The city of Brighton was a fishing village called Brighthelmstone until an 18th century doctor said that sea air and bathing had health benefits. Brighton’s Royal Pavilion was built in the early 1823’s as King George IV's seaside residence. It cost £500,000 and was designed by John Nash. The Pavilion has domes and minarets - Indian architecture – and Chinese interiors. It has been called Norfolk turnip, the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, a chessboard and the Kremlin. The Pavilion has survived a serious arson attack, hurricane damage and Queen Victoria who hated the building and removed everything including the kitchen sink. Rossini performed in the Music Room and Lord Byron ate in the Banqueting Room. The pavilion has been recently restored to its full 19th century grandeur. At the time the Pavilion was built Brighton became a fashionable holiday resort and it still retains much of its Regency architecture. The Dome, once the Prince's riding house and stables, has become a concert hall and gallery.

The Royal Pavilion is open every day from 10.30 – 17.15 hrs Entry costs approx. £6.00 (group prices available)

The Lanes is the oldest area of Brighton. After the village was burnt to the ground by French invaders in the 16th century it was rebuilt along the same streets. The town was bordered by three roads - West Street, East Street and North Street covering an area approximately one square mile. The lower part of the town, South Street, was destroyed during storms in the 15th century. The Lanes area is mainly jewellery and gift shops and cafes and bars. Although some of the buildings have been modernised or replaced, the narrow streets give you a good idea of what medieval Brighton was like.

You can walk along the promenade with its Artists’ and Fishing Quarters, trendy clubs and bars. The Palace Pier has traditional fairground entertainment and there is also a Seal Life Centre. There are big name stores in Churchill Square shopping complex.

The West Pier, built in 1886, has suffered a fire and destruction by high seas in the last few years. Volk's Electric Railway, the first one in Britain, still runs along the sea front.

The Brighton Fishing Museum tells the history of the local industry and features a full size clinker-built punt. The Booth Museum of Natural History has over half a million specimens including a dinosaur. Brighton Museum and Art Gallery contains a collection of Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and Salvador Dali's sofa based on Mae West's lips. A history of children's toys can be found at Brighton Museum of Childhood and the Sussex Toy and Model Museum.