Party central, a seaside resort, boho bolt-hole… How to spend 48 hours in Brighton
A Fabulous writer explores one of the UK's hippest towns where you can embrace the city and the beach in one place
CITY versus beach – the eternal mini- break dilemma. But in Brighton you can have your cake and eat it.
Whether you’re shopping in The Lanes or sharing fish and chips with seagulls on the pier, there’s nowhere quite like it. No wonder it’s been named one of the UK’s happiest towns.
Embrace a sugar rush
sculpts things out of cocoa that defy the laws of physics.
Stop by its Bar Du Chocolat in Meeting House Lane for a slice of a five-layer cake, £7.49, and a selfie with the creations.
Then join the , £33, visiting chocolatiers such as Montezuma’s for tutorials and truffles along the way.
Explore fantasy palaces
George IV was clearly a Game of Thrones fan. Behind the minarets and ornate domes of his 19th-century lies an interior inspired by dragons. Entry costs £12.30.
Later, stroll across the Royal Gardens to the Brighton Museum & Art Galleries, entry £5, to see an eclectic collection of fashion and film.
Ticked off the pier rides and arcades? Take a spin on the new , the world’s tallest moving observation tower with panoramic 30-mile views for £15.
Splurge on art
The Lanes are a rabbit warren of antique shops, jewellers, boutiques and quirky cafes.
The North Laine area is half a square mile of over 300 shops and is the place for vintage finds and a pop-up market on weekends.
Love art? Stroll along to the West Pier, where former fishermen’s arches have been turned into artists’ studios.
Surf in a lagoon
Walk down the beach to Hove, where you can learn windsurfing, wakeboarding and SUP-ing (stand-up paddle boarding) in a lagoon.
An costs £50. If you don’t fancy getting wet, try a on soft sand courts, £5.50 for one hour.
Munch KFC (but not as you know it)
That’s Korean-fried cauliflower, FYI, at veggie restaurant .
For Asian fusion try tasting menu.
is a must for sharing steaks and lobsters, while for pub grub that wows try , which also boasts pig-shaped ginger biscuits. Sold.
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Nap in a leopard-print lair
Whether you opt for 1950s kitsch in Bettie’s Boudoir or the 8ft-round bed of the Kraken’s Lair, the 19 themed rooms at are perfect for saucy stopovers. Doubles cost from £125 a night.
Speakeasy-style bars The Plotting Parlour and are within rolling home distance, too. Plan your trip with .
Trainline provided tickets from London St Pancras International to Brighton. Customers using the Trainline App save an average of 43% when booking in advance versus on the day - in addition to real-time departure boards, platform information and mobile tickets (on select routes) from within the App