Spending one day in Ashford is a great experience. Ashford is a fun town in Kent in the United Kingdom with many things to do.
It is not a very touristic place to visit, but that's one of the reasons why it is great to go to Ashford for 24 hours.
You can experience here what local life feels like, without all the tourists. This provides you with a very authentic experience.
Furthermore, the town lies about 100 kilometers / 61 miles from London. And there are only 75,000 people living in Ashford.
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How to get to Ashford?
For a town like Ashford, you don't expect there to be a very good connection to other places in the country.
But then you make a mistake because there are phenomenal connections to other places in the UK.
The train connection of the town is great! The railway station of Ashford is Ashford International Railway Station. And it is one of the stations on the HS1 High Speed 1 high-speed rail line.
This is the high-speed rail line that connects London to Paris and other places in Europe.
Because of that, you can be in the town from London in 38 minutes. And there are great connections from other places in the UK as well.
Furthermore, if you want to visit Ashford from Paris, you can do that too! The journey is only 1 hour and 52 minutes. And all kinds of other cities in Europe are also very close.
If you want to go to the town by airplane you first have to go to London and take the train from there.
Where to stay if you are one day in Ashford?
Ashford is a small town with a great historic center and many houses surrounding it.
The best place to stay is in the center. This is where you find most restaurants and shops. Furthermore, the atmosphere is great here. And this part of the town is close to the railway station, which is very convenient.
How to move around during your one day in Ashford?
Because it's a small town, you can walk almost everywhere. This is very convenient!
Furthermore, if you need to go to further away places in the town, you can travel around by bus.
Besides that, you can use your own car or rent a car. That way you can faster explore Ashford's surroundings.
The Perfect Itinerary for One Day in Ashford
It is definitely possible to do a day trip to Ashford and see the highlights of the town
Morning
Let's start the morning!
Breakfast
There are lots of breakfast spots.
A great one in the center of Ashford is Stag Coffee Ashford. You can have here delicious breakfast. Toast, coffee, and more! There are also lots of vegan options.
St. Mary the Virgin Church
After breakfast, it is time to explore the town and its sights.
As you go to the first sight you walk through the city center. You find here all kinds of shops, cafes, and restaurants. Furthermore, there are some historic buildings that are great to see.
The St. Mary the Virgin Church is a very old church and you have to see it during your one day in Ashford! It is in the town since the 13th century. It is a great church to see!
Ashford Museum
When you visit the town you definitely will want to learn about the history of the place. A great place to do that is at the Ashford Museum.
You find the museum next to the church and you find here all kinds of exhibits related to the history of the town.
This is definitely a great place to go to during your one day in Ashford.
Victoria Park
After learning about history you might want to relax a bit. A good place for that is Victoria Park. This is one of the best things to do in Ashford.
This is a park with beautiful nature. Going for a relaxing stroll is great to do here. Or you can sit down and have a picnic!
Afternoon
Ashford Designer Outlet + Lunch
If you love shopping, you love the Ashford Designer Outlet. This is a place where you find a collection of shops. There are so many shops next to each other. So you will have a great time!
You also find here many places to have lunch. So you can combine shopping and having lunch at this place.
Willesborough Windmill
From the Ashford Designer Outlet, it is only a short walk to the Willesborough Windmill.
This is a windmill that you have to see when you are one day in Ashford. It looks beautiful!
It's very interesting to lean more about the windmill. The town's millwright built the windmill in 1869 and different families used it till 1938. After that people used it for storage.
Godinton House and Gardens
The Godinton House is one of the most famous landmarks.
It is a very old brick house that looks very beautiful. The architectural style of the house is Jacobean.
The inside of the Godinton House is beautiful as well. There are many decorations and there are beautiful displays of flowers. Furthermore, you find here a Steinway piano and a collection of porcelain.
Moreover, the gardens surrounding the house are magnificent. They are great for a walk!
The history of the building is also very interesting. The house belonged to the Toke family for almost 500 years.
Although this place is a bit further than other places in the town. You should definitely go here when you are one day in Ashford.
Evening
Dinner in center
At the end of the day, it is time for dinner.
A great place for this is the center of Ashford. Here you find most restaurants, so you can eat something you like most!
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