Fall in love in Eastbourne this Valentine's Day with Stargazing, Ballroom Dancing and More!

Whatever your budget and whatever your style, if you're looking to spoil someone special this Valentine's Day, Eastbourne is the perfect romantic escape!

For culture and passion on the stage, the Congress Theatre has it covered this Valentine's weekend! On 12 February, Strictly Come Dancing’s Anton du Beke and Erin Boag bring the heat of the ballroom to the stage of the Congress Theatre when their sizzling new dance tour stops in Eastbourne, bringing passionate ballroom dances performed to hits of the golden age! 

If dreamy romanticism is more what you're after, then an afternoon at the Congress on Valentine's Day listening to the London Philharmonic Orchestra perform a romantic classical variety is the one for you. The beautifully relaxing concert will include Schumann's musical love letter to his wife: his Piano Concerto; and Sibelius's beautiful and uplifting Symphony No. 5.

For the most romantic of outdoor activities, head to the Redoubt Fortress on Eastbourne's seafront for an evening of stargazing. In the company of your loved-one, gaze at the sky through the eye of the telescope on Saturday 13 February as the Eastbourne Astronomical Society take you on a romantic guided-tour of the night sky, spotting craters on the moon, stars in the galaxy and the Orion Nebula! It's also a completely free event, so you'll be able to splash out more on dinner later on!

If you're looking for fine dining, The Grand Hotel, the only 5* seaside hotel in the UK, provides the fanciest of settings for a perfect Valentine's dinner! Lovers who lunch can choose between the 'Fine Dining Romance Dinner' in the reputable Mirabelle Restaurant, the 'Garden Restaurant Romance Dinner’ or a ‘Romantic Afternoon Tea’ served in The Great Hall. From just £145.00 per person, dine in the Garden Restaurant and stay at the Grand overnight! Enter our competition for a chance to win a Valentine’s Dinner for Two in the Grand’s Garden Restaurant!

For Afternoon Teas coupled with discovery, an afternoon at either Michelham Priory, an 800 year old country house with seven acres of beautiful gardens or at National Trust run Bateman's will be ideal! Michelham Priory is serving up a luxury Valentines canapé tea, complete with a glass of Prosecco, a special Valentine's gift and full entry to the house on 13 and 14 February. On 14 February visit Bateman’s and enjoy a stroll around the garden at the former home of Rudyard Kipling, followed by a delicious Valentine’s Tea! 

If art is the way to your heart, Eastbourne’s contemporary gallery, Towner Art Gallery has two great exhibitions this Valentine’s weekend; Recording Britain; a collection developed at the outbreak of the Second World War which aimed to document rural and urban

environments under threat, and Peter Sellers: Behind the Camera; a retrospective of the career of his career.

Stay overnight and make the most of the romantic coastal location! Go to VisitEastbourne.com/accommodation for all the best places to stay in Eastbourne and some fabulous Valentine's weekend offers!

Come to Eastbourne for a Dirty Knees Up this Bank Holiday Weekend!

Eastbourne, usually a very clean town, is getting messy in May with a packed-out Bank Holiday weekend of dirty, mucky and down right messy fun! 

Magnificent Motors By Graham Huntley

Motoring fans can get messy with grease as they admire the 'Magnificent Motors' of over 400 classic and vintage cars, not to mention motorbikes, buses, vans, military and steam engines, all on the Western Lawns on Eastbourne's gorgeous seafront from 2-3 May. On Sunday night, head to the Arlington Stadium for even more high octane thrills when Eastbourne Eagles race in a national speedway league fixture on the dusty motorbike racing track.

Friday 1 May sees the Bandstand season kick off with a dramatic BANG with a fireworks display to end a concert of legendary rock and pop in the 'Legends TributeShow'. Get your rock on and remember your dirty concert days, with tributes acts impersonating Billy Idol, Prince, Dire Straits, Blondie and many many more!

Hilarious theatre show 'Dirty Dusting' on Saturday 2 May at the Royal Hippodrome, will challenge your perceptions of a housekeeping service. Staring ITV Benidorm’s Crissy Rock, this heart-warming comedy tells the story of three 'blue-rinse' cleaning ladies, who inadvertently start up a telephone sex chat line. 

For some grittier culture, why not take a self-guided Heritage Walking Tour and learn about the seedier side of Eastbourne’s history, discovering grisly murders and wartime events. The 200 year old Redoubt Fortress reveals some spooky cells and next door, Eastbourne’s new Summerdown Camp exhibition unearths some fascinating archaeological finds from the UK’s largest WW1 convalescent camp which opened in Eastbourne 100 years ago.

Eastbourne's promenade will become a hub for rich pungent smells, as the continental market provides gourmet cheeses and lots more of the smelly food variety, from 1-4 May. Clean up your act and treat your partner to a romantic picnic on the Western Lawns, whilst admiring the vintage vehicles. As the day draws to a close, head to the Grand Hotel, England’s only 5 star coastal luxury hotel, to enjoy the perfect Dirty Martini pre-dinner cocktail on the terrace. 

Foodies can get their hands dirty by the seaside, at The Belgian Cafe ripping open delicious mussels, which come in 50 different varieties. Or why not go for the classic seaside dinner in a paper bag, with fish and chips from The Chippy at the Pier - sit on the beach and enjoy the salty air as it blows through your hair!

The Mowbray 4 star guesthouse is offering free ‘Dirty Dusting’ theatre tickets with every booking of three nights or more.  To book call 01323 710012 or visit www.themowbray.com

For more information and accommodation visit www.visiteastbourne.com. 

A Grand Ol' Christmas Recipe: Delicious Chocolate Chestnut Cake

The Grand Hotel Eastbourne's, Head Pastry Chef Carlos Dantas, has shared a delectable Christmas recipe with us. So we're spreading the love and sharing the recipe for all to read... and try.


Why not put your baking skills to the test this weekend and try making your own Christmas Chocolate Chestnut Cake? What's more, it's a Gluten Free recipe, so it's perfect for the special dietary requirements of your guests (or you, if you plan on scoffing the whole thing yourself).

Carlos' Christmas Chocolate Chestnut Cake

Ingredients

200g Dark chocolate (70%)
250g Unsalted butter
250g Chopped cooked chestnuts
200ml Milk
225g Sugar
4 Large eggs (separated)

Method

1. Melt the chocolate and butter together over a low heat until mixed.
2. In a food processor, mix the chestnuts and the milk into a puree.
3. Whisk the egg yolks and 125g of sugar to a light fluffy consistency.
4. Whisk the egg whites with 100g of sugar.
5. Mix the chocolate sauce with the chestnut puree, then fold in the egg yolks.
6. Gently, next fold in the egg whites to retain volume.
7. Lightly grease an 8-10 inch baking tray.
8. Pour in the mixture and smooth the top.
9. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 30-40 minutes (it should be firm but not hard to the touch).

To make a Ganache topping, mix 100g of chocolate with 125g of double cream and 50g of butter. A tablespoon of Rum is optional, although highly recommended by Carlos!

We've still to try baking this tasty-looking cake ourselves, but we're going to have a Visit Eastbourne team bake-off to see who can make the most delicious Christmas Chocolate Chestnut Cake; we may even get Carlos over here to be the tasting judge.

Share your photos of your attempts at baking this Chocolate Chestnut treat with us on Twitter @VisitEastbourne or Facebook, or share some of your own special Christmas recipes.

If you don't fancy baking, but would love to indulge in some yummy delicacies made by Carlos, then you can book a table in one of the two Grand Hotel restaurants and have a yourself a merry little Christmas treat!

Happy Baking!