Buzzy, dynamic and quirky, Brighton is a city that lives up to the hype. Most of its 11.47m yearly visitors come to see the famous pier, eat ice cream on the sea-front and visit the Brighton Pavilion. But dive beneath the surface, and you’ll also discover much more.
Home to Brighton Pride, a thriving LGBTQIA+ community and the Great Escape music festival, it's long attracted a creative, cultured crowd, who in turn have shaped the city into a haven of excellent food, art galleries and cocktail bars. And with new hotels like No. 124 and top-notch restaurants like Embers and Pearly Cow opening in the city, it’s on the up yet again. Even better, it’s only an hour by train from London.
Here's how to make the most of a Brighton weekender. The great thing about Brighton is how compact it is. The train station is in the middle of the city: the perfect springboard for a day of wandering. And first up is the Lanes, a five minute walk south of the station: a higgledy-piggledy collection of winding streets that was part of the original fishing village of Brighthelmstone, and today is home to some of its trendiest shops.
Once you’ve satisfied your curiosity there, the pier awaits. Yes, it’s a little naff, but this temple to seaside day-tripping still draws in the punters and a walk down the boards to admire the view is a must. If you’re feeling flush, try your luck at the 2p slot machines; if not, just watch people have a go on the rollercoaster rides at the pier’s end. If that doesn’t scream British beach town, what does?.
