Article mis à jour le 11 Jul 2023
What to do in Brighton: the must-sees
Are you looking for a short trip idea? Why not consider visiting Brighton! England is only 80 km away from our beautiful country. We decided to go to Brighton because we had already visited London a few months ago and Yann had good memories of this seaside town located only 1 hour south of the capital. In this article, you will find our recommendations on what to do in Brighton.
How to get to Brighton?
? For this 2-day stay, we had the opportunity to test the services of DFDS. This ferry company offers, among other things, crossings France – England throughout the year. We chose the crossing between Calais and Dover because it was the most accessible from Lille (only 1h by car and 1h30 of crossing). The ferries are very comfortable with large lounges, wifi, restaurants, bars, children areas. Despite the storm on the way out, the crossing seemed very fast! For those who are seasick, know that even if the sea is rough the ferry moves very little.
➡️ To book and find out about the ferries, go to the DFDS website.
What to do in Brighton for a weekend
Brighton is a beautiful city located on the southern coast of England. It is very popular with Londoners who come to relax by the sea or to party. Known for its Royal Pavilion and its amusement park on the sea, more commonly called Brighton Pier, Brighton is full of very nice and authentic places to visit on foot. Well, that’s when the English weather allows it ☔️?.
To visit Brighton, we decided to rent an apartment on Airbnb in a residential area in the east of the city. Ideal to walk to all the places of interest, park easily and be quiet.
Our must-sees: what to do in Brighton
For those who are lazy to do it, here is the Google Maps walking itinerary of all the places we recommend.
? Blaker Street: the colorful street
To see life in color (that’s the secret of happiness ? ), go to Blaker Street. This street probably doesn’t tell you anything, but the colors of these typical English houses are beautiful. You’d almost think you were in the London neighborhood of Nothing Hill!
? The Royal Pavilion
After this colorful stopover, head to the Royal Pavilion. You can’t visit Brighton without going to see it! This building is a former royal residence built in the late 18th century. It is known for its Indian style architecture which is completely different from that of the English. It is very surprising to see in the heart of downtown Brighton! It seems that the architect was inspired by the Taj Mahal.
Access to the Royal Pavilion garden is free and open to all. You can also visit the Brighton Museum for 7€ to learn more about the history of the Pavilion. The visit of the interior of the Royal Pavilion costs 17€. We were satisfied with a little walk in the garden ?.
What to do in Brighton: the different neighborhoods
Right next to the Royal Pavilion, you’ll find the Lanes of Brighton. This district, located in the center of the city, is a real labyrinth with many trendy stores of decoration, souvenirs and clothes. We loved to be guided by the warm atmosphere of this area.
A bit further north, we went to a more modern district of Brighton, North Laine. Its pedestrian streets are a bit more spaced out and very pleasant to walk around. We felt like we were living decades back in time, as if time had stopped! Lots of cool stores and cafes are located here.
? The Brighton Pier
It’s impossible to visit Brighton without passing by its Brighton Pier. This amusement park is normally open every day from 10am to 8pm. Please note: this can change depending on the weather and lack of attendance. You will be able to enjoy rides for all ages, waffle, pancake, churro, candy, fish & chip stands, as well as a bar-restaurant. For prices and information, click here.
☀️ Brighton Beach
Wondering what to do in Brighton? Enjoy the seaside of course! Brighton beach is huge. You will find many restaurants with sea view of course. The negative point, for our taste, is the lack of sand! Indeed, the beach is constituted of pebbles, as in a big part of the country. At least, we are not all sticky when we go on the beach ??.
? Thanks to its southern exposure, the sunrises and sunsets in Brighton are often sublime. We were lucky enough to experience one of our most beautiful sunrises :
What to do near Brighton?
During our short stay, we took the time to walk along the coast east of Brighton. For that, we woke up very early to enjoy a beautiful light. We were rewarded with the beautiful sunrise above ?.
Small stop at the Mill
After immortalizing this sky on fire, we headed to Beacon Mill. This mill is less than a 10 minute drive from the center of town. The access is free and the place is not very crowded.
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Beachy Head Lighthouse
To finish up, we headed to Beachy Head. This is the highest cliff in Britain with a high point of 162 meters. From the top of this one, you can see one of the most famous lighthouses of the country. The access is really easy by car, a parking lot is located a few meters from the cliff. Be careful, if you have vertigo it can be scary! ?
Just a 5 minute drive from there, you can also check out the Seven Sisters. There are great views of the cliffs. Again, avoid getting too close to the edge if you’re afraid of heights.
You can also observe this cliff from another point of view. By hiring a boat, you can enjoy the freedom of a unique view. To find out more, click here.
What to do in Brighton: our addresses
? Where to eat in Brighton?
After walking around the city, you will have well deserved a gourmet break!
- For lunch, we recommend a real fish & chips with a view of the sea at Lucky Beach Café. They also offer great breakfasts with bowls!
- For breakfast, lunch or a snack, head to Munchie’s Craft. This Art Café is located in the North Laine area and its neon decoration is AMAZING.
- For dinner, we tried a Japanese restaurant in the center of Brighton. The food and service were excellent at Moshimo.
? Where to have a drink in Brighton?
If you want to party, you’re in the right place! The city is full of pubs, bars and nightlife festivities of all kinds. The LGBT community is also very present here, especially in the Kemptown neighborhood.
? We went for a drink at the Black Lion next to the Moshimo where we ate. The atmosphere is cool, the price of the beers reasonable and there is a super nice terrace!
? Where to stay in Brighton?
As stated above, we rented an Airbnb last minute in a residential area of the city. We don’t recommend it more than that, so no link.
On the other hand, if you want to stay in the city center with a good value for money we recommend The Charm Brighton Boutique Hotel & Spa which is very well rated on Booking. Or the Nineteen Hotel, a little cheaper but without spa.
We hope to have enlightened you on what to do in Brighton!
? If you are looking for an other city guide, we recommend our 3-day itinerary in Seville (Spain)
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