Exploring Brighton & Hove

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Voted one of the top 10 city beach break destinations in the world, Brighton & its beachfront are legendary. From the iconic West Pier one of the most Instagrammable places in the city to the futurist Brighton i360 taking visitors to enjoy the breath taking views of the city and beyond. The Victorian Brighton Palace Pier with its traditional seaside entertainment to the quirky upside down house - a real talking piece! 

But there is so much more to Brighton than just the beach and if you are spending time in the city, make time to head out and explore the other areas of Brighton.  

The Lanes a quirky labyrinth of winding streets, alleyways and lanes, a joy to wander around, discover independant shops, legendary jewellers and plenty of places to eat, drink and watch the world go by.

North Laine can be found by heading out of Brighton Station onto the front concourse and making your way down Trafalgar Street, the road that goes downhill beneath the station, to where the North Laine area begins. You'll find a flea market on Saturdays, and lots of independant shops, resturants, cafes and stalls.  There is a creative air in North Laine, with street art and street preformers and community spirit created by the traders that fill the streets. Take a stroll along Sydney Street, Gardner Street and Bond Street as well as Jubilee Street, Church Street, North Road and beyond.

Kempton stretches from east of the city centre to Brighton Marina, with a glorious blend of elegant seafront squares and grand Regency crescents. A lively area with a village feel, Kempton is home to vintage stores, indie bookshops and delis, it is the centre of the Brighton Pride celebrations in summer each year and recently made it onto the Time Out’s Top 50 World’s Coolest Neighbourhoods!  A vibrant nightlife makes Kempton a place to visit at anytime of the day or night.

Brighton Marina is an hours stroll or a brisk 20 minute walk from Brighton Palace Pier or you can jump on the Volk’s Electric Railway in the summer months, a self contained area set around the marina you’ll find lots of resturants and things to do, a place where yacht lovers rub shooulders with movie-going families.

Not such a well know area of Brighton, London Road is home to the Duke of York’s Picturehouse, famous for its stripy legs poking out from the roof, The Level, a recently revamped inner-city park that hosts festivals and fairs and the Open Market, selling local produce and offering the chance to sample delicious street food and soak up the community atmosphere. London Road is situated between the New England quarter, The Level and Preston Park.

Hove - Somewhere along Western Road, the main shopping street that runs between Churchill Square and Palmeira Square, Brighton gradually merges into Hove. Hove is Brighton’s slightly more genteel, other half, with its majestic squares, crescents and leafy communal gardens.  Home to every kind of eateries, independent shops galore along with cosy local watering holes.

Rottingdean a picture perfect postcard setting with its own nature reserve, beautiful gardens and where Rudyard Kipling once lived and just a five minute walk from the village to its own beach. With a smuggling history, today is a wonderful countryside retreat with a relaxed beach feel on the edge of a vibrant city.

Portlandia is found along Portland Road at the western end of Hove, just a few streets back from the beach, an area of Hove with a charm has been quietly growing. A vibrant hub of independent businesses, including boutiques, gift shops, cafés and restaurants. With its calm, relaxed, village feel you wouldn't believe you where on Brighton's doorstep.

Sussex Countryside, Towns and Villages - why not extend your stay and explore the beautiful Sussex countryside.  Start with a visit to Stanmer Park which stretches from the outskirts of Brighton all the way to the South Downs National Park.  Head to the famous Devils Dyke just 5 miles north of Brighton, or Ditchling Beacon 7 miles away. 

Take time to visit the market town of Lewes just 17 minutes by train from Brighton, or the beautiful medievel village of Rye located at the edge of the East Sussex county. Get arty in Eastbourne just a little way down the coast, enjoy time in wonderful Worthing which moves you into West Sussex.  Explor the charming East Sussex villages of Firle, Polegate and East Dean to name but a few - all with a different characters and full of their very own adventures.