Bishop's Palace Gardens

The grounds behind Chichester's cathedral are surprisingly generous - you get proper lawns, mature trees, and the kind of quiet that feels rare in a market town. The Bishop's Palace Gardens sit right at the heart of things, tucked alongside the cathedral itself, and they're worth an hour of anyone's time if you're exploring Chichester proper.

What you're looking at is essentially the bishop's former back garden, now open to the public. There's no great theatre to it - no water features or ornamental displays to make your Instagram feed sing. Instead it's the kind of place where you'll actually want to sit on a bench and read a book, or let the kids run about on the grass without worrying they'll break something expensive. The trees are substantial and old. The paths wind in ways that feel unhurried.

It's most valuable if you're already in town seeing the cathedral - they're basically neighbours, separated by a wall - rather than a destination you'd drive across Sussex for. History types will appreciate being on ecclesiastical ground; families will find it a decent breather between shopping on East Street and lunch. Walkers might use it as a leg-stretcher between longer routes.

If you're camped at Chichester Lakeside or Concierge Camping nearby, this is five minutes from your tent. Free to access (as far as anyone can tell), open during daylight hours. Allow 45 minutes to an hour max. It's the sort of space that reminds you why cathedral towns mattered - peaceful, intentional, proper.