The town, then known as Bristelmestune, was founded by the Saxons, and the earliest reference to its existence is in the Domesday book of 1086. From Norman times onwards it grew in importance and by 1730, Brighthelmstone (as it was now called) was a thriving fishing and agricultural town. Its fortunes changed in the 18th century with the contemporary fad for drinking and bathing in seawater as a cure for ills. The increase in visitors led to much development and the former fishing town became a fashionable seaside resort.
In 1783, the Prince Regent, George IV, later King of England (r. 1820-1830), visited Brighthelmstone for the first time. He enjoyed his visit so much that he became a regular patron and, in 1797, he commissioned the building of the Royal Pavilion so that he would have somewhere to stay on his weekend breaks. Shortly thereafter, the town became known by its modern name of Brighton.
Brighton's future as a weekend getaway was sealed in 1841 when the railway reached the town and the town was flooded with day-trippers from London. It has continued to grow in popularity, and in 2000 it was granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II (r. 1952- ).
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| Brighton beach and the remains of the Grade I listed West Pier, which was built in 1866 |
I have always wanted to live by the sea, so no matter what the weather, my first stop-off is always the pebble beach. I could sit there and watch the waves for hours, although this is undoubtedly more fun on sunny days.
Further along the beach is The Brighton Marine Palace and Pier, more commonly known as Palace Pier, which opened in 1899. In 2000, it was informally renamed 'Brighton Pier' by its owners on the grounds that it's now the city's only non-derelict pier. I wonder what will happen when West Pier is rebuilt...
Normally, I hate the tackiness associated with British seaside towns, but there's something about Brighton Pier that just gets me. I love strolling along the wooden walkways gazing out to sea, ever-mindful of the squawking seagulls waiting and watching, ready to dive-bomb unsuspecting diners. I have lost an ice-cream to a hungry gull on more than one occasion.
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| The pier from the beach |
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| The only non-derelict pier in Brighton |
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| Standing on the pier looking towards West Pier |
One of the city's must-sees is The Lanes, a warren of narrow alleyways crammed with unique boutiques, quaint teashops and everything in between. Although I like The Lanes, as I discover more of Brighton, I frequent them less and less. I can't stand getting stuck behind slow-walking, camera-toting tourists who seem oblivious to the fact that other people exist!
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| Jubilee arch leading to the Lanes |
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| Colourful bunting strung across Meeting House Lane |
Meeting House Lane (pictured) is one of the wider alleyways – some of the others are so narrow they are claustrophobic! – and I use it as a short-cut to get to my favourite restaurant, Food for Friends, the original vegetarian restaurant in Brighton.
Opened in 1981, Food for Friends creates amazing dishes using fresh, good quality locally-sourced ingredients. The beautifully-presented food tastes every bit as good as it looks, and many of the dishes come with nut-free, gluten-free or vegan options, so there really is something to suit everyone. Oh, and in case you weren't sold already, Food for Friends was crowned 'Best Restaurant' at the Brighton & Hove Foodie Awards 2012, and has won a place in the Good Food Guide 2014.
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| A must for lovers of vegetarian/vegan food |
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| My go-to drink – champagne cider |
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| Baked goat's cheese, apple and roasted walnut salad with garlic croutons, mizuna leaves and watercress in a honey mustard dressing |
Not far from the restaurant is the Royal Pavilion, a former royal residence built as a seaside retreat for George IV, Prince of Wales and later King of England (r. 1820-1830).
In 1797, George IV commissioned the architect Henry Holland (1745-1806) to turn an existing farmhouse into a weekend getaway. The result was a Neo-classical building, then known as Marine Pavilion. But, some years later, having built an Indian-style stable for his horses that dwarfed the Marine Pavilion in grandeur, George IV decided to redesign his home.
The architect John Nash (1752-1835), who designed Buckingham Palace, was chosen to create a new palace in the Indian style that would match the stables. Work commenced in 1815 and took seven years to complete. Designed in the Indo-Saracenic style, complete with onion-shaped domes, towers and minarets, this extraordinary creation has been dubbed "Brighton's answer to the Taj Mahal".
Thanks to the ridiculous queues to get in, not to mention the rather steep £11 (€14/US$18) entrance fee, I've never actually been inside. However, the stunning gardens are more than enough to keep me happy.
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| Once controversial, now the symbol of the city |
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| Ornate carvings |
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| One of the covered walkways |
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| Hidden behind extensive gardens |
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| Corner detail |
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| Summer flowers |
Separate from The Lanes, but also a worth a visit, is the area known as North Laine. Once a run-down slum, it's now the city's bohemian and cultural quarter. Today, it's full of quirky shops, cute cafés and beautiful (and pricey!) homes. The more I explore this area, the further up my list of favourites it climbs.
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| Eye-catching shopfront |
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| Wedding-y window display |
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| One of the many little boutiques |
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| Little farm shop down an alleyway |
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| The opposite wall of the alleyway farm shop |
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| No garden? No problem! |
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| Close up of the pavement garden |
Rarely visited by tourists, Kemptown is the lesser-known side of Brighton. I only discovered it because I had a dentist's appointment in the area. While waiting for the appointment time to come round, I had a little wander, and thus I came across Metrodeco, a 1930s-style tearoom with almost as much choice in chairs as there was in tea! I made a note to return, which I duly did the following week.
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| Tea in an old-fashioned china cup |
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| Eclectic furniture |
Refreshed, having treated myself to a pot of Lapsang Souchong, I went out to explore. Sadly, I have very few even semi-decent photos from my explorations and certainly nothing that does justice to the area. I guess that means that the next time I'm in Brighton, I'll have to go back!
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| Dog in the door of a barbershop |
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| Dog-related thought of the day outside a pub |
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| One of the main streets |
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| Nice-looking restaurant with not-so-nice-looking apartment blocks reflected in the window |
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| Looking towards Marine Parade |
On a good day, it's a nice walk along Marine Parade from Kemptown back into the centre. On one side you have beautiful Regency-style buildings while on the other, the sea. Running along the seafront are the historic Grade II listed moulded cast iron and teak railings dating from 1880!
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| Marine Parade with its Grade II listed railings |
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| Brighton Pier from Marine Parade |
The Brighton Wheel is something of an international traveller, having been manufactured in Germany and then transported to South Africa for the FIFA World Cup in 2010. It came to England in September 2011 and was opened to the public the following month. It has planning permission to remain in place until 2016.
I'd often passed it and thought about giving it a whirl. This summer I finally did and £8 (€10/US$13) got me a 12-minute ride complete with commentary and views right across the city.
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| The Brighton Wheel |
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| Looking down on the pier from the wheel... |
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| ...and across the beach |
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| After the ride |
Whether I do ever get to live in Brighton remains to be seen, but it will always have a special place in my heart. I've spent three summers teaching in the UK, and my days off have almost always been spent in Brighton basking on the beach, getting lost in The Lanes and feasting with friends...
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| One last shot of the beach and the skeletal West Pier |
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