Brighton tourist information
The twin towns of Brighton and Hove - vibrant, exciting, eclectic, seedy, showy - became a city in December 2000.
Situated between the sea and the tranquil Sussex Downs, Brighton is one of the UK's most popular visitor destinations.
The resident population of just over a quarter of a million is swollen - particularly in the summer - by 5 million day trippers, conference delegates and overseas students a year. It's a far cry from the city's beginnings as two distinct and tiny Saxon fishing villages.
Built on the fishing trade, much of Brighthelmstone and its economy was destroyed in the great floods of the early 18th Century. It was not until later that century that Brighton's fortunes began to change and the first steps were taken in its transformation into one of the country's most popular seaside resorts.
The fashion for seawater cures promoted by Dr Russell in the 1750s coupled with the town's proximity to the capital lured thousands of affluent Londoners to the Brighton coast in search of its clean bathing waters and fresh sea air. Its growing reputation for modern living amongst the wealthy ensured Brighton became the place to go to escape London.
As the town emerged as the most vibrant and free-spirited place outside the capital, it soon caught the attention of the fun-loving King in waiting, the Prince Regent. 'Prinny' came in search of a safe haven for his mistress, wild parties and a lavish lifestyle away from his disapproving father, King George III.
The Prince Regent certainly left his mark on early 19th Century Brighton. The seafront between Hove and Kemp Town is still dominated by spectacular Regency buildings and the beautiful Brunswick, Regency and Sussex squares.
But his most famous legacy is the extravagant Royal Pavilion, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. Built in 1823, this unique pleasure palace was inspired by Indian architecture and Chinese interior design.
It was not to everyone's taste, however, and fell into disrepair during Queen Victoria's reign - she thought it was vulgar and unsuitable for a Royal home.
The birth of the railways made Brighton accessible to ordinary folk and day trips to the seaside took off.
Two piers were built before the turn of the 20th Century, providing entertainment and a focus for the new tourists.
Over the next century, Brighton's place as a mecca for British seaside holidaymakers was secured.
During the Sixties, its popularity became tinged with notoriety, thanks to violent seafront clashes between mods and rockers - scenes immortalised in the 1979 film Quadrophenia.
For a long time the city's image was tarnished as the Battle of Brighton was broadcast in news bulletins to a horrified nation. Today, the Quadrophenia tour - a guided tour taking in the film's locations - is a reminder of that era.
Brighton has since become one of Europe's leading conference resorts and has regularly hosted the main party political conferences. It was infamously the scene of the assassination attempt on Margaret Thatcher and her Cabinet in 1984 when the IRA bombed the Grand Hotel.
In recent years Brighton and Hove has emerged as both a magnet for new technology start-ups and as a centre for the British film revival.
Unlike the ageing populations associated with other coastal towns, Brighton has a high proportion of 20 to 30-year-olds, including many former students of the city's two universities who couldn't drag themselves away from its seductive charms.
At the same time an alternative Brighton has burst on to the scene. With its reputation for being young, free-spirited and artistic, Brighton became home to the Zap and a host of other clubs providing the most diverse nightlife outside London.
Today the city is the venue for a spectacular mix of events, from the London to Brighton vintage car rally to the largest arts festival in England. The city also hosts a variety of outdoor festivals over the summer, including the largest gay pride party outside the capital.
Described as Britain's gay capital, Brighton revels in its reputation for being easy-going, tolerant and friendly. Largely centred in Kemp Town, Brighton's 40,000-strong gay and lesbian community is an integral part of city life.
The city boasts a diverse nightlife, with a myriad of night clubs, famous theatres, cinemas and comedy clubs as well as the Brighton Centre complex, now an established venue for touring bands.
And with more than 400 pubs and restaurants, Brighton and Hove has the largest number of places to eat per head outside Central London.
Brighton aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Brighton aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Brighton.
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