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  • Brighton & Hove

'You get the best of both worlds here – a beautiful campus and Brighton on your doorstep.'
Samantha Hodges
PhD in Medicine

Brighton & Hove

Image gallery: Brighton and the surrounding area

History of Brighton

Originally made fashionable in the 1780s by the Prince Regent, Brighton has a long history as a popular holiday resort. The Prince (later King George IV) built an extravagant palace, the Royal Pavilion, which now stands as a landmark at the heart of the city. Still fashionable today, Brighton has a unique atmosphere loved by visitors and residents alike.

Going out

Hungry? You'll find plenty to suit your palate here. Brighton & Hove has many restaurants and cafés offering a range of food – from the organic to the seriously indulgent – to suit all budgets. Whatever your tastes, you're in for a treat.

When the sun sets, Brighton & Hove's legendary nightlife kicks in. The city boasts over 200 pubs and bars, ranging from the traditional to the distinctly chilled out and trendy. When the pubs close, Brighton's club scene has plenty to keep you going into the early hours. Brighton hosts a huge community of aspiring bands – and some famous rock stars – so the music scene here is a way of life, every night of the week.

Culture

For more highbrow pursuits, Brighton & Hove has a truly diverse cultural scene with a wealth of theatres, cinemas, venues and galleries.

Classical music lovers are well catered for at the Dome, Brighton's art-deco concert venue, home to the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra. Opera buffs can take advantage of world-famous Glyndebourne just a few miles down the road. The University of Sussex Students' Union also organises on- and off-campus entertainment, including live bands, cabaret and charity events.

The Duke of York's is a Brighton treasure – the oldest purpose-built cinema in Britain – and it has recently branched out to create two extra screens in the heart of Brighton's North Laine. Brighton also boasts two multiplex cinemas and, in true Brighton style, the beach sometimes plays host to big-screen cult films on summer evenings – cinema-goers will find plenty to keep them happy.

The highlight of the cultural year is the Brighton Festival in May, England's biggest arts festival. And when the Festival finishes there's always some other event to enjoy, such as the London to Brighton Bike Ride, and the LGBT Pride Parade.

Great shopping

With the best shopping south of London, Brighton's wares range from the conventional to the truly unique, all within walking distance. Big-name stores can be found in the Churchill Square shopping centre, and the North Laine area is a haven of independent clothes shops, cafés and record stores. The Lanes offer antiques and jewellery among the cobbled alleyways and converted fisherman's cottages.

Sporting opportunities

As well as the sports facilities on campus (visit Sport and fitness), there are many sporting opportunities in nearby Brighton & Hove: two public swimming pools, five golf courses, water sports, beach volleyball, greyhound and horse racing, and ten-pin bowling. The Sussex County Cricket Club has its home ground in the area, and the American Express Community Stadium, Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club's 28,000-seater stadium, is right next to the Sussex campus.

In the country

Step outside the city and you'll find yourself in some of the most beautiful countryside England has to offer. Cradling the city, the newly designated South Downs National Park provides breathtaking views, tranquil walks and plenty of opportunities for paragliding, mountain biking, hiking and rather more sedate picnics. Nestling among the Downs you'll find the historic towns of Lewes, Arundel, and Chichester, and any number of picturesque villages.

Close to London and Gatwick Airport

If you fancy a change from the candy-floss and the beach, Brighton is less than an hour's train ride away from the bright lights of London. Close enough to visit for the day or the evening, London is a fascinating, cosmopolitan capital city. If you want to travel further afield, London Gatwick Airport is half an hour by train from Brighton – the perfect jumping-off point to explore the rest of Europe and beyond.