Top 10 things to do in Brighton and Hove

By Charlotte Ricca

Eat at the beach

You can’t come to the coast and not eat fish and chips. Bankers on the Western Road was named the best UK chain at the National Fish & Chip Awards in 2016. You can eat in, but if the sun is shining get a takeaway and scoff it on the beach. The Barefoot Cafe is one of Brighton’s best kept secrets. Right on the beach at the end of Madeira Drive, it overlooks six volleyball courts and the Pier beyond, and is the perfect place to watch the sun go down. There’s also a large sand pit and climbing walls for kids.

Watch the sun go down on the beach with a fish and chip tea

Sea Life Brighton

The oldest operating aquarium in the world, the beautiful Victorian architecture creates an atmospheric backdrop to the dazzling array of underwater life. Sea Life Brighton also has the UK’s first Glass Bottom Boat, or you can walk through a tunnel between turtles and sharks. It’s truly amazing.

Go Grand

Grab a slice of old-fashioned glamour at The Grand, Brighton’s most iconic hotel. Recently refurbished, it retains its old charm but now has a more contemporary feel. The cocktail bar offers great sea views and serves the finest cocktails in town. Superb service and nibbles come for free.

Party palace

Brighton wouldn’t be Brighton without the Royal Pavilion. The iconic building was built for the Prince Regent as a glittering party palace and helped establish the city as the place to come for fun and frivolity. It’s opulent, gaudy and utterly fabulous.

See Brighton differently

Launched in 2016, the British Airways i360 is the world’s first vertical cable car. Created by the brains behind the London Eye, the observation pod glides up the most slender tower ever built, standing at 450ft. From the top you can enjoy 360-degree views and on a clear day you can see the Isle of Wight 49 miles away. Get another perspective on the city by kayaking your way along the coastline. Brighton Watersports in Kings Road Arches provides all the gear, including wetsuits, for just £15 an hour.

Go shopping

There is nowhere else in the world quite like Brighton for shopping. North Laine has a smorgasbord of independent retailers, while the South Laines is a maze of cobbled, narrow streets with bohemian boutiques and quirky gift shops.

Brighton Dome

Formerly the Prince Regent’s royal stables, Brighton Dome is live arts venue for music, theatre, dance, comedy and more. Abba famously won the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo in Brighton Dome’s Concert Hall.

See a film at an art house cinema

Brighton has two fabulous arthouse cinemas – Duke of York’s at Preston Circus, which is the UK’s oldest purpose-built cinema, and Duke’s at Komedia. Both show a diverse range of independent and mainstream films, from the comfort of plush seats and sofas. You can even take drinks in from the bar. How civilised.

Go up the Downs

South Downs National Park covers 1,600km2 of countryside with breathtaking views. Get a snapshot of this stunning open space by hopping on the 77 bus to Devil’s Dyke, just five miles away. During the summer buses are open-topped, which makes getting there half the fun.

Enjoy the magnificent views from the South Downs

Brighton Toy and Model Museum

Covering the golden age of toymaking, Brighton Toy and Model Museum has one of the world’s finest collections of rare and unique model trains, construction toys, cars, bears and dolls – preserving childhood memories, nostalgia and social history. With more than 10,000 items to look at, there’s something for the whole family to enjoy!

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