A day trip to Brighton

Last Monday I decided to visit Brighton for the day. Despite being a classic day trip from London it isn't somewhere I have visited before. 

As I stepped off the train and walked down the dull and grey street towards the sea it started to rain and wondered what I was doing!

Arriving at the beach (having bought a pair of shoes along the way) I went straight for a paddle. The odd wave was surprisingly strong and I was lucky not to be knocked off my balance a couple of times.

After the sea we headed off to find Brighton's laneways, which were a delightful surprise after the grey main road. Lots of small independent shops, boutiques and cafés. We headed straight for lunch at the vegetarian café of Iydea. A canteen style place that serves healthy and tasty plates of food at pretty reasonable prices.

After lunch it was a short stroll to the Brighton Pavillion. Built for the Prince Regent between 1787 and 1823 I thought the Pavillion wouldn't have been out of place in India. Inside the palace it was a mix of Chinoiserie styles with lots of fantastic details.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed the pavillion. It has been very sympathetically restored with with intricate wall papers and chandeliers, rich carpets and furniture. The palace seemed to have been built as the Prince Regent's playground by the sea with a music room, huge dining hall and a couple of smaller drawing rooms. It was definitely the highlight of the day.

We couldn't leave Brighton without visiting the Pier. Tacky is definitely the word. I didn't see a 'Kiss me quick' hat, but it was that kind of place. I would have regretted leaving having not strolled along the pier, but I can't say it will be top of my list to do again!

After an ice cream sitting on the beach it was time for the train back to London.