• England Guide

  • Introduction to England
  • Weather
  • Things not to miss
  • Getting around
  • Entry requirements
  • Money
  • Public holidays

• Explore England

  • Kent and Sussex
  • Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire
  • Oxfordshire, the Chilterns and the Cotswolds
  • Bristol, Bath and Somerset
  • Devon and Cornwall
  • East Anglia
  • The West Midlands and the Peak District
  • The East Midlands
  • The Northwest
  • Cumbria and the Lakes
  • Yorkshire
  • The Northeast

• Cities

  • Bath
    
  • Birmingham
    
  • Bradford
    
  • Brighton
    
  • Bristol
    
  • Cambridge
    
  • Canterbury
    
  • Carlisle
    
  • Chester
    
  • Chichester
    
  • Durham
    
  • Ely
    
  • Exeter
    
  • Hereford
    
  • Lancaster
    
  • Leeds
    
  • Lincoln
    
  • Liverpool
    
  • London
    
  • Manchester
    
  • Newcastle upon Tyne
    
  • Norwich
    
  • Nottingham
    
  • Oxford
    
  • Portsmouth
    
  • Salisbury
    
  • Sheffield
    
  • Wells
    
  • Winchester
    
  • York
    

England Guide

Kent and Sussex

Brighton

• Hotels and B&Bs
• Hostels and campsites
• Food and drink
• Pubs and bars
• Nightlife

BRIGHTON has been a prime target for day-tripping Londoners since the Prince Regent (the future George IV) started holidaying here in the 1770s with his mistress, launching a trend for the "dirty weekend". One of England's most entertaining seaside resorts, the city has emerged from seediness to embrace a new, fashionable hedonism, in the process becoming one of the country's premier gay centres. This factor, along with a large student presence, has endowed Brighton with a distinctly bohemian vibe, fuelled by a buzzing nightlife scene and a lively annual arts and music festival held over three weeks in May.

A visit to Brighton inevitably begins with a visit to its two most famous landmarks – the exuberant Royal Pavilion and the wonderfully tacky Brighton Pier, a few minutes away – followed by a stroll along the seafront promenade or the pebbly beach. Just as interesting, though, is an exploration of Brighton's car-free Lanes – the maze of narrow alleys marking the old town – where some of the town's diverse restaurants, bars and tiny bric-a-brac, jewellery and antique shops can be found, North Laine is more bohemian than the Lanes. Along and around its hub, pedestrianized Kensington Gardens, eclectic shops selling secondhand records, clothes, bric-a-brac and New Age objects mingle with earthy coffee shops and funky cafés.