Overlooking the English Channel in East Sussex, Brighton City Centre is a popular seaside resort south of London. It’s clustered with independent stores, art galleries and theatres, as well as a Neoclassical residence and museum linked to King George IV.
Things to do in Brighton City Centre
One of Brighton City Centre’s most famous landmarks is the Brighton Palace Pier, which first opened to the public in 1899. It’s packed with rides that include roller coasters and a children’s carousel, as well as a variety of eateries that range from ice creameries to fish and chip shops and the glass-fronted Palm Court Restaurant.
Surrounded by Regency-style gardens on the eastern edge of Brighton City Centre is the Royal Pavilion, a former royal residence initially built as a seaside retreat for King George IV. This stunning Neoclassical building is now open to the public, with highlights including the opulently decorated Banqueting Room and the gilded pagodas of the Music Room. During World War I, it was used as a hospital for Indian troops who had been wounded on the Western Front, with archive photographs and film footage exhibited in the Indian Military Hospital Gallery.
Adjacent to the Royal Pavilion is the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, which houses an outstanding collection of decorative arts, costumes, textiles and displays about the natural world. Highlights include a pair of breeches worn by George IV and a 1910 Kinemacolour camera, as well as a mid-19th-century toy toolbox created by Lewis Carroll.
Getting around Brighton City Centre
Brighton City Centre is a 1.5-hour drive from the centre of London and just over an hour from London Heathrow Airport. Regular trains connect to the Brighton railway station and buses travel throughout the city centre, which is compact enough to explore on foot.