If you're based in London and fancy a break from the capital without a long journey, Gravesend in Kent is an easy answer. This historic riverside town on the Thames is barely half an hour away by high-speed train, yet it feels like a different pace of life entirely — all promenades, old pubs and river views.

The star attraction is the Riverside Leisure Area, which takes in the Gordon Promenade along the water. On a clear day you can spot London's skyline in the distance, and in summer the promenade and neighbouring Gordon Memorial Gardens come alive with fountains and flowerbeds. The same stretch of green also holds two pieces of local history: the New Tavern Fort and the Milton Chantry, a 14th-century building that's the oldest structure in town and now houses a small museum.

Gravesend has been welcoming travellers headed to and from London for centuries, and its town centre still shows it. The High Street is lined with independent shops and traditional spots for afternoon tea, while the Borough Market continues a marketplace tradition that stretches back to the 13th century. Today it occupies a 19th-century building and is open daily except Mondays.

Then there's the pier. Gravesend's Town Pier is the oldest cast-iron pier in the world, first opened to river passengers in 1834. You can still walk out over the Thames and get a fresh perspective on the town. For evening entertainment, the Woodville Theatre stages live shows plus free art exhibitions in its Blake Gallery.

One of the most surprising sights is on the grounds of St George's Church: the final resting place of Pocahontas. She fell ill aboard a ship heading back to Virginia and died in Gravesend in 1617. A fire destroyed the church in 1727, so her exact grave is unknown, but a bronze statue — a replica of the one in Jamestown — marks the site. It's a 10-minute walk from the railway station. Royalists, meanwhile, can seek out the 51-foot clock tower at the end of Harmer Street, built in 1887 for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee; a time capsule beneath it holds commemorative coins and jubilee newspapers.

Gravesend suits travellers who want history and river walks without the crowds or the price tag of central London — whether as a day trip or a low-key weekend, no car required.