Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove sits on the East Sussex coast where the South Downs meet the English Channel, roughly an hour south of London by train. Officially a single city since 2000, it grew from two neighbouring Regency towns into England's most famous seaside resort, and the join between the two is barely noticeable today: a long promenade of pastel terraces, converted warehouses and pebble beach runs almost unbroken from Hove Lawns in the west to the marina in the east.

What sets Brighton and Hove apart from other coastal towns is its character. This is a city of independent shops rather than chain stores, of LGBTQ+ nightlife and drag brunches, of vegan cafes and vinyl shops tucked into medieval alleyways. It has one of the largest student populations in the south of England, two universities, a famously liberal outlook, and a skyline punctuated by the onion domes of the Royal Pavilion. The South Downs National Park rises directly behind the city, so within twenty minutes of the seafront you can be walking chalk ridgelines with views back over the rooftops to the sea.

Top things to do in Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove packs an unusual amount of variety into a compact area, from royal history to clifftop walking trails. These are the highlights most visitors build a trip around.

• Royal Pavilion — George IV's extraordinary seaside pleasure palace, built in Indian exterior style with a lavish chinoiserie interior, complete with a banqueting hall beneath a vast dragon-carved dome.
• Brighton Palace Pier — the last of the city's three Victorian piers still standing, with amusement arcades, fairground rides and doughnut stalls stretching out over the sea.
• The Lanes and North Laine — a warren of narrow medieval streets and independent shopping quarters packed with jewellers, vintage clothing, record shops and cafes.
• British Airways i360 — a 162-metre observation tower on the seafront where a glass viewing pod glides slowly upward for panoramic views along the coast and inland to the Downs.
• Brighton beach and seafront — miles of pebble beach and promenade, backed by beach huts, bars and the colourful Brighton Beach volleyball courts, with Hove's quieter stretch continuing to the west.
• South Downs National Park — rolling chalk downland starting virtually at the city boundary, with walking and cycling routes including the South Downs Way and views from Devil's Dyke.
• Brighton Marina — Europe's largest marina, with a cinema, bowling, restaurants and a small beach, plus boat trips along the coast.
• Hove Museum and Hove Lawns — a quieter, more residential seafront with Regency squares, seafront gardens and a well-regarded local museum.

Getting to Brighton and Hove

Brighton railway station has fast, frequent services from London Victoria and London St Pancras/Blackfriars via Thameslink, with journeys typically taking around an hour. Direct trains also run from Gatwick Airport in around 30 minutes, and along the coast to Worthing, Portsmouth and Eastbourne. By road, the A23/M23 connects directly to London and Gatwick, while the A27 runs east-west along the coast linking to Lewes, Eastbourne and Worthing. Brighton has no dedicated long-stay motorway link into the centre, and the city operates extensive resident parking zones, so many visitors choose to arrive by train and get around on foot, by bus, or using the Volk's Electric Railway along the seafront. National Express coaches also serve Brighton from London and other major cities.

Best time to visit Brighton and Hove

Brighton is a year-round city, but late spring through early autumn (May to September) brings the best weather for the beach, seafront bars and outdoor events. August is peak season and also hosts Brighton Pride, one of the UK's largest Pride festivals, held at Preston Park with a citywide parade. May brings the Brighton Festival, a major arts and culture event with fringe performances across the city. Outside summer, Brighton remains lively thanks to its student population and year-round events calendar, and the shoulder months of April, May, September and October offer smaller crowds, lower accommodation prices and still-decent weather for walking the seafront or the Downs.

Where to stay in Brighton and Hove

Accommodation ranges from grand seafront hotels to boutique guesthouses and budget hostels. Kemptown, east of the pier, is the centre of Brighton's LGBTQ+ scene and known for its independent guesthouses and lively bars. The Lanes and city centre put you within walking distance of shopping, the Pavilion and the station, while Hove offers a calmer, more residential base with Regency squares and easy access to Hove Lawns. Those wanting sea views can find them along the whole seafront strip from Hove to Brighton Marina, and for a countryside alternative, villages just outside the city in the South Downs, such as Falmer or Rottingdean, offer a quieter base a short bus or drive from the centre.

Food and drink in Brighton and Hove

Brighton's food scene reflects its independent, multicultural character. The city is regularly cited as one of the UK's most vegetarian and vegan-friendly, with long-standing restaurants such as Food for Friends in The Lanes serving meat-free food since the 1980s. The historic Regency Restaurant on the seafront is a Brighton institution for fish and chips, while the covered stalls and bars of the Brighton Open Market and the studio-lined streets of the Kemptown Carousel offer a more eclectic mix of street food and independent cafes. Hove's Church Road and Blatchington Road have become known for a wave of modern bistros, natural wine bars and coffee roasters, and the seafront itself is lined with everything from traditional seaside chippies to cocktail bars overlooking the water.