It’s got a charming waterfront without the crowds (Picture: Getty Images)
For years, Venice has been the victim of its own success. The unwilling posterchild for overtourism, the iconic Italian city has struggled to cope with 30 million or so tourists that swarm its elegant streets each year.
And even after introducing tourist taxes to deter day trippers, it still sees upwards of 100,000 people each day during the summer.
It’s not a sentence we imagined writing, but could an alternative lie in a small coastal village in West Sussex?
Perched on Chichester Harbour, the charming parish of Bosham (pronounced Bozzum) is often described as the ‘Venice of England’ for its picturesque waterfront, elegant architecture and rich history.
Ok, it’s not quite an Aperol Spritz in St Mark’s Square, but Bosham’s local, The Anchor Bleu, is said to serve a mean ale.
Hidden, peaceful, and completely magical
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Home to just 4,300 residents, Bosham is a little-known village ‘steeped in rich history and quintessential British character’.
Bosham is one of the inlets of Chichester Harbour (Picture: Getty Images)
Due to its harbour location, the parish is surrounded by beautiful waterways and quayside properties, set against lush farmland and verdant fields.
Just a two hour drive from London, the village has become something of a cult favourite thanks to a few viral TikTok videos.
You can also reach Bosham via train, changing at Chichester or Havant before rolling into the closest station to the village. Advance fares will typically set you back between £10 and £20, but if you’re after a flexible ticket it may cost upwards of £40.
A day in Bosham can be spent going for scenic walks near the water or through the countryside. The Quay, the Holy Trinity church, and Art & Craft Centre all make for nice pitstops.
Part of Bosham’s charm is due to the fact that it’s home to several important Roman artefacts — it’s only a short distance from the iconic Fishbourne Palace.
And, if you get peckish, check out the Bosham Inn for good pub food or the Shoreside Cafe for pastries and big wide windows overlooking the water.
The village is just a short drive from Chichester (Picture: Metro)
After Covid, UK seaside towns saw a welcome boom in tourism.
According to public records, the District of Thanet, for example, home to popular Margate, recorded 4.6 million visitors in 2023, a growth of 18% on 2021.
Spending on day trips also shot up, with data showing a 65% increase compared to 2021.
And while Bosham residents will be grateful that their little paradise hasn’t reached this level of interest, it may only be a matter of time.
One visitor, social media user @eli_radu30, encapsulated her day trip to Bosham with the following words: ‘Stunning harbor views, historic charm, and a peaceful coastal walk.
She added: ‘The perfect day trip for relaxation and adventure!’
Visit the village that floods every day
One of the most interesting things about life in Bosham is that every day at high tide, parts of the village are submerged.
Along the harbour, toads and paths disappear under water and visitors and locals alike are forced to find alternative routes. Although, with scenes this beautiful, surely no-one minds too much…?
During the summer months, locals flock to the water (Picture: Getty Images)
Flooding at high tide in Bosham occurs for several reasons.
Natural flooding from the sea, during storms and with exceptional high tides all play a role.
Plus, rainwater from surrounding fields and streams, as well as from the Downs, can also result in flooding.
While there are dedicated committees within Bosham that work with local authorities to try and mitigate these issues, most of the drains in the village are extremely dated and regular maintenance is required.
Exploring Beautiful Bosham in the winter ⛵️⚓️🦢 Last year took a first time visit to this coastal village in West Sussex, around 2 miles west of Chichester. It was around a 40 minute drive for us from Southampton. Shoreside cafe ☕️🍴 This nice little café has the best location over Bosham waterfront with large windows with the low tide landscape, best seats in the house right by the window for us. This spot serves up simple light brekkies and lunches, friendly staff, but think the view was best part. We would say you pay for the view with the food and drink though as was mid for the cost. A coastal walk 🥾🌊 Heading out on our walk, there was lots of enthusiastic swans outside the café, certainly not afraid of people as some come right up to you, a sign of lots of feeding, as we later saw. The harbour has photogenic cottages all around it as well as some modern builds and the architecture to show. The tides actually flood the high street regularly as would find out later. At low tide we could cut across a path right through the quay and we took the Chichester harbour coastal path right around Bosham foreshore and you don’t even need a walking route map or app as its very straight forward in terms of a circular route or linear one. A 7k circular walking route with stunning scenery. On returning to Bosham harbour, the high tide was coming in and it was amazing to see the difference of what pathways and even roads had disappeared under the water. On route back away from Bosham we stopped at a hidden gem spot called ‘The Crate’ which overlooks farmland and has a cosy atmosphere inside with a rustic look. Bagels and the like for lunch as well as a smoothie to finish up. 📍Bosham Public Car Park 8 Shore Rd, Bosham, Chichester PO18 8HS 📍Shoreside cafe Shoreside Cafe, 1 High St, Bosham, Chichester PO18 8LS 📍The Crate Bosham Broadbridge Business Centre, The Crate Cafe, Delling Ln, Bosham, Chichester PO18 8NF P.s. I updated the voiceover on this to get the right pronunciation of ‘bozzam’ 😂 #bosham #westsussex #chichester
@ourhampshireandbeyond took a day trip to the village and gave a first-hand account of what it was like.
The creator shared: ‘The harbour has photogenic cottages all around it as well as some modern builds and the architecture to show. The tides actually flood the high street regularly as would find out later.’
He added: ‘At low tide we could cut across a path right through the quay and we took the Chichester harbour coastal path right around Bosham foreshore. On returning to the harbour, the high tide was coming in and it was amazing to see the difference of what pathways and even roads had disappeared under the water.’
Bosham in the summer is a nature lover’s paradise (Picture: Getty Images)
It might not be Italy, but this little inlet takes charming to a whole new level.
That being said, if you ever do visit Bosham, just one word of warning: don’t park too close to the water.
Top things to do in Bosham
- Visit Bosham Quay to get the best views of the water and village
- Have a pint at The Anchor Bleu pub
- Go to Holy Trinity church and see the famous Bayeux Tapestry
- Stop off at at a hidden gem spot called ‘The Crate’ which overlooks farmland and have a bagel or smoothie
- Check out the Bosham Sailing Club for sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and open-water swimming
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