LONDON

Brighton PierNorth Laine shops and cafésThe Royal PavilionOUT OF TOWN:BRIGHTONBy Jo CairdMay is festival month at London’sfavourite seaside resort, with theBrighton Festival (4-26 May),Brighton Fringe (from 4 May),and Artists Open Houses (4-26May) providing almost endlessopportunities for culture vultures.Whether you’re interested intheatre, literature, comedy, visualart or design, there’s sure to be anevent for you.But that’s not all. There’s plenty todo in Brighton even outside of festivaltime. The city has been a favouritegetaway destination for well-to-doLondoners for hundreds of years.These days, of course, it’s not justthe well-off that can benefit fromthe city’s amusements – there’s trulysomething for everyone. Home to twouniversities, it has a buzzing studentvibe and is known as one of the UK’sgay capitals.Brighton’s seafront should be thefirst stop for any visitor. When theweather’s warm, crowds flock to thestony beach for sunbathing, swimmingand the many excellent bars andrestaurants on the promenade. Alsonot to be missed is Brighton Pier,which dates back to 1890s. This iconof the city is home to fun fair ridesand arcade games that will keep thewhole family occupied.Running for over a mile alongthe top of the beach from near thePier to Brighton Marina is the VolksElectric Railway. Built in 1883, it’sBritain’s oldest and is a charming wayof experiencing the seafront. For aneven better view, take a ride on theBrighton Wheel. The city’s newestattraction is 45-metres tall and eachride involves three turns of the wheel.For a route into Brighton’s history,a visit to the Royal Pavilion is a must.This ornate palace was built as aseaside retreat for King George IVin the 18th century and containsstunning Chinoiserie interiors. Withinthe Royal Pavilion Gardens standsthe Brighton Museum and ArtGallery, whose eclectic collectionencompasses fashion, 20th-centuryTRAVEL INFORMATIONRail: Direct trains depart fromË t London Victoria,Ë t London Bridge andË t London Waterloo tot Brighton. Journey time isapproximately 60 minutes.TOURIST INFORMATIONRoyal Pavilion Shop, Royal Pavilion,4-5 Pavilion Buildings, Brighton,BN1 1EE. 01273 290 337.art and design, and fine art.The city is also home to severalfantastic small museums worthseeking out. The Brighton Toy AndModel Museum has over 10,000objects on display and the OldPolice Cells Museum gives a uniqueinsight into the history of policing inSussex. Along with the cells whereprisoners were held in the basementof Brighton Town Hall, you can seethe police officers’ quarters and themuseum’s collection of truncheons.The city also offers great shoppingopportunities. Try the historic narrowalleyways of the Lanes for antiques,jewellery and independent clothingstores. This area is the city’s oldest,dating back to medieval times. Thenearby North Laine is the otherhotspot for boutiques, including lotsof quirky vintage shops, alternativelifestyle emporiums and artists’ openstudios. Kemptown, to the east ofthe city centre, is also famed for itsshopping, in particular that gearedtowards the gay and lesbian market.It’s commonly said that Brightonis ‘London-by-the-Sea’, but don’t befooled. This small city may have aflavour of the capital’s vibrancy andexcitement, but it’s very much it’s ownplace. Particularly at festival time, youwon’t want to miss out.PIER IMAGE COURTESY OF ISTOCKPHOTO; OTHER IMAGES COURTESY OF VISIT BRIGHTON24| visitbritain.com|LONDON PLANNER|May 2013