This village, which is just a short train ride from London, has everything you’d want from an English village, from historic monuments, cute shops, and nice areas for a walk in nature
Alice Sjöberg Social News Reporter
06:02, 09 Aug 2026
The historic village has everything you would want from an English village (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)
While many may think London has everything you could want in a city, from historic monuments, good food and drinks options, and an unlimited list of things to do or explore, it can sometimes be nice to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city and go explore somewhere new – such as one of the many villages surrounding the capital.
But as London is a well-connected hub, with lots of options for travelling out of the city and exploring the rest of the country, it may seem overwhelming to decide where you want to go. If you just want to escape the city for a day and go on a calm day-trip, then a woman named Rosie might have found the perfect destination for you.
Rosie often takes to TikTok, where she’s known under the username ‘cosinessandadventures’, to share snippets of her travels across the UK and Europe, as well as where to go if you’re looking for a day trip away from London – and she now claims to have found the ‘perfect’ destination.
This is the perfect cute village day trip from London,” she wrote in the caption of her post, as her video went on to show off the quiet medieval village and its cute cottages and independent shops and cafes.
“Go to Alfriston for really pretty English village vibes, but also great little food & wine spots and independent shops and really lovely countryside walks,” she added.
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Alfriston is a historic medieval village set in the Cuckmere Valley within the South Downs National Park in East Sussex. Located just a 90 minute train journey away, the village is best known for its winding high street, ancient literary shops, and smuggling history, it sits about 4 miles northeast of Seaford. You can also enjoy some scenic nature walks along the River Cuckmere.
If you want a longer walk, Rosie also recommended doing the longer trek to the Seven Sisters country park, as the iconic Coastguard Cottages are about 2 hours walk away from the village.
Alfriston is surrounded by stunning countryside(Image: Oversnap via Getty)
Rosie went on to share her own ideas of what to do in the village, which included visit the medieval Alfriston Clergy House – which is the first ever National Trust house, going for a hill walk up to the Long Man of Willmingon, or enjoying food and drinks as the various eateries around the village. You can also book in a wine tasting and vineyard tour at Rathfinny Estate.
To get to Alfriston from London by train get a train from London Victoria to Berwick. The train journey takes 90 minutes, and includes one change at Lewes. And then Alfriston is just an 8 minute bus ride away, which you can walk, as Rosie said it was a ‘really nice countryside walk’.
People were soon left impressed by the village, as many took to the comment section of the video to share their thoughts. One viewer said: “The villages are elite!!”
Someone else shared: “Not far from the home of Banoffee Pie.”