There’s just something about the British seaside – we do really love to be beside it. Even in an era of cheap and easy flights to hot and sandy places, the idea of hanging out on the UK coast still manages to exert a strong pull. Specifically, in its little villages. Spots that don’t have outskirts uglified by trading estates; that do have streets – variously wonky, steep and maze-like – that allow us to pretend it’s a previous, less-fraught century.

Maybe it’s in our bones, as an island nation, to be drawn to the sea. Maybe it’s just hypocritical nostalgia: we want those cute old cottages to be lived in by actual fishermen, though we also want them refurbed with tasteful nauticalia, so we can hire them to play out our own coast-living fantasies. 

Whatever. Few of us can resist that dazzle of whitewash teetering on a cliff, that glint of flint beside a salt marsh, that harbour bobbing with boats and that soundtrack: sea gulls, shanties, waves on rocks, sand and shingle.

This means, come summer, any village with a modicum of cute will be bursting at the seams. But some are less crowded than others, some are lovely enough to justify the crowds, and all are far quieter (and cheaper) if you visit off-season. Here, we’ve scoured the coast for the 20 best.

This village on the Jurassic Coast seems aptly named: it’s got something of a “lashings of ginger beer” Blyton vibe (though, actually, the name comes from a Saxon word for “grove”). The seafront feels pleasingly old-fashioned, with its deckchairs, flint buildings, pleasure garden, cafes and gift shops. There’s even a model railway and miniature steam train (pecorama.co.uk). It’s a great place to promenade, watch fishing boats come in, paddle off the shingle and grab a bite at the smart Smugglers Kitchen (thesmugglerskitchen.co.uk).

Beer Quarry Caves – take a tour through this huge complex of caverns, worked since Roman times (beerquarrycaves.co.uk).

Jubilee Gardens, for views of Beer Beach seen over colourful blooms.

The Lookout Tower (the-lookout-tower.com), sleeping four, was featured on George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations and sits atop Beer Head cliffs; from £875 for three nights. Plan the perfect holiday in Devon with our guide.

Runswick Bay, Yorkshire

Best for beach-combing

Against stiff competition, Runswick steals the cutest in Yorkshire crown. Rebuilt in its current, cliff-clinging spot after a landslide in 1682, it’s a tumble of old fishermen’s cottages. Many are holiday lets now, but there’s still a small, close-knit community, the same old Royal Hotel pub and a few traditional coble boats moored up. And still the same gob-smacking swathe of sand, dotted with rock pools and backed by Jurassic cliffs where benevolent goblins allegedly lurk. Note, Runswick’s narrow streets aren’t for cars – best to come by bus or on foot via the Cleveland Way National Trail.

Fabulous fossils – the foreshore might turn up dinosaur footprints or ancient ammonites; join a tour (fossils-uk.com).

From midway along the beach, looking back to the cascading village.

Runswick Bay Cottages (07970 300068; runswickbaycottages.co.uk) rents several properties. Sandside, sleeping two, from £390 for three nights. Plan the perfect holiday in Yorkshire with our guide.

Portsoy, Aberdeenshire

Best for boats

Portsoy’s harbour, dating to 1693, oozes sea-salty character. With its old stone walls, clear waters and winding streets, it’s often called a “Cornwall without the crowds”. It’s even more atmospheric during the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, held in June (stbfportsoy.org), though you can embrace Portsoy’s maritime heritage year-round at the Salmon Bothy Museum (salmonbothy.org) or boat-building workshops (portsoyboatshed.org). There’s a small beach by the old harbour, but better is Links Bay, around the headland, good for swimming, SUP-ing and rock-pooling. Look out for dolphins too.

Portsoy Ice Cream – this award-winning, family-run parlour offers seasonal flavours, from hot cross bun to jammie dodger (portsoyicecream.co.uk).

A table outside the Shore Inn, looking over the harbour (facebook.com/TheShoreInn).

The Sail Loft (01261 842222; portsoysailloft.org) is a four-star hostel right on the seafront; private rooms from £59 per night.

Llangrannog, Ceredigion

Best for setting

Llangrannog is lovely. Almost too lovely. Slotted in a leafy cleft between cliffs, only one narrow road winds down to the sea – an access nightmare in high season. Save yourself stress by using the free car park above the village, or by arriving on foot via the Wales Coast Path. Llangrannog’s sandy beach is worth making the effort for, though. It’s hemmed in by crags and sea caves, fed by the River Hawen and backed by spots like the Pentre Arms pub (pentrearms.co.uk) and the cool Beach Hut cafe (thebeachhutwales.co.uk).

At low tide, you can walk past Carreg Bica rock to the secret sandy cove of Cilborth.

Standing next to village namesake St Carannog, whose effigy in bronze now looks down from the headland above.

Cwtch Crannog (01239 727029; underthethatch.co.uk), sleeping four, is a cute apartment with a hot tub; from £406 for three nights.

Cadgwith, Cornwall

Best for singing shanties

On the Lizard Peninsula’s eastern edge, little Cadgwith ticks every Cornish fishing village box. It has working boats pulled up on the shingle beach, another beach for swimming, piles of lobster pots, a tiny tin church and tight lanes of thatched cottages. And hopefully it will remain that way. In 2021, the Cadgwith Fishing Cove Trust raised enough money to safeguard the old buildings from development. There’s little to do, just buy an ice cream and take it all in.

A night at the 300-year-old Cadgwith Cove Inn (cadgwithcoveinn.com), which has renovated guest rooms and live music nights – Tuesdays for folk jams, Fridays for shanties by the Cadgwith Singers.

From the old lookout hut, on the South West Coast Path, north of the village.

Cadgwith Cottages (01326 290162; cadgwithcovecottages.co.uk) rents several properties. Admiralty Cottage, sleeping four, from £615 per week. Plan the perfect holiday in Cornwall with our guide.

Walberswick, Suffolk

Best for crabbing

A comely village green, fine Georgian houses, a handful of pubs and tea-rooms, an olde-worlde feel – Walberswick is an English coastal throw back. The delightful sand-and-shingle beach feels wilder than neighbouring Southwold, and is edged by dunes and Walberswick National Nature Reserve. The British Open Crabbing Championships are no longer held here but you can still have a go – local shops sell crabbing kits. Also, buy snacks at the Black Olive Deli, which is graffitied with Boy, Mole, Fox, Horse illustrations – artist Charlie Mackesy lives nearby (theblackdogdelis.co.uk).

The church, which sits within the vast ruins of the previous building; look out for memorials to fishermen lost at sea.

Gliding across the River Blyth from Southwold aboard the row-boat ferry, which has run here since 1236 (walberswickferry.com).

The Anchor (01502 722112; anchoratwalberswick.com) has B&B doubles from £120 per night. Plan the perfect holiday in Suffolk with our guide.

St Abbs, Berwickshire

Best for nature

Named for a Christianity-spreading princess shipwrecked here in the 7th century, St Abbs is a wee fishing village with a big claim to fame: it was the filming location for New Asgard in Avengers: Endgame. Usually, though, it’s quiet. There isn’t even a pub, though Ebbcarrs harbourside cafe serves super crab sandwiches. For good sand, head to Coldingham Bay, to the south. For something wilder, explore St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve, a rugged stretch of coast that’s home to a cacophony of seabirds, plus seal pups (in autumn), dolphins and minke whales.

The water, which lies within Berwickshire Marine Reserve – St Abbs Charters offers scuba diving, sightseeing, snorkelling and swimming trips (stabbscharters.com).

Just north, within the nature reserve, Pettico Wick offers epic views of the coast.

There are four self-catering properties at St Abbs lighthouse (cottages.com); Lightkeepers Cottage, sleeping four, from £445 per week.

Kimmeridge, Dorset

Best for rocks

Lulworth heaves in high season. So try nearby Kimmeridge instead. This pretty little cluster of thatch and Purbeck stone sits within folds of green, just inland from the coast. Here, you can feast on field-to-fork fare at Clavells (clavellsrestaurant.co.uk) and view the Etches Collection (theetchescollection.org), a mind-boggling display of Jurassic marine life. A footpath lined with panels about the area’s ancient aquatics leads to the bay itself, one of the UK’s most important geological sites. It offers safe swimming, world-class rock-pooling and, in summer, warden-led events.

Snorkel the underwater nature trail – info and snorkel hire available at the Fine Foundation Wild Seas Centre (dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/wild-seas-centre).

From near Clavell Tower, up on Hen Cliff. Or from the tower itself: it’s rentable via the Landmark Trust (landmarktrust.org.uk).

Kimmeridge Farmhouse (01929 480990; kimmeridgefarmhouse.co.uk) has B&B doubles from £150 per night.

West Wittering, East Sussex

Best for celebrity spotting

If it’s good enough for Kate Winslet, it’s good enough for the rest of us. Celebrities love pretty West Wittering – this upmarket seaside spot on the Manhood Peninsula, near Chichester, has some of the most expensive streets in the country. That’s because it has nice places to eat – such as the Wittering (thewittering.com) – and sits by an excellent white-sand Blue Flag beach, lined with colourful beach huts. It also has an unusual microclimate that makes it one of England’s sunniest spots.

Playing in the waves – the beach is perfect for surfing, windsurfing, kite-surfing and more; hire and tuition is available (2xs.co.uk).

East Head, a rare habitat of wild dunes and salt marsh, a short walk from the village (nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/east-head).

The Beach House (01243 514800; beachhse.co.uk) has fresh B&B doubles from £155 per night.

It’s testament to the charm of Polperro that it still manages to impress in the face of overtourism. The oh-so-cute cottages of this narrow, valley-tucked village look barely changed since smugglers ruled the roost here in the 18th and 19th centuries, though many are now home to shops flogging souvenirs. Embrace the kitschier side of things at the Model Village (polperromodelvillage.co.uk) then grab a pint and a fish platter at the quayside Three Pilchards (threepilchardspolperro.co.uk).

Take a wild swim at Chapel Pool, a natural tidal pool just off the coast path, on the village outskirts.

Follow the three-mile Harbour and Headlands Walk, to see Polperro from all angles (iwalkcornwall.co.uk/walk/polperro).

The harbour-view House on Props (01503 272310; houseonprops.co.uk) has B&B doubles from £95 per night. Plan the perfect holiday in Cornwall with our guide.

St Monans, Fife

Best for food

You’re spoiled for choice on the East Neuk of Fife. A succession of charismatic villages lines this shore: Elie, St Monans, Pittenweem, Anstruther, Cellardyke, Crail. St Monans is perhaps least-visited, but blessed with charming pantiled buildings, a handsome harbour, a striking church, an 18th-century windmill, salt-mining heritage, a fascinating rocky shore and a ruined castle in sight. You’ll eat and drink well too: book Craig Millar’s Michelin-listed restaurant (16westend.com), grab succulent seafood at the East Pier Smokehouse (eastpier.co.uk), buy goodies at Ardross Farm Shop (ardrossfarm.co.uk) and sample Futtle microbrewery’s wild beers (futtle.com).

A dip in St Monans’ recently restored tidal lido.

On the Fife Coastal Path, approaching from the south, or looking out from St Monans’ zig-zag breakwater.

East Fife Holiday Homes (01333 330219; eastfifeholidayhomes.co.uk) rents several properties. The harbourside Old Bank House, sleeping two, from £543 per week.

Steephill Cove, Isle of Wight

Best for escaping it all

Though technically part of Ventnor, pretty-n-petite Steephill Cove seems far removed, and more like something from a fairytale. It has a little curve of sand and tumbled rocks, a scatter of beach huts and old fisherman’s cottages, and a backdrop of the lush Undercliff. It’s only accessible on foot, either steeply down Love Lane or along the coast path. There are few amenities beyond a little cafe serving crab pasties, a place to hire kayaks and body boards, and a photogenic array of lobster pots and fishing tackle.

Make the short walk west along the coast path to explore the wild exotics in Ventnor Botanic Garden (botanic.co.uk).

From a table outside the Cove Coffee Shop (steephill-cove.co.uk/cove-coffee-shop).

Steephill Cove Luxury Self-Catering (07980 444425; steephill-cove.co.uk) rents three properties. The Beach Hut, sleeping four, from £550 for four nights.

Porthdinllaen, Llŷn Peninsula

Best for time travel

The Llŷn National Landscape is, indeed, an area of outstanding natural beauty. Lively Abersoch is one of the peninsula’s most popular villages but, for something more low-key, make for minuscule Porthdinllaen. Huddled on a promontory, jutting west of Morfa Nefyn – itself, a lovely, sandy spot – Porthdinllaen is a time-warp fishing village where you can hide away in one of the old stone houses, watch the fishermen bring in their catch, SUP on the calm waters and raise a glass at the sea-salty Tŷ Coch Inn (tycoch.co.uk).

Leaving your car in the village car park (only residents can drive in) and feeling wonderfully out on a limb.

Follow the 2.5-mile Porthdinllaen marine trail – there’s an especially good vantage from above the lifeboat station.

Tri-a-Hanner (0344 800 2070; nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays), sleeping two, is a gorgeous bolthole on the beach; from £268 for two nights.

Kingsand and Cawsand, Cornwall

Best for relative solitude

Being “undiscovered” is a relative concept in these parts. But the twin villages of Kingsand and Cawsand, on the Rame Peninsula, offer a less-crowded Cornish coast experience. Odd, because they’re idyllic: mazy, slender streets of pastel-painted houses, boats swaying offshore, Mount Edgcumbe Country Park rising behind. Once distinct villages in separate counties, the two now flow together, each with its own sheltered, sand-and-shingle beach, good for paddling and rock-pooling. Bag a table with a view, either at the old Devonport Inn (devonportinn.com) or the newer Bay Bar (thebaycawsand.co.uk).

Riding the seasonal Cawsand Ferry to Plymouth, a 30-minute tour for just £6 (plymouthboattrips.co.uk).

From the water – hire kit from Cawsand Bay Watersports and enjoy looking back to land (facebook.com/thebaycawsandwatersports).

The Halfway Inn (01752 822279; halfwayinnkingsand.co.uk) has neat B&B doubles from £90 per night.

Cley, Norfolk

Best for bird watching

Cley and neighbouring Blakeney (they’re only 1.5 miles apart) are the North Norfolk Coast at its most iconic. Flinty buildings line comely little streets while the world beyond melts into salt marsh, reedbeds and fathomless skies. Cley is a lovely place to mooch: admire the 18th-century windmill (now a B&B) and pop into the traditional smokehouse, the deli, Crabpot secondhand books and the pottery workshop (madeincley.co.uk). 

Birdwatching – Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Cley Marshes reserve offers some of the UK’s best spotting, with six hides overlooking the lagoons, marshes and beach (norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk).

Climb the 137 steps up Blakeney church tower, for a panorama over Cley and the coast beyond (glavenvalleychurches.org.uk/church-tower).

Cley Windmill (01263 740209; cleywindmill.co.uk) has B&B doubles from £215 per night. Plan the perfect holiday in Norfolk with our guide.

Craster, Northumberland

Best for castles

Bamburgh might have a big, beachside, fully-intact castle, but there’s something more romantic about little Craster, where Dunstanburgh Castle’s dramatic ruins loom on the headland beyond. The fishing village itself is extremely atmospheric, with its sturdy harbour walls, bobbing boats, old cottages and enticing smells coming from L Robson & Son’s Smokehouse (kipper.co.uk). You can eat at the Fish Restaurant next door. Craster has a small, sandy beach within the harbour; better to walk two miles north, via Dunstanburgh, to glorious Embleton Bay.

Hiking the short distance along the coast path to explore Dunstanburgh’s atmospheric remains (english-heritage.org.uk).

On the patio of the Jolly Fisherman, looking to the castle over a bowl of crab soup (thejollyfishermancraster.co.uk).

Red Herring (01573 226711; crabtreeandcrabtree.com), sleeping four, is a cosy, Nordic-chic cottage hidden down a harbourside lane; from £650 for three nights.

Solva is a tight squeeze. Its long main street is tucked into a steep inlet by St Bride’s Bay, and spills into a well-sheltered harbour. It packs a lot in though: there are bright-painted buildings housing art galleries and gift shops, rental cottages and B&Bs, cafes, restaurants and pubs – try the riverside Hats & Barrels (hatsandbarrels.co.uk) or the traditional old Ship (theshipsolva.co.uk). There’s even a woollen mill, producing fabrics on 19th-century looms. The beach only appears at low tide but, with a river running through, provides a fine shrimping and crabbing spot.

Tucking into takeaway crab, lobster and seafood from Mrs Will The Fish (facebook.com/MrsWillTheFish).

The Gribin, a rocky headland overlooking the village and the rugged coast.

Coastal Cottages of Pembrokeshire (01437 765765; coastalcottages.co.uk) rents several properties. Rose-pink Dingle Cottage, sleeping four, from £411 per week. Plan the perfect holiday in Pembrokeshire with our guide.

Porlock Weir, Somerset

Best for pebble beaches

Porlock Bay isn’t your typical British seaside spot. Here, a long sweep of pastel pebbles is backed by salt marsh, some creepy dead trees and the green billows of Exmoor, including 250m-high sea cliffs. It’s odd, but spectacular. At the bay’s western end lies Porlock Weir, a comely clutch of houses, shops, pubs and tea rooms. There’s been a port here for centuries, and there are still boats today: take a sightseeing cruise (facebook.com/porlockweircharters), try rowing a traditional pilot gig (porlockweirgigclub.co.uk) or pop into the Boatshed Museum.

Paddling through the bay’s flooded marshland on a spring tide (exmooradventures.co.uk).

Look out from the scenic toll road linking Porlock village and Lynton (porlockweir.co/scenic-toll-road).

Locanda on the Weir (01643 863300; locandaontheweir.co.uk) has an excellent restaurant and boutique B&B doubles for £450 for two nights. Plan the perfect holiday in Somerset with our guide.

Plockton, Wester Ross

Best for scenery

Hugging a sheltered bay on Loch Carron, Plockton is a National Trust for Scotland conservation village – and an absolute stunner. Here, clear waters, cute cottages, palm trees (yes, really) and looming Highlands converge. It even has a train station. The Visitor Centre gives background, from Plockton’s 19th-century beginnings to its TV location fame, plus the Historical Society holds regular talks. The local store is small, but stocks whisky. There’s a microbrewery too, plus pubs renowned for live music (try the Plockton Inn’s Highland Bar). Walk to lovely Coral Beach. Or venture out via kayak or seal-spotting tour (calums-sealtrips.com).

Eating – in 2023 Plockton was voted the UK’s best place for fish and chips, and even has its own speciality, Plockton prawns.

Carn na Frith-aird Viewpoint, for a panorama over loch, sea, Skye and peaks.

The Plockton Inn (01599 544222; plocktoninn.co.uk) has B&B doubles from £119 per night. 

Clovelly, Devon

Best for cuteness

Ah, lov-erly Clov-erly. Possibly loved too much? But it would be remiss not to include this glorious West Country fishing village, even if it feels a bit theme park. Indeed, it’s privately owned, with a fee to get in. But, my, it’s pretty: a cobbled, traffic-free street plummets down the cliffs, flanked by whitewashed homes (no holiday lets allowed), ending at the harbour’s curving 14th-century quay. Must-visits include the Victorian-era Clovelly Court Gardens and the Fisherman’s Cottage, which shows how fishermen once lived.

Meeting the donkeys – once integral to transporting goods through the village, they can still be seen clopping up-down the cobbles.

From the Hobby Drive, built via a 19th-century job-creation scheme, now part of the South West Coast Path.

The Red Lion (01237 431237; redlion-clovelly.co.uk), an 18th-century inn on the quay, has B&B doubles from £195 per night. Plan the perfect holiday in Devon with our guide.