| Southern England | |
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Beauty and the beach Rich in history and culture, Southern England is a fascinating corner of the UK. Justine Vaisutis visits four of the most diverse cities and discovers an area of magnificent contrasts |
| Brighton | |
England’s most stylish resort is a
cocktail of cosmopolitan chic, suninduced
mischief and new-age coolJust 53 miles south of the capital, Londoners have flocked to Brighton to soak up the beach and ambience for centuries, but the refrained elegance of the past has long since been replaced by exhilarating eccentricity.Anything goes, and everyone comes for a slice of the contemporary art,music, cuisine and culture nurtured and bred in the plethora of museums, eateries and nightspots. Days out The decadent Royal Pavilion flaunts Brighton’s regal history with its sumptuous interior and exotic furnishings. Pristinely preserved, it was a royal holiday house during the 18th century. Fast rides and amusement arcades are pure fun down at the Palace Pier and the city’s picturesque streets are packed with boutiques, craft shops and music stores. The Brighton Flea Market sells it all in recycled fashion, and the beach lures weary limbs with lazy sunbathing. Eating out You could dine out for months in Brighton without exhausting the city’s range or your bank account. Funky eateries cluster around North Laine and The Lanes, where £5 or less lets you feast on gourmet sandwiches at The Little Shop or Spanish tapas at Casa Don Carlos. At Food for Friends or Terre à Terre you could try outstanding vegetarian inventions. Then there’s the fish... seafood gluttons will be in seventh heaven. Nights out Brighton’s pubs, bars and clubs seem to throb with a constant party. Pre-club drinks kick off at favourites like The Bar With No Name and trendy Bar Centro, while cocktails enhance dim lighting at ultra-chic Riki Tiki and the Tin Drum. If dancing all night to celebrity DJs at Concorde 2 or Escape is too heady, take in some live jazz at Casablanca or chill out at the Gemini Beach Bar. Cultural life Culture vultures flock to the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, where global and contemporary art mix with work by Salvador Dali and Art Deco furniture. The history of British cinema is detailed at the Hove Museum and Gallery, and you can catch art house and mainstream flicks at the Odeon or Duke of York cinemas. Brighton’s dramatic talent is celebrated with regular performances at the acclaimed Komedia Theatre and the Brighton Dome, while smaller venues fill the city’s theatric calendar. |
