Fodor's Expert Review Charleston

Art and life mixed at Charleston, the farmhouse that Vanessa Bell—sister of Virginia Woolf—bought in 1916 and fancifully decorated, along with Duncan Grant (who lived here until 1978). The house, which is seven miles east of Lewes, soon became a refuge for the writers and artists of the Bloomsbury Group. On display are colorful ceramics and textiles of the Omega Workshop—in which Bell and Grant participated—and paintings by Picasso and Renoir, as well as by Bell and Grant themselves. Entry to the house is by guided tour; you can buy tickets when you arrive (first come, first served) or book in advance online. It's also possible to book private, themed tours that focus on different aspects of Charleston's heritage, such as its groundbreaking LGBTQ+ history or the influence French culture had on the Bloomsbury Group. The house isn't suitable for those with mobility issues, although reduced-price ground-floor-only tickets are available.