Brighton: Eclectic Seaside City in Southern England

Overview

Brighton is a vibrant coastal city located on the south coast of southern England which offers a huge range of Attractions for everybody, from the Royal Pavilion and Gardens to Museums, SeaLife, The Lanes and Brighton Pier and Beach. Visitors can enjoy eating and drinking in a wide selection of bars, cafes, pubs and restaurants across the city centre or the seafront. It is the nearest seaside to the capital, thus earning its nickname ‘London by the Sea’.

History

Although Brighton itself did not exist as a settlement during the Roman Period, the remains of several Roman villas have been found locally, although the sites are not open to the public. It is thought that the mouth of the river Adur at Portslade-by-sea, now a suburb of Brighton, may have been the Roman ‘Portus Novus’ marked on a Roman map called Ptolemy's Geographia (2nd century CE). Brighton was founded by the Anglo-Saxons as ‘Beorhthelm’s farm’ and later developed into a fishing village known as ‘Bristelmestune’ which expanded into a town during the Medieval Period. The fishermen’s houses are in what is now ‘The Lanes’. During the 18th century, the town developed into a coastal city and a popular resort, helped by the construction of the Royal Pavilion for the future George IV in 1787 and the opening of the London to Brighton railway in 1841. In 1997 it became the City of Brighton and Hove.

Getting there by Rail

There are direct trains to Brighton from London Victoria, London Bridge, Cambridge, Peterborough, Southampton and Hastings. The Station itself is a masterpiece of Victorian architecture, a Terminus with eight platforms covered by an enormous curved double canopy made of glass and wrought iron, completed in 1883.

Brighton Walking Tour

• Your geolocation will appear as a blue icon that moves on the map as you walk.
• You may start anywhere on the map and just follow the blue line to the next point of interest.

Things to Do and Places to Visit

1. Brighton Toy and Model Museum

Description: Located underneath the forecourt of Brighton Railway Station at 55 Trafalgar Street, is the Toy and Model Museum occupying four of the arches that support the station. The museum holds various model railway dioramas, including an ‘O Gauge’ and a ‘OO Gauge’ layout dating from the 1930’s. The Collection features 10,000 items such as model aircraft, boats, cars, puppets and soft toys, that date from pre-1900 up to 1960.

2. North Laine Shopping, Bar and Restaurant District

Description: This area offers 400 shops and cafes in a lively, artistic atmosphere with pedestrian-friendly streets like Sydney Street and Kensington Gardens. There is a Saturday flea-market held on Upper Gardner street.

3. Brighton Pavilion

Description: Also known as the Royal Pavilion, the building began as a Royal Seaside Palace for King George IV in 1787 CE, whilst he was still Prince of Wales. It was built in the Indo-Saracenic style, a design typical of government buildings built by the British in India during the 19th century CE. John Nash added the domes and minarets in 1815. However, Queen Victoria did not approve, and the Pavilion was sold to the city of Brighton in 1850, as she preferred the seaside at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

4. Brighton Museum and Art Gallery

Description: Located at Royal Pavilion Gardens, Pavilion Parade, Brighton BN1 1EE. The Museum holds multiple collections of interest such as Costume and Textiles, Film and Media, Fine Art, Local and Social History, the Decorative Arts, Toys and World Art and the Natural Sciences.

5. Brighton Dome

Description: Brighton Dome is an Arts Venue located next to the Brighton Pavilion which was opened in 1867. It features Live Music, Comedy, Dance and Theatre. It holds three venues, the Concert Hall, the Corn Exchange and the Studio Theatre, and has a seating capacity for 1,700 spectators. The Dome also features a Pipe Organ.

6. Theatre Royal Brighton

Description: Located in New Road, The Theatre hosts West End Shows, Plays, Musicals, Opera, Ballet and Concerts, with Backstage Tours also available for the Public who want to go and take a look behind the scenes. The Theatre Royal opened in June 1887, and has a seating capacity for 966 theatre goers.

7. Jubilee Clock Tower

Description: The Clock Tower was built in 1888 at the junction of West street and North Street to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. Many Jubilee Clock Towers were built at the same time around the country. The Tower has four clock faces and a weather vane which sits on top of the mast at the top of the tower. For a short period, a time ball built by Volk was operated electrically and rose up the mast every hour when it received a signal from the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. After complaints were made about the noise it made, it was disengaged and now remains fixed at the top.

8. The Lanes Shopping, Bar and Restaurant District

Description: Just north of the Seafront is an atmospheric collection of narrow streets called The Lanes offering 300 shops and cafes.. Originally developed as fishermen’s cottages, the area now consists of historic and narrow jewellery focused alleyways, mingling with small boutiques, cafes, pubs and restaurants. The Lanes are built over the original Saxon settlement of Brighthelmstone. Although the medieval buildings have mostly been replaced, the newer buildings have followed the contours of the old alleyways.

9. Brighton Palace Pier

Description: Also known as Brighton Pier, it features fairground rides, a roller coaster and an arcade with slot machines. It receives almost 4 million visitors a year. The Pier opened on 20th May 1899 with a theatre which was dismantled in 1986. It has a length of 1,722 feet (525m).

10. Sea Life

Description: Located opposite Brighton Pier, Sea Life opened in 1872 as the Brighton Aquarium and is the oldest operating Aquarium in the world. The Aquarium features over 100 species and 5,500 forms of marine animals and fish. This includes Sharks, a Giant Turtle, a Manta Ray, Star Fish, Seahorses, Terrapins, an Anaconda and a £2.7 million artificial Coral Reef that displays the changes between day and night.

11. Madeira Drive, Madeira Terrace and Walkway

Description: Madeira Drive runs from Brighton Pier to the Marina. It is the Finishing Line for various events, such as the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run for veteran cars, cycles and motorbikes, the London to Brighton Bike Ride and the Brighton Speed Trials in September. Built in 1897, under the south cliff on Madeira Drive, the Victorians completed Madeira Terrace using 151 cast iron arches with three levels of walkways designed for ‘Promenading’ and connected by staircases. The arches extend for 2,837 feet (865m) where towards the eastern end is the Madeira Lift designed in the style of a Pagoda, which raised people from Madeira Drive to the Marine Parade above.

12. Volk’s Electric Railway

Description: Also located beside Brighton Pier is Volk’s Electric Railway. This runs along the seafront beside Madeira Drive. Although not the first, it is the oldest operating electric railway in the world and was opened in 1883. In the summer months it operates between Brighton Pier and Brighton Marina and consists of a narrow gauge railway which is 1 mile (1.5 km) long, and uses a third rail to provide 110v electric power.

13. Brighton Beach

Description: Brighton Beach is a very wide, four mile (6 km) stretch of pebbled beach which stretches out either side of Brighton Pier.

14. Brighton Fishing Museum

Description: Located to the west of Brighton Pier, the museum occupies two of the arches on the King’s Road which runs along the beachfront. The Arches were built for the Fishing Community in the 1860’s. The Museum holds Artefacts and ships which reflect the activities of Brighton’s Fishing Community between 1800-2,000 CE. The Brighton Lifeboat Station has now moved to Brighton Marina.

15. Rampion Offshore Wind Farm Visitor Centre

Description: The Rampion Visitor Centre is located on the King’s Road next to the i360. As well as exhibitions, the visitor centre holds a 360° Virtual Reality Experience where users can do a ‘virtual tour’ as if they were out in the wind farm. Brighton Wind Farm is owned by Rampion Offshore Wind Limited and consists of 116 wind turbines located 8-12 miles (13-20km) from the coast, covering an area between East Worthing and Brighton. The cost was £1.3B. Sightseeing trips of the Wind Farm are available from Brighton Marina.

16. Brighton i360

Description: Located on the Lower King’s Road, this observation tower is Europe’s tallest moving platform. It consists of a glass viewing pod that rises up from the ground on a column to reach a height of 530 feet (162m). There are spectacular views over the whole of Brighton.

 

Further Afield (10 mns by Bus)

17. Brighton Marina

Description: Brighton Marina is an artificial marina constructed between 1971-1979 which was built out into the sea. The Marina has residential housing, berths for 1600 vessels, the Brighton Lifeboat Station, a Bowling Alley and numerous Cafes, Bars, Restaurants and a Hotel. Sightseeing trips to the Wind Farm are available from Brighton Marina.

18. Whitehawk Camp

Description: Next to Brighton Racecourse on Whitehawk Hill is a Neolithic Causewayed Enclosure known as Whitehawk Camp. It is dated to between 3,700-2,700 BCE.

19. Brighton Racecourse

Description: Brighton Racecourse is located on top of Whitehawk Hill on the South Downs, 1 miles (1,5km) from Brighton city centre. The track hosts flat races and is a left hand course in the shape of a horseshoe with a length of 1.5 miles (2km).

20. The Pepper Pot

Description: The Pepper Pot is a white tower constructed in 1830 at the same time as a villa (now dismantled) and located at 11 Tower Road in an attractive public park called Queen’s Park.. It is a ten sided cylinder surrounded by eleven Corinthian columns built on an octagonal plinth, and which reaches a height of 60 feet (18m). Built in the Neoclassical style, it is an exact copy of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates (335 BCE) situated near the Acropolis in Athens. Now owned by Brighton Council, it is not open to the Public.

Travel Tips

• Best time to visit: Spring and autumn for mild weather and fewer tourists. Brighton Festival (May), Great Escape Music Festival (May), Brighton Marathon (April/May), London to Brighton Cycle Run (June and September), Brighton Naked Bike Ride (June/July), Brighton Pride (August), London to Brighton Veteran Car Run (November)
• Photography hotspots: Brighton i360, Brighton Pavilion, Brighton Palace Pier and Beach, The Lanes
• Nearby Attractions: Cissbury Ring, Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, Pevensey Castle, Fishbourne Roman Palace, Seven Sisters White Cliffs

Visitor FAQ

• What is Brighton famous for?
  • Brighton is known for its historic Lanes quarter, Britain’s most eccentric Palace – the Brighton Pavilion, the i360 Observation Tower, Seafront, Nightlife and England’s oldest Aquarium. It is famed for its creative arts scene, alternative lifestyle and being the Green capital of Britain and the LGBTQ capital of Britain. The Brighton Dome is where an unknown band called Abba won the 1974 Eurovision song contest with ‘Waterloo’.
• How far is the Seafront from Brighton city centre?
  • Approximately 5-10 minutes walk.
• Are there Guided Tours of Brighton historical sites?
  • Yes, local guides offer walking tours highlighting the Royal Pavilion, the Old Town and other venues. Contact Visit Brighton.
• Is ‘Beorhthelm’s Tun’ the same as Brighton?
  • Yes, Brighton was founded by the Anglo-Saxons as Beorhthelm’s Tun meaning Farm, becoming shortened to Brighton by the 1800’s.
• Which Roman Province was Brighton located in?
  • Britannia
• Can I see Roman Ruins in Brighton?
  • No, Brighton did not exist in Roman Times. However nearby are two Roman Sites: Pevensey Castle and Fishbourne Roman Palace.

Quick Facts

• Modern Location: Brighton, England
• Category: Historic city centre, seafront, tourist destination
• Activities: Walking tours, Sightseeing, Photography, Events, Nightlife
• Nearby Roman Site: Fishbourne Roman Palace, Pevensey Castle
• Roman Province: Britannia

Nearby Attractions