Best things to do in Brighton
21.07.2023 - 07:30
/ roughguides.com
Vibrant, quirky and cool, Brighton (or Brighton & Hove, to give it its official name) is one of the country’s most popular seaside destinations. The essence of the city’s appeal is its faintly bohemian vitality. There is a buzz that comes from a mix of holidaymakers, foreign language students, and a thriving LGBTQ+ community. If this sounds like fun to you — explore our pick of the best things to do in Brighton.
The information in this article is inspired by The Rough Guide to England , your essential guide for visiting England .
In any survey to find England’s most loved building, there’s always a bucketful of votes for Brighton’s exotic extravaganza, the Royal Pavilion. The building was the south-coast pied-à-terre of the fun-loving Prince Regent (the future George IV). He first visited the seaside resort in 1783 and spent much of the next forty years partying, gambling and frolicking with his mistress here.
The building you see today is the work of John Nash, the architect of London’s Regent Street. In 1815 he redesigned the Prince’s original modest dwelling into an extraordinary confection of slender minarets, twirling domes, pagodas, balconies and miscellaneous motifs. The result defined a genre of its own – Oriental Gothic.
Royal Pavilion, Brighton © Shutterstock
Across the gardens from the Pavilion stands the Brighton Museum – once part of the royal stable block. It houses a wonderful and eclectic mix of modern fashion and design, archaeology, painting and local history. Among the highlights are Dalí’s famous sofa (1938) based on Mae West’s lips, the 13,000-object ethnographic collection, and the mummified animals and painted coffins of the Ancient Egypt galleries.
Brighton Museum and Art Gallery in Brighton © Shutterstock
Visiting the Brighton Dome (the Royal Pavilion’s former stables) should be on your list of things to do in Brighton if you are a theatre enthusiast. It is home to three venues – Pavilion Theatre, Concert Hall and Corn Exchange – offering theatre, concerts, dance and performance.
Equally popular with locals and visitors, Only in Brighton's quirky tour answers all the important questions about Brighton life. How did a song performed at the Brighton Dome help trigger the Portuguese Revolution? Why did the Prince Regent need a stiff brandy when he met his future wife? And just what connects Mount Everest and the Hove branch of Tesco?
The entrance of the Brighton Royal Pavilion Dome © Shutterstock
One of the best things to do in Brighton with kids is visit Brighton Toy and Model Museum. The museum is housed in the historic Victorian arches of Brighton Railway Station and houses an impressive collection of toys, models and collectables from different historical periods.
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