Five things to do in Brighton

Explore the city of Brighton, a pleasure-seeker’s paradise loved by the Prince Regent and generations of daytrippers.

Brighton Pier
The Palace Pier (Brighton Pier) at dusk, Brighton Credit: Alex Robinson

For our full feature on BRIGHTON see the SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 issue of BRITAIN

Brighton is the epitome of a traditional British seaside resort with its deckchairs on the beach, Victorian pier and wealth of seafront entertainment. Today, its diverse communities, quirky shopping areas, large cultural, music and arts attractions means its still one of the most vibrant places to visit in the UK, many decades after the Brighton Belle – the world-famous electric train – started bringing day trippers to Brighton in the 1930s.

 Here are five of our other favourite things to do in and around Brighton:

1. Take a literary walk

Discover the town’s literary links and learn more about some of the writers who have been inspired by Brighton and its surrounds. Blue Badge Guide Lyn Neville offers a range of walks around the town and can cater an itinerary to suit.

shopping
Visit The Lanes’ quirky shops

2. Hit the shops

Shop in the Lanes for unique gifts, or try to nab a heritage piece in one of the many antiques shops that wind their way through this ancient part of Brighton. Look out for places that inspired Greene’s writing and historic buildings such as the Druids Head, which is supposed be Brighton’s most haunted pub.

Cricketers, pub, Brighton
The Cricketers pub in Brighton was one of Graham Greene’s favourite haunts

3. Go to the pub

Enjoy a drink in the Cricketers, Graham Greene’s favourite pub. In the upstairs Greene Room you can look at lots of memorabilia related to Greene and – oddly – the pub also lays claim to being Jack the Ripper’s local.

4. Head down the rabbit hole

Peer through the tunnel that inspired Lewis Carroll’s ‘rabbit hole’ and see the scene that inspired Alice in Wonderland. Access is via a pathway off Madeira Drive underneath Sussex Square. While here, take a walk around Sussex Square and see if you can spot all the plaques for past luminaries who spent time here.

5. Take the Kipling Trail

Take the Kipling Trail through the writer’s old haunts: a new guide covers all the places in and around Rottingdean and the South Downs that are linked to the author of The Jungle Book and the Just So series of books. One place worth factoring in is North End House in Rottingdean, where Kipling’s son Edward was born, as well as the Kipling Gardens. Each summer, the village also hosts the annual Kipling Festival.

For our full feature on Brighton see the Sept/Oct 2015 issue of BRITAIN.

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