Brighton Is The Hippest City In The UK

Just an hour and a half south from London, Brighton is the most popular seaside destination in the UK for overseas tourists, and just overall a very chill and creative place to be! Invaded by the hippies, eco-warriors, hipsters, artists and free thinkers, a weekend in Brighton is as free as life can be.

Vintage Bric a Brac, Thrift Shops and Antiques

Browsing vintage shops in Brighton is especially pleasant during rainy days (as it provides a warm and colourful hide-away). Record stores sell cassettes and vinyls, thrift shops are a vintage lover’s paradise, and antique shops take you back to the late 20s to 70s. Snoopers Paradise is one of those Bric a Brac wonderlands. Beware walking into Snoopers', unless you have some spare space in your backpack! It is almost certain you will fall in love with an object you never knew you wanted or needed (I bought a yellow tin plane, just saying...).

Pic-Nic at the Royal Pavillon

Brighton is not only the UK's favourite seaside resort but also England's greenest city politically. The Royal Pavillon is a representation of England's former past and glory. Built in 1787, the Royal Pavillon used to be the royal residence of Prince Regent (George, Prince of Wales). It was later given a makeover by architect John Nash in 1815, decorating the building with extra domes and minarets. The Indian Maharadja feel of the Pavillon is called "Indo-Saracenic style" and was inspired by India's prominent architecture of the 19th century.

The Parc surrounding the Pavillon is peaceful and its impressive grounds are maintained using only organic methods. (Go Green Brighton!).

Live Music and Punk Concerts

Whether day or night, Brighton’s hip music culture takes you through all tastes and genres. During day-time, wander in the streets to the sounds of buskers and street performers. Many talents who started busking their hang, didjeridoo or singer-songwriting in the free streets of Brighton (and Bristol) have made it quiet far up in the world. Live music venues are numerous, hosting selected punk rock bands for full afternoon and night concerts, whereas smaller places offer open-mic platforms to local talents. I recommend The Joker Live, The Green Door Store, The Waiting Room and More Human than Human.

Queer Diversity

Brighton’s queer diversity is inclusive and forthcoming. The city was elected unofficial gay capital of the UK, due to its open-mind population and big LGBTQIT community. (Initialism of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual). Brighton's busiest moment of the year is during the Brighton Pride every year in August (celebrity appearances even include Britney Spears!).

Coney Island Boardwalk at Brighton Beach

The evenings in Brighton are particularly cinematic. Locals, tourists and day visitors join the Brighton Pier for peaceful boardwalks from Coney Island Avenue to Brighton 15th Street. I remember screams of holy rollercoaster joys dancing in the wind, surrounded by thousands of birds making a dive for my ice cream, and spectacular sunsets from the Bay with a view on metallic structures rising from the seas. The Brighton Boardwalk is not only beautiful, but also an ecologically responsible construction. The city recently reconstructed the entire boardwalk with recycled plastic lumber instead of using the traditional tropical hardwood, which would have destroyed 45,200 acres of tropical rainforests.

© All pictures by Isabel Elwood