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Brighton was once a small fishing village until, in 1750, the then Prince Regent heard the sea air
was good for the health and chose Brighton as a place to repair the wear and tear of his libertine
lifestyle. As a result it became the height of fashion to see and be seen there.

Most of the buildings along the waterfront date from the Regency
period. But the ultimate in profligacy has to be the Brighton
Pavilion. Prinny – a nickname among his friends – turned a rather
ordinary farmhouse into a riot of design excess. Indian influence on
the outside, Chinese inside. Chinese themes were all the rage in the
18th century. The result, thank you 18th century taxpayers, is a
building well worth the time to linger.

The taxpayers may have bailed the prince out financially – he was
technically bankrupt and we can’t have that, can we – but they
demanded that he stop seeing his mistress, Lady Hamilton, in return.
Brighton Pavilion
One of the people who help visitors told me that in fact Georgie boy
had a tunnel built from the Pavilion to the “Lady’s” house on the other side of the square.

These days in a lot of ways nothing has changed. The city is still a hotbed of
bohemian/hedonistic/alt lifestyles. The clubs, pubs, theatres and galleries give it a decidedly off-
beat vibe. Like, man, it moves in seven/three time. Yeah?

So, what to do? Some of the more “traditional” things-to-do would include . . .

Take a stroll along Brighton Pier – a Victorian pier with various food and drink outlets, fairground
attractions and Palace of Fun arcade. There’s a choice of bars and restaurants and a famous fish
and chip restaurant.

Do what I did one evening – bottle of wine, glass, packet of fish and chips . . . then sit on the sea
shore and enjoy the music of the night.

Take a wander through The Lanes, once a collection of fishermen’s’ cottages, now a maze of
twisting alleyways, twittens and catcreeps (look them up in a dictionary) filled with antique shops,
boutiques, cafes and pubs.

Brighton Sealife on the sea front is the world’s oldest aquarium. Home to over 1,500 creatures and
50 marine displays, including the underwater tunnel where you can watch giant turtles and sharks
glide gracefully above you.

The British Airways i360. From below sea level to 138 metres above it. Take to the skies to see
Brighton and the beautiful South Coast as you have never seen them before. Glide up gently on
the world’s tallest moving observation tower, conceived and designed by Marks Barfield
o
Architects, creators of the London Eye. Admire 360 views across Brighton, the South Downs and,
on the clearest days, all the way to Beachy Head and the Isle of Wight.

Preston Manor, a manor house which belonged to the Stanford family for over 200 years and
which still has the atmosphere of an Edwardian country house. Collections of their furniture are on
show including ceramics, glass, silver and clocks and also the Macquoid Bequest of fine English
and continental furniture and decorative art. The servants’ quarters and hall, butlers’ pantry, boot
hall, kitchen, head housemaids’ and personal maids’ rooms can all be seen. You can explore
Preston Manor before you visit! Murder in the Manor, is an online virtual recreation of the house,
based on a murder mystery written by eleven young writers. Whether you tour the house or play
detective, it’s a whole new way to see the place.