February, do plan this stroll for a weekend, since the East Hill Lift operates on Saturdays and Sundays only during the winter months.
Head For The Fishing Beach
Back at sea level, wander onto the Stade and into the Hastings that existed long before all the vintage shops and flat whites arrived. Hastings is home to the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe. With no harbour to shelter them, the boats are pulled directly onto the shingle after going to sea, while the extraordinary tall, black wooden net shops that cluster behind them were originally used by fishermen to store their gear.
This remains very much a working fishing beach rather than a heritage recreation of one. Stop at the fish shacks to see what has come ashore that day; depending on the catch, you might find local sole, plaice, skate, bass, crab or whatever the Channel has seen fit to provide. There are few better reminders that the provenance of food needn't require a paragraph on a menu.
Discover Hastings' Shipwrecks
Before lunch, pop into Shipwreck Museum on Rock-a-Nore Road. Bijou and eccentric (and free!), it tells the stories of vessels wrecked in the waters around this notoriously eventful stretch of coast.
Its collection includes objects recovered from the Amsterdam, a Dutch East India Company ship wrecked off Hastings in 1749, as well as finds from the 17th-century warship Anne. There are cannon, ceramics and all manner of things retrieved from beneath the waves – precisely the sort of little museum you wander into intending to spend 20 minutes and emerge from considerably later.
See Some Art By The Sea
Once you’ve had your fill of ancient objects dredged from the Channel, it’s time to move onto something altogether more contemporary. Hastings Contemporary sits right on the Stade, its striking black-tiled building like a modern-day cousin of the net huts surrounding it.
Formerly the Jerwood Gallery, it has become one of the cultural anchors of the town, staging exhibitions of modern and contemporary British art alongside works from further afield. But part of the pleasure is simply its position: serious art, with the fishing boats and Channel immediately outside. Check what's on before you go, but make time for it regardless. Hastings' collision of working fishing town and artists' enclave makes this exactly where a contemporary gallery ought to be.
Lunch On The Catch
By now, all those fishing boats have hopefully put you in the mood for lunch. Fortunately, Rock a Nore Kitchen is mere steps away. This tiny seafood restaurant is exactly where you want to eat in this particular corner of Hastings. It’s relaxed, intimate and focused on excellent fish and seafood. The menu changes with what's available, so don't arrive wedded to a particular dish. Order according to the day's catch, add a glass of something cold and congratulate yourself on your excellent life choices. Do check opening times and book ahead: this is not the place to rely upon sauntering in at 1pm on a sunny Saturday and hoping for the best.
Have A Pre-Dinner Pint
There should, we think, be a small interlude between an afternoon's exploring and dinner. Enter The Jolly Fisherman. This little Old Town pub is one of those places that reminds you why Hastings' increasing vogueishness hasn't managed to sand away all its edges. Unpretentious, characterful and just the spot for a pint before supper, it provides a welcome counterpoint to some of the more polished addresses that have sprung up along the Sussex coast.
Finish At One Of Britain's Best Pubs
We are going to show our hand here because The Crown might just be one of our favourite pubs anywhere. Tucked into All Saints Street at the foot of the East Hill, this independent, family-run freehouse is exceptionally good without being remotely grand. There are local beers and ciders aplenty, but it would be a crime to forego the food, which is locally sourced and exceptionally cooked – and reasonable too. Posh fish finger sandwich anyone? Oh, and the puddings! Sublime.
One Last Walk By The Sea
When dinner is done, button up your coat and wander back down towards the sea. Hastings after dark has a different quality altogether. The daytime visitors have largely dispersed, the shops are shuttered and the black outlines of the net huts rise behind the beach. Head onto the seafront and stop for a while. Out in the darkness, the lights of boats move across the Channel; closer to shore, fishing boats come and go, just as they have done for centuries. Behind you are the pubs and crooked streets of the Old Town; ahead, little but black water and pinpricks of light.
FAQs: Hastings Old Town
Is Hastings Old Town worth visiting?
Very much so. Hastings Old Town combines historic streets, independent shops, excellent places to eat and drink, contemporary art and a still-working fishing beach, all within a relatively compact area.
Can you explore Hastings Old Town on foot?
Yes. Most of the places on this stroll are clustered around George Street, High Street, All Saints Street, the Stade and Rock-a-Nore, making the Old Town extremely walkable. Comfortable shoes are advisable, particularly if you venture up onto the East Hill.
What are the best things to do in Hastings Old Town?
Ride the East Hill Cliff Railway, browse the independent shops around George Street and High Street, visit Hastings Contemporary and the Shipwreck Museum, wander among the fishing boats and net huts on the Stade and leave plenty of time for eating and drinking.
Where should I eat in Hastings Old Town?
For seafood, Rock a Nore Kitchen is one of our favourites; for dinner, we love The Crown on All Saints Street. Booking ahead is wise at weekends and during the summer months.
Is the East Hill Cliff Railway open all year?
Yes, but opening days vary seasonally. In 2026 it runs daily from March to September, while from October to February it operates on Saturdays and Sundays only. Always check the latest timetable before travelling.
How long should I spend in Hastings Old Town?
A full day allows time to shop, visit the museums and gallery, take the cliff railway and linger over lunch and dinner. Stay into the evening if you can: a post-supper walk along the seafront is one of the loveliest ways to end the day.
What is Hastings Old Town known for?
Its crooked historic streets, independent shops and pubs, thriving creative scene and fishing heritage. The Stade is home to Europe’s largest beach-launched fishing fleet, with boats still hauled directly onto the shingle.
