The Brighton Blog

Introduction

Brighton is located ideally for the tourist, between the South Downs and the south coast of England and Brighton simply attracts the sun! Whether it’s the sleek sophistication of a Regency city, the beachfront, shopping or the arts or just good-old seaside fun you’re seeking, Brighton has it! This eclectic mix of attractions makes it an ideal year-round destination.

What’s to Do?

As a seaside town, the beachfront has to be one Brighton’s major attractions and there’s every manner of activity going on there, with surfing and sailing on the sea and volleyball, basketball and skateboarding on land. For the ardent shopper, The Lanes offers its mix of unique shops in a setting dating back a century or more.

Throughout the year, Brighton hosts many events, including powerboat racing and kite festivals and there’s always the annual London to Brighton Vintage Car Rally. Located as it is, the city offers a great opportunity to visit its beautiful hinterland with Hever, Leeds and Arundel Castles all within easy travelling distance.

Of course, if you like to stretch the legs, the South Downs are irresistible with walks for every type of walker with a plethora of watering holes along the route! However, you don’t have to take to the hills to stretch the legs as there are walking tours aplenty around both Brighton and its sister town Hove. These are an ideal way to explore the fascinating history of the towns and the area around them, accompanied by a guide who can point out the history, the landmarks and the other places to visit during your stay. One of these tours even caters for the more-ghoulish of visitors and, if you seek the spooky, there’s an organised ghost trip.

For a more sedentary trip around the town, there are bus tours which run throughout the day. Not only can these get you from A to B but they are run on a hop-on, hop-off basis and a daily ticket will provide you with the means to explore every nook and cranny of the town. As these visit all the major tourist attractions and monuments as well as the interesting landmarks, they provide a good way to get your bearings at the start of your visit.

One of the spectacular features at the north end of the coast is the Devil’s Dike, a deep gorge cut into the cliffs. It is owned and operated by the National Trust and opens out into a pleasant grassed area, ideal for sports, sunbathing or kite flying. During the summer, the strains of local brass bands can be heard wafting through the gorge – great with a cup of tea and a cake!

For the lover of steam, The Bluebell Steam Railway chugs away on the outskirts of town, travelling between the three stations on the line. The stations, the trains and the carriages are all lovingly restored by the enthusiasts who have re-created this picturesque piece of Victorian England. It’s a magic formula which transports you nostalgically-back to a long-past England when you add the absolutely stunning views of the local countryside and the stops along the way at the country pubs which satisfy the palette.

Catering for everyone is Brighton’s forte and the lover of the gees is not left out as nearby Brighton Racecourse provides the visitor with the Sport of Kings throughout the summer months.

Brighton’s Places of Interest

Since it was first visited by the Prince Regent, Brighton has offered its eclectic mix of the sophisticated demure and refined to the blatant eccentric. And it still does! From high culture to good old-fashioned seaside fun, it’s all here!

There’s no doubt that The Royal Pavilion is one of the jewels in Brighton’s crown. Its royal connections date back to the time when it was built for the Prince Regent, the future King George IV, and it was used by the Royal Family up to Victorian times. No expense was spared on the exotic

Indian-styled architecture and influences from Asia, principally China can be seen throughout its many rooms.

As befits an English seaside town, Brighton has its pier. It actually has two piers but one has been ravaged by the elements and is now awaiting rejuvenation and a proposed exciting new cycle of life. The surviving pier, now known simply as Brighton Pier, is an archetypically-English pier. With the funfair and arcades, dodgems, roller-coaster and cafes and restaurants which you would expect to find on a pier. For the more-discerning visitor, a trip to the end of the pier provides spectacular views of the adjacent coast, along with the bracing sea air that the Victorians so loved. During the summer months, the pier provides the venue for fireworks displays which line the beachfront with visitors to enjoy the spectacle.

The Victorians loved their technology and left behind the Volks Railway, the first public electric railway in the world, which runs from Brighton Pier to Black Rock – all the way along the seafront. As one of Brighton’s oldest tourist attractions, it provides yet another way to explore the town and its coast.

No modern seaside town can feel complete without its marina and the Brighton Marina, which is in the Kemptown area of Brighton, is one of the largest yachting marinas in the UK. However, it’s much more than just yachts as it has been developed into a superb tourist attraction with shops, cafés, restaurants and bars, along with a ten-pin bowling complex and multi-screen cinema. Most of the facilities enjoy superb views of the harbour and almost compel the visitor to simply sit, relax with a drink and enjoy the view. The Marina also has, as befits any marina worth its salt, regular boat trips around both the marina and surrounding coast.

The shopper can also feel at home in Brighton and in a way not possible in most of the UK’s larger towns. It’s possible to get away from the familiar High Street shops and to wander into The Lanes, a world of small shops of every kind and a world long gone from most High Streets. Wandering into the Lanes is wandering into a past of small, personally-owned shops. Shops of every description are here, with jewellery, antiques, gifts, music, clothes – and all with their individual identity. Alongside the shops are street entertainers, historic buildings and, of course cafés and restaurants and atmospheric pubs in abundance. Once you’re into The Lanes, it’s hard to imagine that you’re still inside the bustling seaside town of Brighton. The Lanes is, indeed, Brighton’s Secret Garden.

Entertainment in Brighton

As it grew into a first-class tourist town, Brighton inevitably developed a wide range of entertainments and, today, these still provide the visitor with a wide range of venues.

The Theatre Royal Brighton, which is housed in a beautiful Grade II listed building which dates back almost 200 years provides a wide mix of theatrical experiences for the visitor. There’s everything from Noddy to The Sound of Music with Mozart, Gilbert and Sullivan and Sleeping Beauty along the way. Whatever you go to see, the pleasure is enhanced by the wonderful building which was given the Royal Assent by The prince of Wales in the summer of 1806

Other theatrical performances are staged at The Gardner Arts Centre which puts on shows ws featuring contemporary dance and drama, along with visual arts, films, comedy and music.

Seaside entertainment is provided at The Pavilion Theatre which provides a range of entertainments including comedy, music, dance and theatre and similar shows are staged at the Komedia.

Wining and Dining

Brighton’s visitors need have no worries about their appetites during a trip to this vibrant city on sea. Boasting over 400 restaurants, the city can offer a menu to suit all tastes. Yes, it’s a seaside town so there are the beachfront fryups with burgers and fish and chips as well as restaurants which offer a more-traditional English cuisine. At the other end of the scale, there’s chic café culture and a large range of exclusive restaurants where the most-discerning palette may be satisfied.

Accommodation in Brighton

Just as it caters for all tastes in food, Brighton offers a wide range of accommodation from Bed and Breakfast to five-star hotels. You are free to chooses whether you want the family-run atmosphere of a local B&B or to meet fellow backpackers in a hostel or, indeed to be pampered and treated like royalty at an exclusive and elegant seafront hotel. All you need is the research and you’ll find just what you are looking for.

Welcome to Brighton

No matter who you are or where you’re from, you’ll find a welcome in Brighton and its sister town Hove. There’s lots more facts figure and photos on our website so please do give us a visit at Brighton and Hove.