The town was a fishing village until the 1700s when doctors began prescribing seawater and sea air as restoratives for their wealthy patients and a resort began to take shape here.

Things really took off after the Prince Regent (later George IV) built the Royal Pavilion (pictured) here in the early 1800s and with the arrival of the railroad in 1841 which made Brighton easily accessible to Londoners. The population and size of Brighton exploded during the Victorian era.

Brighton became a bit seedy and run down in the post-war era but has recently been rediscovered by young Londoners and has become a fashionable and funky vacation spot for them.

Brighton and the Kemptown neighbourhood in particular have been called the Gay Capital of Britain due to the large number of gays and lesbians who vacation here, and there is a pleasantly cosmopolitan and tolerant attitude towards alternative lifestyles here which is quite refreshing. The sunset promenade is quite de rigueur for the Brighton visitor, it is a great opportunity to people-watch and get some fresh air.

There are many good pubs with indoor and outdoor seating which make for an enjoyable evening.

The Royal Pavilion is an extravagantly decorated and slightly over the top homage to the Asian influence of the Romantic Movement. Designed by John Nash in the style of an Indian Mogul’s palace, it was the delight of George IV.

However, his successor Queen Victoria was not amused by its ornate and frivolous nature, so she packed everything up and left. Luckily for us, the town of Brighton bought the building and visitors can now wander through its splendour.

Brighton tourism information calls the town a hedonistic delight, and it is certainly a wonderful place to go relax and have some fun.

Photo courtesy: ayelienne

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