Brighton

Brighton is a beachfront city in East Sussex, south-eastern coast of England, south of London. In 1997, the neighbouring communities of Brighton and Hove joined to form the City of Brighton and Hove which was given city status in 2001.

Brighton is known for its grand Regency architecture, several landmarks in an oriental-inspired architectural style including the Grade-I Listed Pavilion, and for its large LGBT community.

Understand


Brighton was a sleepy little fishing village, then known as Brighthelmstone, until Dr Richard Russell of Lewes began to prescribe the use of seawater for his patients. He advocated the drinking of seawater and sea-bathing in 1750. In 1753 he erected a large house near the beach for himself and for his patients. A further factor in Brighton's growth came in the early 19th century when the Prince of Wales built the Royal Pavilion, an extravagant Regency building designed by John Nash. But it was only with the development of the railways, around 1840, that Brighton truly started to boom.

The city is close to London, and is increasingly popular with media and music types who don't want to live in the capital. It is sometimes called "London-by-the-Sea" for this reason. Brighton is typically referred to as the gay capital of Britain. There is a significant gay district in Kemp Town which adds to the Bohemian atmosphere of the city.

Whilst a day trip to Brighton, or even a long weekend, will offer activities and culture for the visitor all year round, it is in the springtime that the city really starts coming to life, and May sees the return of two of the most popular festivals, Brighton Festival and Festival Fringe (see the events section). In the summer Brighton truly flourishes, with residents and visitors enjoying lazy days and beautiful sunsets on what is perhaps the city's greatest asset, the more than stretch of shingle beach, facing south onto the English Channel.

For those with working visas, Brighton is a good spot for seasonal and temporary work, due in part to its status as a student town and in part to it being on the sea.

Local information

 * Brighton and Hove City Council website

By train


Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain

Trains to Brighton run from London Victoria and London Bridge stations in London, taking about an hour (faster for the Brighton Express services from Victoria, although expect to add another 20 minutes if travelling during peak commuting times). Trains also run along the coast from Hastings and Lewes in the east, and Portsmouth, Southampton and Chichester in the west. Brighton is on a direct line to Gatwick Airport and Luton Airport (Gatwick is much closer, being to the south of London).

Brighton has 2 stations:

All trains stopping in Brighton stop at Brighton Terminus, on Junction Road. Local trains to Newhaven via Lewes also stop at London Road station, on Shaftesbury Place, just off Ditchling Rise. This station is only really useful for the northeastern part of Brighton, and isn't too far from the main Brighton station. When travelling to Brighton, it would be easier to just plan to go to the main Brighton station, as it is also closer to the town centre.

Trains to Brighton are operated by Southern and Thameslink. Southern operates trains to Eastbourne, Hastings, Ashford, Newhaven, Portsmouth, Southampton and London Victoria; while Thameslink operates trains to Bedford, Cambridge, London St Pancras, Luton and London Blackfriars.

Trains are crowded on Saturdays when Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are playing at home: the surge is towards Brighton around lunchtime, and towards London late afternoon.

By car
Brighton is a congested city, and not easy to drive or park in at peak times. The principal route from London and Gatwick Airport to the north is the A23, which turns into the M23 just after Crawley. The A27 runs along the south coast from Portsmouth in the west to Pevensey (near Eastbourne) in the east, and is a dual-carriageway for much of its length west of Brighton but is primarily a congested normal carriageway to the east of Brighton, the A27 turns into the M27 after Portsmouth and continues on into the New Forest National Park. There are several car parks in central Brighton - expect to pay about £1.50 per hour, even on Sundays, although they can get quite full at times, so don't count on finding somewhere to park.

The Ethos Parking website shows where available parking spaces are in some car parks with entry barriers around the city on a map. However, it doesn't show all car parks.

For a day at the beach, parking is available, though very limited, on the two roads parallel to the beach between the main pier and the marina, Madeira Drive and Marine Parade. As with many popular seaside resorts in England, the earlier you arrive on a warm, sunny day, the better your chances of getting yourself a space! Charges vary between seasons and the location premium, but generally in the height of summer expect to pay £15-20 per day closer to the pier, and £5-7 per day further east.

As an alternative to driving to the city centre, parking (charges apply) is available at Worthing, Hassocks or Lewes rail stations, both about 20 minutes by train from the city centre. Another alternative is to use the city's Park and Ride service, where you park at a free car park about a 45-minute walk away from the main train station, then get a bus to the city centre.

There are particular days of the year when it is very much inadvisable to drive into Brighton:
 * The children's parade day at the start of Brighton Festival. Usually the first Saturday in May. Many roads in the centre of Brighton are closed.
 * The day of the annual London to Brighton Bike Ride. This is on a Sunday in June - tens of thousands of cyclists plus their support vehicles are in the city, so many roads will be blocked or difficult to get across.
 * The parade day of the Brighton and Hove Pride week. Around the first Saturday of August. Many roads in the centre of Brighton and around the pier area are closed to all traffic, and diversionary routes are long and/or not built for heavy traffic. Gridlock often ensues on Pride Saturday.
 * The Brighton Marathon in early April, where many roads in the city are closed.
 * The first Sunday of November when the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is held (unless, of course, you own a veteran car!)
 * Any summer's day when the sun is shining and the whole of London decides to head to Brighton beach.

By bus

 * Brighton and Hove Buses is the main bus company in Brighton, and they run to Brighton from Eastbourne in the east (with routes 12, 12A, 12X or 13X) and Tunbridge Wells in the north (with routes 28, 29, 29B or 29X). Travel on Brighton & Hove Buses cost £2 per journey or £4 a day for travel within Brighton (Southwick - Newhaven - Lewes - this is called a CitySaver). There is also a NetworkSaver ticket for travel around the network for £6.50 a day. There are many discount fares ("CentreFares", online tickets) and tickets which cost more (Nightbuses: ranging from £2 for N7 and N25 to £5 for the N69). Children only receive a discount with a BusID.
 * The National Express coach route 025 from London Victoria travels via Heathrow and Gatwick Airports. Journey times to Brighton are roughly 1 hr 40 min from Heathrow and 30 min from Gatwick, offering a competitive alternative to the train. Indeed, this is the quickest way to get between Heathrow and Brighton by public transport. If travelling from Central London, don't get the coach; the train is much quicker (under 1 hr) and the slight cost increase is worth every penny.
 * Stagecoach bus services run to Brighton from Portsmouth, via Worthing, on service 700. It costs £6.30 for one day's unlimited travel on this route.
 * Metrobus has "hop-on, hop-off" services which run from Haywards Heath (with routes 271 and 272), Ardingly (with route 272) and Three Bridges (with route 272). Tickets cost between £4 and £5.30 for these routes, and can be used on Brighton and Hove Buses too.

By plane
The city's proximity to London means Brighton is well served by airports. Brighton can be reached from Gatwick by train in as little as 25 minutes £9.80-£11.90, Jan 2023).



Get around
Brightonians often give directions relative to a prominent landmark, the Clock Tower, which stands due south of the rail station where Queen's Road meets Dyke Road (oh yes it does), West Street, North Street and Western Road.

The oldest part of the city is the Lanes, which is bounded by North Street, West Street and East Street, through which runs Middle Street, and Ship Street. Beware the spelling of the similar-named North Laine (meaning "north fields") which is a boutique and alternative shopping nirvana, to the north side of North Street.

Western Road, a major shopping street runs east–west from the Clock Tower, whilst Eastern Road runs up a hill towards the main hospital from the area known as the Old Steine (rhymes with clean) which has Brighton Pier at the seafront here.

Running north from the working Pier, you find the memorable Royal Pavilion, a run down church St Peter's, and The Level, which is being developed. Going north east from here is Lewes Road (pronounced "Lewis") which takes you out to the city boundary and both of the Universities.

Hove is found to the west of Brighton. To the east of the city, there is Brighton Marina.

By bike
Although the area is hilly, cycling is a growing form of transport in Brighton. The city council's website has more details on cycling, including a map of routes.

A cost effective way of getting around town 'pay by the minute' ebike rental service, Beryl BTN Bikes, which has stations available across the city. It is often the fastest way to move around, although the 'resilient' bikes can be challenging on larger hills.

By bus
Brighton and Hove Council have published a journey planner for local traffic.

There is an extensive bus network in Brighton and Hove. In the city centre, services are very frequent and many stops have 'real-time' bus information. The majority of buses are run by one company, Brighton & Hove Buses. The best option for a visitor is to get a £4.40 CitySAVER all-day ticket to avoid the £2.20 single fares.

Children travel at half price, and pensioners free after 9AM (with a suitable RFID card). If travelling by train, you can add a "plus bus" CitySaver option on your ticket for £2, or get a CitySaver for £3 at Brighton Station bus stops.

There are three routes on weekdays (route 52 on Saturdays too) between the City Centre and the universities with a bright yellow bus company called the Big Lemon, costing just £1.50 for a single and £2 for an all day pass.

On a few days a year, buses are disrupted by parades etc., the same days as in the "by car" section above.

Many of Brighton & Hove Bus's vehicles are named after celebrities (some living, some deceased) and individuals who have made a contribution to Brighton & Hove city life in some significant manner. You can even suggest names for the buses to have at the bus company's website!

By train
Brighton Station is one of the most important rail terminals in the South East and from here the city of Brighton has a small suburban rail network with London Road station,, , , and  serving the city (Moulsecoomb and Falmer for the universities in the city).

Southern and Thameslink services do not carry bicycles during peak hours (7-10AM and 4-7PM).

By taxi
There are lots of teal (greeny-blue) and white taxis in Brighton, with the council logo on the door. They are, however, more expensive than most other towns and cities in England. In Friday and Saturday after midnight, the hire charge for a taxi is £4.10 before the journey starts.

The main taxi ranks are at Brighton train station and at East Street (near the Lanes). (Smaller ranks dotted around include: Queen Square (opposite Churchill Square), the north side of St. Peter's Church and the bottom of Montpelier Road.) Some taxi companies are:





See
The Brighton Attractions Combi-Saver Ticket saves you up to 30% on tickets to the Royal Pavilion, i360 tower, and Sea Life Brighton. Purchase at i360 (or online 3 days in advance): adult £27.70 (£26.10), child (5-15 years) £14.75 (£13.95), child (4 years – under 4s go free): £8.00 (£7.20) (Nov 2017).


 * The Lanes -an area of small shops, the tumbled street plan reflecting the layout of the original fishing village of Brighton which was here. Almost every shop in the Lanes is a jewellery shop, although there are also cafés, bars, record shops, a shop that sells vintage weapons, and a host of Italian restaurants.
 * North Laine (sometimes incorrectly called the North Lanes). A wild nest of alternativism, the North Laine area is walked by dreadlocked hippies, bright colours, punks, goths and oddballs. The shops sell everything from bongs to magic potions, from giant wooden hands to fairy wings and from bagels to fire staffs, and a full complement of cafés, bars, second-hand clothes stores and newsagents. The area is north of the Lanes on the other side of North Street.
 * The Lanes -an area of small shops, the tumbled street plan reflecting the layout of the original fishing village of Brighton which was here. Almost every shop in the Lanes is a jewellery shop, although there are also cafés, bars, record shops, a shop that sells vintage weapons, and a host of Italian restaurants.
 * North Laine (sometimes incorrectly called the North Lanes). A wild nest of alternativism, the North Laine area is walked by dreadlocked hippies, bright colours, punks, goths and oddballs. The shops sell everything from bongs to magic potions, from giant wooden hands to fairy wings and from bagels to fire staffs, and a full complement of cafés, bars, second-hand clothes stores and newsagents. The area is north of the Lanes on the other side of North Street.








 * Brighton Marina with boats, pubs, restaurants, a supermarket and even a hotel, well to the east of the town centre.
 * Brighton Marina with boats, pubs, restaurants, a supermarket and even a hotel, well to the east of the town centre.
 * Brighton Marina with boats, pubs, restaurants, a supermarket and even a hotel, well to the east of the town centre.










 * , Corn Exchange Theatre, Dome Concert Hall - Theatre and music venues are all in the 'Cultural Quarter' that encompasses New Road, Jubilee Street and parts of North Laine.











Alternative

 * St James's Street/Kemp Town - Brighton's gay village, lending the city the title of 'Gay Capital of Britain', is a short walk east of the city centre. It caters to the LGBT community, and is home to a wealth of restaurants and cafes. Continuing in the same direction you reach the rather more low-key and genteel area of, with another clutch of antique shops.

The area just west of is one of the more interesting parts of Brighton to spend a day wandering (if a little less sanitised; the area has a high number of brothels and halfway houses. Still safe, but exercise more caution at night than elsewhere in Brighton). Wide range of stores-including a fabulous Chinese supermarket- and some stunning architecture.

Further out

 * is a smock mill of 1820. It's on Holmes Ave, Hove.
 * are a pair of windmills on the Downs above Clayton village. You can visit Jill, a post-mill built in 1821. Jack is a tower mill of 1866.

Do

 * on Madeira Drive is an open-air lido with heated 50 m pool, opening in spring 2023.
 * Football:
 * Cricket:
 * Shop until you drop. Calling into many of the quirky shops in the Laines looking for that elusive deleted LP, leather bound book, one-off party dress, or organic beer, can be a highlight and a chance to uncover hidden gems.
 * Shop until you drop. Calling into many of the quirky shops in the Laines looking for that elusive deleted LP, leather bound book, one-off party dress, or organic beer, can be a highlight and a chance to uncover hidden gems.

Events

 * Brighton Racecourse has flat-racing April-Oct. It's on Freshfield Rd a mile east of town centre.
 * Plumpton Racecourse is National Hunt (jumps races) Nov-March, but it's north in Lewes.

Learn
Brighton is home to two universities, the University of Sussex (situated on the edge of the city at Falmer), and the University of Brighton, which has campuses around the city, and in nearby towns.



Buy
Shopping is one of the main reasons to visit Brighton. But don't get stuck in the mainstream shopping area around Western Road. There are a huge array of shops catering for all tastes but the impressive assortment of independent shops and boutiques is something that differentiates Brighton from many other British cities. The atmosphere in the North Laine and in The Lanes is one of the intangible aspects of the city that leaves many wanting to return time and time again. Brighton is especially good for Music, Books and independent clothes shops.

Head towards Hove on Western Road and you'll find a haven of quality charity shops outside of the centre.


 * North Laine contains heaps of shops and market stalls to tempt everyone's quirky or vintage fancies without a chain shop in sight. There is a flea market with numerous stalls in Kensington Gardens and another, the in nearby Upper Gardner Street. Shops tend to get less mainstream, the further north into the North Laine area you go.






 * The Lanes are known for their independent shops, especially antique shops and jewellers. Can get somewhat repetitive but the indoor market is always a joy to wander.




 * Brighton is packed full of independent record shops, most of which sell vinyl, including:
 * and the surrounding area offer more mainstream goods, standard fare on UK high streets and in shopping centres.
 * London Road is an unglamorous "High Street" type shopping area with some genuine bargains, particularly at the . There is a concentration of electronics, photographic and hi-fi retailers towards the northern end, around Preston Circus.
 * Brighton Marina contains more up-market shops.
 * The pedestrianised George St. is Hove's main shopping area, but it is not really worth a detour if you are already in central Brighton.
 * London Road is an unglamorous "High Street" type shopping area with some genuine bargains, particularly at the . There is a concentration of electronics, photographic and hi-fi retailers towards the northern end, around Preston Circus.
 * Brighton Marina contains more up-market shops.
 * The pedestrianised George St. is Hove's main shopping area, but it is not really worth a detour if you are already in central Brighton.

Eat
Brighton has excellent food, especially for vegetarians. The most famous (and fairly expensive) vegetarian restaurant is Food for Friends in The Lanes.

On the other end of the scale, there are many takeaways in Brighton  catering for different kinds of tastes (pizza, Chinese, Mexican, Indian food). On the beachfront there are many stalls near Brighton Pier selling crêpes, doughnuts and ice-cream. Prices are usually fairly cheap and most are open until late.

Budget
Preston Street on the border of Hove and Brighton has a string of low to mid priced ethnic restaurants.

Mid-range

 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).
 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).
 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).
 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).
 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).
 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).
 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).
 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).
 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).
 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).
 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).
 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).
 * There is a stretch of Western road with several Middle Eastern and North African restaurants, for instance (Number 107) and  (Number 103).

Drink
There are many, many pubs and bars catering for all tastes. Any list of reasonable length will be far from complete; if there's a street in central Brighton there is likely to be a pub on it. LGBT-orientated pubs, bars and clubs are mostly in the Kemp Town area of the city, in the vicinity of St James's Street and Marine Drive.

Look out for the spirit 'Tuaca', a sweet Italian brandy liqueur. Almost every bar in Brighton will have it (ask for a squeeze of lime!) but it's rare to see elsewhere in the UK.

Station and Trafalgar Street






North Laine








The Lanes




Pavilion




Hanover
The Hanover area of Brighton (north-east of the centre, walk north from St. James, or cross the Level from the bottom of Trafalgar St.) has numerous excellent pubs in close proximity (hence its nickname: "Hangover") to each other and is well worth the 15 minute walk from the city centre. The stand-out is the Brighton's best known pub crawl takes place in this area &mdash; up Southover St and down Islingword Rd (or vice-versa) &mdash; the hill is very steep!

The atmosphere is more relaxed than the centre and the historic Victorian terraced streets with their brightly coloured houses are also notable.

In Southover Street and you will find, Greys, , and  all of which are worth a visit.

Islingword Road runs parallel to Southover Street and there you will find the, , and

There is also a small but good beer festival once a year in Hanover.

Northern Brighton
Well off the tourist trail, Brighton's relatively gritty northern sprawl is home to a number of boozers, some rough, others diamonds.

Clubs and musical venues

 * The and  are large, neighbouring venues, both architecturally distinguished, being parts of the Royal Pavilion complex. Well known acts are interspersed with more avant garde choices.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.
 * The (Queen's Road), the  (Boyce St.) and  (10 Kingsway) are other music pubs.

Budget
A general note on hostels in Brighton- research the place you're booking into thoroughly before committing. Some are not meant for travellers although marketed as 'hostels'. Hostelpoint on the seafront in particular has a rough reputation, being overcrowded with junkies and generally unsafe. Spend a couple of quid extra and go for a friendlier place, it's worth it.

Mid-range




Splurge

 * No 124 on Kings Rd next to the Metropole opens in summer 2024.
 * No 124 on Kings Rd next to the Metropole opens in summer 2024.
 * No 124 on Kings Rd next to the Metropole opens in summer 2024.
 * No 124 on Kings Rd next to the Metropole opens in summer 2024.
 * No 124 on Kings Rd next to the Metropole opens in summer 2024.
 * No 124 on Kings Rd next to the Metropole opens in summer 2024.
 * No 124 on Kings Rd next to the Metropole opens in summer 2024.
 * No 124 on Kings Rd next to the Metropole opens in summer 2024.
 * No 124 on Kings Rd next to the Metropole opens in summer 2024.

Stay safe
Although Brighton is generally a safe place, like every other big city it has its share of problems. The city centre can get quite rowdy at weekends, and West Street is best avoided after midnight. The sheer volume of people on weekends combined with alcohol consumption make Friday and Saturday nights on this street potentially volatile. However, it is still perfectly possible to have a civilised Friday or Saturday night at one of the venues favoured by locals and sensible tourists.

Brighton attracts quite a lot of homeless people, although most of these individuals are harmless. They will likely only ask you for money and, if you refuse, will simply go on to the next person. Drug-users often gather around London Road and the Level, although these places are perfectly safe before dark. Some areas on the outskirts, such as Whitehawk and Moulsecoomb, have a bad reputation, but most tourists would have little reason to visit them anyway, being far removed from the main attractions and cultural venues the city has to offer.

As with most LGBT-friendly towns and cities, caution should still be used for same-sex public displays of affection in certain areas, but by-and-large the diversity of Brighton & Hove is celebrated and welcomed. In Hove, The Lanes and North Laine areas of the city, same-sex displays of affection will generally go unnoticed and are seen by most residents as acceptable as the norm between men and women. In the Kemp Town and Kemp Town Village areas especially, any homophobic abuse towards LGBT visitors would likely be met by residents with outright hostility towards the perpetrator of such abuse.

Lifeguards patrol the city's beaches from the end of May until the first weekend in September; signposts on the beach show which areas are covered. In an emergency related to the sea, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

Connect
As of Aug 2022, Brighton and Hove and its approach roads have 4G from all UK carriers. There's 5G along the beachfront but it's surprisingly patchy for such a cosmopolitan buzzing place. Three has the best. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Go next

 * Lewes – this gorgeous medieval town has a castle, as well as Glyndebourne Opera House, a famous opera house, set in beautiful grounds where opera-goers eat gourmet picnics at intervals which can be brought in or ordered from their own catering service. from Brighton and 20 minutes away by train.
 * Dieppe, France – by ferry from Newhaven Harbour, about east of Brighton. Services are three daily and take around four hours. The service is operated by DFDS
 * Rottingdean – in the east of Brighton, with memories of Kipling, Burne-Jones and several other artists.
 * London – an hour away via train or 2 hours via coach.
 * Worthing – There is no reason you wouldn't want to visit this lovely town. Short journey via train from Brighton Station.