At first glance Brighton may seem like a typical British seaside town – but even in a short visit to this quirky, appealing resort you’ll discover plenty to see and do. Brighton has no shortage of attractions: The iconic Brighton Pier of course, and the opulent, Indian-inspired Brighton Pavilion – a palace built in the 1700s by a young Prince (later King) George as a decadent retreat from his London lifestyle. There are interesting museums and art, a beautiful beach, excellent restaurants, and plenty of pubs to relax and quench your thirst after an afternoon of shopping in the boho boutiques of the Lanes. Brighton Pride is hugely popular and is just one of the attractions for LGBT visitors.
Tours and Sightseeing
A variety of tours help visitors to really get to see Brighton and the surrounding areas.
Walking Tours – From Blue Badge Guides to ghosts & chocolate walks put your best foot forward and discover just how easy it is to explore Brighton and Hove on foot.
Cycling Tours – Guided cycling tours are a great way to see the wider city limits and even out into the stunning countryside of the South Downs National Park home to the dramatic Seven Sisters cliffs and some of southern England’s most charming villages
Scenic Flights – Take to the skies for a bird’s eye view and see the city from a new angle.
British Airways i360 – the 162 m observation tower on the seafront will give you 360 degree views across Brighton, the South Downs and the English Channel
Brighton Greets – Join a Greet with a local resident and get the insider’s view of the city.
Restaurants and Dining
Brighton & Hove recently won the Gold Award at the Sustainable Food Places Award. The award is designed to recognise and celebrate the success of those places taking a joined up, holistic approach to food and that are achieving significant positive change on a range of key food issues.
There are hundreds of dining options in Brighton. Whether it’s a romantic meal for two, or a friends get-together finding the perfect place to eat is easy. Being by the sea there are plenty of seafood restaurants and ice cream parlours. The city is also famous for its wide selection of vegetarian restaurants. Brighton offers fine dining as well as laid-back bistros and its proximity to acres of fertile countryside lends itself to tasty local produce.
Visitors will also find some fabulous cafes, bars (serving killer cocktails) and pubs with real ales and craft beers. Brighton’s café culture is hard to beat and perfect for a spot of people watching whilst enjoying a coffee and a slice of cake.
Check out some of the local some local beverages. Sussex vineyards produce fine sparkling wines that are rivalling Champagne, there are plenty of Brighton based microbreweries and Brighton even has its very own Brighton Gin! Cheers!
LGBT Brighton
There is plenty to see and do in Brighton for LGBT visitors. In August the locally loved and nationally acclaimed Brighton Pride is a celebration of all that is great about the city and its LGBT community.
Also in summer, is the Eyes Wide Open Queer Film Festival, and the Duke of York’s & Dukes at the Komedia cinemas both hold regular Queer film nights.
Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus is a stalwart of the Brighton & Hove choir scene and they regularly put on performances.
Bent Double is Brighton Komedia’s monthly and irreverent LGBT comedy night hosted by the hilarious Zoe Lyons.
The Marlborough pub is a popular lesbian haunt and the accompanying theatre has a focus on queer performance.
LGBT Walking Tours
Only in Brighton offers a unique ‘Piers & Queers’ walking tour of the city, which provides an entertaining look at the characters of Brighton over the last 200 years from an LGBT perspective. Walks run regularly throughout the Brighton Fringe (May), plus private walks are also available on demand.
LGBT Public Art & Sculpture
Brighton & Hove has a number of public art and sculpture pieces that celebrate LGBT life, including the UK’s only permanent AIDS memorial sculpture.
‘Kissing Policemen’ – Banksy Wall Art Painted on the side of the Prince Albert pub on Trafalgar Street (just below Brighton Station) is one of Brighton’s most famous pieces of public art. The original has recently been removed and sold to a private collector, but a permanent copy remains at the site behind a perspex sheet.
The Kissing Wall – Brighton Seafront – This striking ‘wall’ on the promenade near Brighton Palace Pier consists of a large sheet of blue metal punctured with thousands of holes. When viewed from certain angles light penetrates through the holes and reveals images of local people kissing – of all ages and sexualities.
AIDS Memorial Sculpture – New Steine Gardens – Standing 4 metres high, this dramatic bronze sculpture by artist Romany Mark Bruce depicts two intertwined figures soaring towards the sky. The sculpture forms a shadow in the shape of a red ribbon; the international symbol for HIV/AIDS awareness.
Getting there
Brighton is just a 30-minute rail journey from Gatwick Airport. There are also direct trains from London Victoria (one hour) and London Blackfriars (one hour 15 minutes), and regular rail connections with cities along the south coast of England.
We’ve just touched on all Brighton has to offer – to learn about its “quirky side” check HERE.