Brighton is located on the south coast of England, and was one of the first "seaside resorts" in England. The cream of English society started to frequent Brighton in the 18th century and today, whilst not receiving many such exhalted guests, it continues to be a very popular holiday destination.

About 8 million tourists visit Brighton every year.

Why Brighton is so popular?

Whilst its claim to fame is its distinguished and appealing seaside, the city also has a thriving nightlife scene and some tremendous history - so much so that it's been given the nickname of "London on the Sea".

It certainly offers one of the most accessible tourist beaches from London, thanks to extensive transport links between Brighton and London - and the rest of the United Kingdom.

So, even if you don't want to actually stay in one of Brighton's many excellent hotels and B&Bs, you can easily make a day trip to Brighton whilst staying in London!

Incidentally, if you need to find accommodation in Brighton or elsewhere in the UK, there's an excellent search facility, with room rates discounted up to 70 per cent, on the City of Brighton website.

And Brighton is a good place to be in! According to a YouGov survey conducted in 2006 Brighton was voted as the one of the "Happiest Cities" in UK and "The UK's Coolest City".

Maybe that's why it attracts so many "hen" and "stag" parties!

Major attractions of the city:

The Royal Pavilion

One of the "must-see" places of Brighton is the Royal Pavilion, a former Royal palace built as the home for the Prince Regent during the early 1800s and is notable for its Indian architecture and Oriental interior design. Dr Richard Russell of Lewes spent much of his leisure time in the town and constructed the exotic and expensive Royal Pavilion during the early part of his Regency.

Brighton Pier:

Brighton Pier is the second most visited leisure facility with over 4.5 million tourists per year.
The Pier has a family entertainment centre in the "Pleasure Dome" with the following facilities for the visitors:

* Restaurants
* Arcades
* Funfair
* Bars
* Side-Stalls

Pebble Beach

The wide variety of bars, restaurants, night clubs and amusement arcades attracts many visitors both in the day and the evening.

Preston Manor:

If you enjoyed the Brighton Royal Pavilion, it's also worth popping into Preston Manor, which is a historical feature initially built around the 1600's. There are over 20 rooms to explore in the tour. This delightful old Manor House evokes the atmosphere of an Edwardian Gentry house both upstairs and downstairs.

Sealife Centre:

Sealife is believed to be the World's oldest aquarium and has an interesting architecture. It has over 150 marine species and 57 unique displays. A highly popular attraction is the "Submarine Adventure" which takes you through some of the most wonderful and even inhospitable creatures to be found along the seabed.

"The Lanes"

The Lanes is the oldest part of Brighton. It's a narrow maze of winding paths crammed with interesting shops, cafes and boutiques. It's also Brighton's premium shopping district and is well worth a visit. It's easy to find, located opposite the tourist information centre and barely a couple of minutes from the seafront on Kings Road.