OUR CITY · BRIGHTON & HOVE
Explore the seafront, independent shops and neighbourhoods. Discover the city’s history, screen stories and live shows—all in one local guide.
Explore the city ↓
Sea air, pier views and a little friendly competition: leave room in your day for the waterfront.
Seafront landmark · Madeira Drive
The pier brings together sea views, fairground rides, food and indoor entertainment. Head along the deck to take in the coastline, or make it part of a longer afternoon around Brighton’s beach and central seafront. Check the pier’s own visitor information before setting off.
Stories & surprising facts →Plan a pier visit (opens in a new tab)
Arcade games · Brighton Palace Pier
The pier has two indoor arcades, with games ranging from penny pushers and air hockey to modern machines. The Palace of Fun sits near the front of the pier; The Dome is farther along by the rides. A different pace from a beach walk, with plenty to explore indoors.
Stories & surprising facts →Explore the pier’s arcades (opens in a new tab)Discover the i360, the West Pier remains and the old route from the shore.
Seafront views · West Pier site
Look up at the i360, then look out to the West Pier remains. Two very different Brighton landmarks share one stretch of seafront history.
Explore the story & places →
Seafront history · Opened 1866
The offshore ironwork is the remains of the West Pier’s pavilion. Discover the old entrance by the i360 and the fires that changed this part of Brighton.
Explore the story & places →Make time to browse, find something unexpected and support the people who give the city its personality.
Vintage & curiosities · Kensington Gardens
An indoor flea market in North Laine, filled with independent stalls selling vintage clothing, collectables, homeware and second-hand finds. It is a place to take your time: a browse can turn up anything from a piece of retro furniture to a small keepsake.
Stories & surprising facts →Explore Snoopers Paradise (opens in a new tab)
Records & music · Kensington Gardens
An independent record shop with vinyl, CDs, books and a programme of artist events. Browse new releases and older favourites, discover something outside your usual listening and check the shop’s own listings for upcoming appearances.
Stories & surprising facts →Visit Resident Music (opens in a new tab)
Food & bakery · North Laine
A worker-run co-operative offering vegetarian and vegan food, organic produce and household products. Its on-site bakery adds another reason to stop while exploring North Laine, whether you are picking up groceries or something for later.
Stories & surprising facts →Discover Infinity Foods (opens in a new tab)Discover Brighton’s distinctive architecture and make space for a show, an exhibition or a change of scene.
Heritage & architecture · Central Brighton
The Royal Pavilion is Brighton’s former royal palace, known for its striking exterior and richly decorated interiors. Explore the official visitor guide to see what is open, learn about the building and plan time for the surrounding garden.
Stories & surprising facts →Explore the Royal Pavilion (opens in a new tab)
Music, comedy & performance · Cultural Quarter
Brighton Dome hosts a varied programme of live events, including music, comedy and theatre. It is a place to build an evening around, with different venues and performances to discover. Check the current programme and venue access information when planning your visit.
Stories & surprising facts →See what’s on at Brighton Dome (opens in a new tab)North Laine and The Lanes are different areas, each with its own atmosphere. Give yourself time for both.
Independent shopping, cafés & street life
A lively collection of streets filled with independent shops, vintage finds, cafés, restaurants and creative businesses. Kensington Gardens, Sydney Street and Gardner Street are useful starting points. Come for one shop, then see where the neighbouring streets take you.
Stories & surprising facts →Explore North Laine (opens in a new tab)
Narrow passageways, jewellery & hidden corners
Between North Laine and the seafront, The Lanes bring together narrow alleyways, small squares, jewellers, shops and places to eat. Leave time to wander rather than rushing through: the appeal is as much in the little passages as the destinations along them.
Stories & surprising facts →Explore The Lanes (opens in a new tab)THEN & NOW
Start with the city timeline, then explore its older villages, lost railway and growing neighbourhoods.
View Brighton & Hove’s history →St Helen’s and Hangleton Manor are reminders of a rural landscape that existed long before the surrounding houses. Hangleton’s story connects a medieval village, farmland and twentieth-century growth.
Explore →St Helen’s is a surviving medieval landmark in Hangleton. Its flint walls hold several periods of building, alteration and restoration.
Explore →Before this was a familiar residential area, a railway carried sightseers inland towards Devil’s Dyke. Parts of its former corridor help explain the landscape today.
Explore →Hove has its own history of settlements, estates and town building. Its streets tell a story that reaches well beyond the Regency seafront.
Explore →The history of Brighton & Hove includes the homes, schools and everyday streets beyond its visitor landmarks. Later neighbourhoods became communities in their own right.
Explore →Discover the passage beneath the Pavilion Estate and the former royal stables.
Explore →ON SCREEN & ON STAGE
Discover filming connections or plan an evening at a local venue.
MAKE A DAY OF IT
Start in North Laine: browse Snoopers Paradise, look through the records at Resident and stop by Infinity Foods before exploring the next street.
Wander through The Lanes towards the seafront, then visit Palace Pier for the views, rides or a little time in the arcades.
Look at Brighton Dome’s programme and plan your evening around a performance. Check the specific venue, start time and access information before travelling.
Check venue websites for opening times, tickets, age restrictions and accessibility. For journey planning, use a full address and confirm a suitable meeting point with your booking provider.
This is Via’s independent local guide. A listing does not imply a partnership or endorsement. Information checked 21 October 2026. Photographs show the locations at their stated dates and may not reflect current layouts. Images are displayed resized and cropped to fit; their individual licences are linked below each photograph.