Fishbourne Roman Palace from Hayling Island: mosaics, gardens and dogs welcome near Sandy Point

Fishbourne Roman Palace is the largest Roman home found in Britain, and it sits on the edge of Chichester Harbour, about 17 miles, or 30 to 40 minutes by car from Wittering Sands, our exclusive-use house at 14 Wittering Road, Sandy Point, Hayling Island PO11 9SP. You go up the island, over Hayling Bridge and east along the A27, and the palace is signposted with brown tourist signs just west of Chichester.

It is one of the best answers we know to a wet day by the sea. The mosaics are under cover, the museum is indoors, and, unusually, well-behaved dogs are welcome in every part of it. This guide covers what you will see, autumn and half-term opening, dogs, and getting there.

What is Fishbourne Roman Palace?

The palace was built around AD 75, about thirty years after the Roman conquest, and it is the largest known Roman residence north of the Alps. In its heyday it was bigger than Buckingham Palace, with four wings arranged around a huge formal garden. It was altered over the next two centuries, then burned down around AD 270 and was abandoned.

The site was rediscovered in 1960, when an engineer digging a trench for a new water main came across Roman foundations. Excavations led by the archaeologist Barry Cunliffe began the following year, and the palace has been looked after ever since by the Sussex Archaeological Society, a charity, which runs it today. Nobody knows for certain who lived here, but it is often linked to Togidubnus, a local king who ruled with Roman support.

What will you see?

• The mosaics: Fishbourne has the largest collection of Roman mosaics still in their original place in the UK, laid out under a cover building over the north wing. The best known is Cupid on a dolphin. Many of the coloured mosaics were laid in the second and third centuries over earlier black and white floors.
• The gardens: part of the great formal garden has been recreated. The palace describes these as the earliest gardens found anywhere in the country, and you can view the formal garden from the covered colonnade if it is raining.
• The museum: finds from the excavations and the story of the palace. Families will find artefact handling, trails and activities aimed at younger visitors.

The palace suggests allowing around two hours. Volunteer-led guided tours generally run through the week, and private tours can be booked ahead for a group.

Is it open in autumn and half-term?

Yes. The palace website lists its 2026 autumn season as 2 September to 6 December, open daily from 10am to 4.30pm. Check the website for winter opening after early December and for any closures before you set off. Advance booking is not essential, though you can buy tickets online. Group rates are available for parties of 10 or more booked in advance.

There are three events on the 2026 programme worth knowing about:

• Art and Literature Festival: the palace's first, from 9 to 11 October.
• Roman Army Week: Monday 26 to Friday 30 October, during the October half-term, from 10am to 4pm. Children sign up as trainee Roman soldiers, with sword and shield practice, spear throwing, dressing up in uniform and Roman board games, plus a Pumpkin Trail through the gardens.
• Christmas at Fishbourne Roman Palace: 5 and 6 December.

Check the Fishbourne Roman Palace page for event details and tickets. If you are staying with us over half-term, our October half-term guide has more ideas for the week.

Can you take a dog to Fishbourne Roman Palace?

Yes, and that is rare for a museum. The palace says well-behaved dogs are welcome in all areas, including the museum, gardens and café, kept on short leads at all times, and owners clean up after them. Assistance dogs are welcome across the whole site.

For a group with a dog on a rainy day, that makes it an easy choice. Our dog-friendly Hayling Island guide covers walks closer to the house.

Is there food and parking?

The Roman Kitchen Café on site serves hot drinks, cakes, sandwiches and toasties, and you are welcome to bring a picnic to eat in the gardens. Parking for cars and coaches is free.

The site is generally level, with ramped walkways and wide doors into the museum, the mosaic area, the café and the film theatre. The garden paths are gravel. There are four Blue Badge spaces and accessible toilets, and two loan wheelchairs can be reserved the day before by phoning the palace.

How do you get there from Hayling Island?

• By car: drive north up the island and over Hayling Bridge, join the A27 eastbound past Emsworth, then follow the A259 and the brown signs into Fishbourne. The postcode is PO19 3QR (Roman Way, Chichester).
• By bus and train: Stagecoach 30 and 31 run between the island and Havant, with a stop at Sandy Point Reserve. From Havant, Southern trains towards Chichester stop at Fishbourne, which the palace says is a 5 to 10 minute walk away. The palace also lists bus services 700 and 56, stopping at Salthill Road, about a 5 to 10 minute walk. Check Stagecoach and Southern times before you travel.
• By bike: there are cycle racks on site, and the palace points cyclists to the Centurion Way route.

What else is nearby?

Fishbourne sits at the head of one of the arms of Chichester Harbour, so it pairs naturally with somewhere close by. Bosham is the next village along the harbour, and our Bosham day trip guide covers the church, the quay and the tides. Chichester is about 1.5 miles east, and our Chichester day trip guide covers the cathedral and the city centre. Our Around Hayling guide has more local beaches, pubs and walks.

What are the stay details?

Check-in is from 4pm and checkout is by 10am. Wittering Sands sleeps up to nine across four bedrooms and five beds, with 3.5 bathrooms. Dogs are welcome at the house, kept off beds and sofas, and parking is available for four cars. Children aged 2 to 12 are welcome, but the house is not suitable for infants under 2. The minimum stay is usually three nights.

Rates vary by season and length of stay. The live calendar shows the current figure for your dates; this guide does not indicate availability.

How do you book?

Check the live booking calendar for current dates and pricing. If you want to talk through the group, dogs or travel arrangements, get in touch.

Opening times, events, dog rules, ticketing, bus and train timetables and parking arrangements can change. Check Fishbourne Roman Palace, Stagecoach and Southern before you travel.