Welcome to Brighton

The Vibrant City On The Sea!

The destination of choice for tourists and locals alike

Stop off Here for fantastic beach life, and a Roaring Social Scene

For Map of Brighton - Click Brighton Map

Brighton is situated just south of the South Downs and on the south coast of England making it an ideal destination for all types of visitors. It can offer the sophistication of a city which grew to popularity in the Regency period, as well as all the things to do on the beach. There's also shopping arts events or just good-old seaside fun you may choose one or all of these or leave each family member to make their own choice! Brighton's enormous range of facilities makes it an ideal year-round destination.

Brighton Things to Do?

It is at the seaside so there's plenty to do both on Brighton beach and in the sea. There's surfing and sailing for water lovers and more land-based activities like basketball and volleyball – and for those on wheels, there's a skatepark. If it's shopping that you're after, The Lanes offers plenty of that and with a difference.

The town has a lot going on throughout the year and many events such as powerboat racing and the kite festivals always prove to be a great attraction. For the more-traditional tourist, there's the annual London to Brighton Vintage Car Rally which brings memories of Genevieve for anyone old enough to have seen the film. Just nearby to Brighton are all sorts of attractions within easy travelling distance and, especially for the history buffs, the castles at Hever, Leeds and Arundel Castles all all offer an interesting day trip from Brighton.

Walkers who visit the city may find the South Downs are irresistible as they are replete with walks for all levels of walker with a steady supply of hostelries of watering holes along the route! If you're not quite so adventurous, you don't have to take to the South Downs to get your exercise as there are frequent walking tours taking place, both around Brighton and its sister town Hove. These tours provide an ideal way to explore the towns' fascinating history along with that of the area around them and because they're accompanied by an experienced, you will get to see the the history, the landmarks and the other places which you might like to visit later on in your stay.

For those who prefer to ride over walking, regular bus tours (operated by Brighton and Hove City Transport) will carry you in style through the town, not only transporting you from A to B but also allowing you to hop-on and hop-off at will. A daily ticket for this service will allow you to explore all the nooks and crannies of the town. These services pass by all the major tourist attractions, monuments and interesting landmarks providing an excellent way to find your way around at the start of your holiday.

At the north end of Brighton's coastline coast lies the Devil's Dike, a deep gorge cut into the cliffs. Owned and operated by the National Trust, this opens out into a pleasant grassed area which is ideal for sporting activities, sunbathing or kite flying. If you visit during the summer months, the strains of a local brass band may be heard wafting through the gorge – its a relaxing and very-English atmosphere!

On the outskirts of town, The Bluebell Steam Railway chugs its way between the three stations on the restored line. As the stations, the trains and the carriages have all been lovingly restored by a group enthusiasts, this re-creates a picturesque piece of Victorian England. The railway transports you back to a long-past England reminding you of The Railway Children. But it's not just the railway that's of note as stunning views of the local countryside, accompanied by the stops along the way at the country pubs add to the feeling of stepping back into the past..

The lover of racing is also catered for by Brighton Racecourse which provides regular meetings all through the summer months.

Places of Interest in Brighton

Brighton has offered it extravagant mix ranging from chic and sophisticated to the Kiss-me-Quick, pretty well since it was visited by The Prince Regent in the early nineteenth century. It's this range of contrasts which makes it such an exciting place to visit!

The Royal pavilion has to be one of Brighton's best-known and most popular tourist attractions. Built for a future King, it's Indian-style architecture, along with its Chinese interiors makes it an extra-ordinary building which leaves a lasting impression on all visitors. Built for the Prince Regent, later to be King George IV, it was used as a residence by the Royal Family up to Victorian times.

Brighton has its pier or rather it has two piers but one (Brighton West Pier) has been attacked by the elements and is derelict, although plans to totally regenerate it are afoot. The pier which is now known simply as Brighton Pier, is a typically-English pier. It has its funfair with dodgems and a roller-coaster as well as arcades, along with the cafes and restaurants which you would expect to find there. For those to whom fairgrounds are just noise, a visit to the sea-end of the pier provides expansive views of the Brighton's coast and beyond. This far out to sea, the refreshing sea air that the Victorians loved acts as a tonic and repays the effort of the walk. In the height of the summer tourist season, the pier provides ta backdrop for fireworks displays which bring onlookers to the beachfront to enjoy the spectacular displays.

A Victorians legacy runs from Brighton Pier to Black Rock – one and a half miles along the seafront as the world's first public electric railway. This attraction, the Volks Railway is one of Brighton's oldest tourist attractions, providing a leisurely way to explore the town's coastal area.

The Brighton Marina, situated in the Kemptown area is one of the largest of its type in the UK. But this is Brighton and the Marina has been transformed into much more than a place for boats. There's now something there for most visitors. It's worth a visit there just to sit and have a meal at one of the many restaurants and cafés while admiring the view. Ten-pin bowling and a multi-screen cinema add to the Marina's attractions, along with a wide range of shops, all of which have their own individual personality. For those who like to venture out onto the water, there are regular boat trips around the Marina and further afield.

Shopping in Brighton is no chore. The area of the town referred to as The Lanes provides a rich mixture of small shops of every description all lining a series of narrow lanes which are surrounded by quaint old buildings. There's not a chain store in sight as all the individually-owned shops ply their wares. Jewellery abounds here, alongside, clothing, music, gift shops and fine antique dealers. Food is available from the cafés and restaurants and many excellent historic pubs. Adding colour to the proceedings are the street entertainers and historic buildings which line the lanes. Stepping into the lanes is stepping back into a past of shopping from shops which care run by people who will give you the time of day.

Brighton's Entertainment

Brighton over the years has developed into a town with many types of entertainment and these continue to develop to keep pace with the changing demands of their modern visitors.

Housed in its own beautiful Grade II listed building is The Theatre Royal This dates back over two hundred years and provides a mix of theatrical experiences for the visitor from Children's theatre to The Sound of Music with Mozart, Gilbert and Sullivan and Sleeping Beauty along the way. The enjoyment of the performance which you go to see has to be enhanced by the beautiful building in which it is given. This was given the Royal Assent by The prince of Wales in the summer of 1806

At a further venue, The Gardner Arts Centre performances are given which feature contemporary dance and drama, along with visual arts, films, comedy and music.

More typically-seaside entertainment can be found at The Pavilion Theatre where a range of entertainments is provided. This includes comedy, music, dance and theatre. Similar shows are also staged at the Komedia.

Eat, Drink and be Merry!

The Brighton tourist Office tells us that the town boasts over 400 cafés and restaurants and walking around the streets leads you not to question this number. However, it's not just the number of places to eat which impresses but their variety. There's everything from the greasy spoons to the chic and elegant. For the family, there's the cheap and cheerful, offering a good meal at a reasonable rate while, for those with deeper pockets and a taste for the good life, there's many a place to dine in style while elegant cuisine and a pampering to suit an opera diva!

Accommodation in Brighton

Brighton's many different visitors call for many different types of accommodation and the town is willing and able to provide just that. The young traveller is catered for by the hostels and the young family by the many B&B's, often family run and offering a home-from-home for their guests. At the other end of the scale, the larger, seafront hotels offer a service that is hard to beat but easy to get accustomed to!

Education in Brighton

There's little doubt that education is one element which brings people to Brighton and Brighton University - or rather Brighton Uni - is one of the city's educational driving forces. It is a spread-out and diverse institution with five campuses in total, three being in Brighton, one in Eastbourne and one in Hastings. Its faculties cover Arts and Architecture, Education and Sport, Health and Social Science, Management and Information Sciences and Science and Engineering as well as medicine at Brighton & Sussex Medical School.

With its seaside location and wealth of activities, many students of English stay in the city and Brighton Language Schools and Colleges offer a wide range of English language courses at all levels. A range of other schools and colleges helps to ensure that education at all levels is covered in this vibrant city.

For the Art Lover

If you're the creative type of art lover and clay's your thing then there's a chance to get in touch with the wet stuff - clay that is at a hand-on pottery session. More...

Brighton Welcomes You

Just come along and taste the welcome, it's like no other. Brighton has learnt to nurture its visitors who reciprocate by returning year after year. If your next visit will be your first then what a treat you have to look forward to! Just take a look through our web site and look for Brighton things to do.