Brighton light, England, UK by Simon

1. Ice Skating at the Royal Pavilion

The Royal Pavilion is a stunning 200-year-old palace built for King George IV as a holiday home by the sea. It has survived a lot and the interiors in particular have undergone extensive renovation, however in the winter a new rather less typical addition is placed in the gardens of the palace; an 800 square metre ice rink, complete with a smaller section for kids improving their skating skills. Another great thing about this ice rink is the attached Jamie’s Feasts restaurant which is a Jamie Oliver-birthed eatery, serving deliciously tasty meals, perfect after working up an appetite on the rink. Royal Pavilion Ice Rink tickets cost from £10 for adults and £7 for children under 12 and the one-hour skate times run from 10am to 10.15pm daily.

Royal Pavilion in Winter, Brighton, England, UK by PeppermintEvents

2. See Moscow City Ballet’s, The Nutcracker

With Christmas just around the corner one of the most perfect wintry things to do is see the ballet, and be encased in the opulent and antique surroundings of the Theatre Royal Brighton. The classic ballet The Nutcracker is on from the 29th of November until Saturday the 1st of December so there is only a short amount of time to snap up tickets to this fantastic experience.

3. Drink Mulled Cider in the Lanes

Brighton Lanes is full of quaint little pubs and bars that serve traditional mulled wine and now cider as a Christmas treat. They are all warm and cosy and in the evenings are lit by candles to create a cosy atmosphere, a perfect antidote to the cold wintery day.

Photo of Mulled Cider by billycoxon

4. French Toast at Bills

Bills is famous in Brighton as the best place for breakfast (they do serve lunches too), my recommendation is for a huge stack of French toast with bananas, strawberries, toasted walnut yoghurt and maple syrup, delicious! The lovely atmosphere and friendly staff will have you returning again before you know it.

5. Promenade

Promenading was a favourite past time of the Victorians who believed that the bracing winds were good for their health and I think they were definitely onto something! So make sure you wrap up warm and put on plenty of layers and get out onto the promenade. You can walk from the Palace pier further down towards Hove, where there are small cafes and plenty of people out walking their dogs. Run down to the sea and throw stones into the icy waves like you did when you were a kid.

Promenade in Brighton, England, UK by Chris Wright

When you know the best things to do winter can be just as fun as summer! Make sure on your next train to Brighton you wrap up and don’t hibernate through the winter months.

The post Top 5 Wintery things to do in Brighton, UK appeared first on Best of European Union.

Royal Pavilion, Brighton, UK by Xgkkp

The Royal Pavilion is not like Taj Mahal inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Heritage Sites but it is still very interesting and magnificent attraction in the southern England, which you should not miss once you are around London. It is very nice especially in the evenings when it is richly illuminated.

The Royal Pavilion is open daily except for few national holidays or regular annual maintenance. If you would like to organize some group trip here, it is recommended to book in advance during the summer, as the Royal Pavilion used to be quite busy.

Basic admission is £10 for adults and £5,70 for kids, but there are a number of special offers for families, students, or seniors… The best way how you can get there is by train, Pavilion is located just 15 minutes walking from Brighton Rail Station.

During your tour around the Royal Pavilion you will visit such great places as The Music Room, The Banqueting Room, Royal bedrooms, The Great Kitchen, Royal reception rooms and Indian Military Hospital gallery. You can also take Audio Guides which are already included in the price. And if you prefer being in the nature rather than moving from one room to another one, Royal Pavilion is still good option for you. There are gardens where you can expect different species of plants in the different season.

The post The Royal Pavilion – India in Europe appeared first on Best of European Union.

The Royal Pavilion may sound like a typical tourist trap but Brighton doesn’t do anything the normal way and this royal palace isn’t any different. From the outside you wouldn’t think this was once a royal residence commissioned by King George IV when he was still Price Regent. The first thing you’ll notice is it doesn’t tower above you; there are no intimidating walls, motes or turrets as seen in traditional castles. In fact it looks more like something out of a movie set trying (and not quite succeeding) to look like a palace from the far east. This is because it was built just over 200 years ago by a young man who was fascinated with China and India despite never actually visiting these countries. One of the first large rooms you reach when walking round is the grand banquet room with the most imposing and mesmerising chandeliers you’re ever likely to see. The lavish décor is very eastern and the extravagant décor is too grandiose to be overwhelming but as you walk round the other side of the first floor you come into the library and drawing rooms that suddenly offer a more sombre décor. These rooms were completed after the Prince Regent became king and suddenly had to grow up.

Royal Pavilion, Brighton, UK by Richard Randall

Shopping

Once you’ve had enough history grab a map (or an app) and head into The Lanes and North Laine to check out some incredibly eclectic shops. The Lanes are famous for their jewellery and antique shops, no matter what you find in them, you can be sure there aren’t many other people out there with the same item. The reason this shopping destination is so iconic is because of their narrow walkways, in some place there isn’t enough room for two people to pass head on. Although natives can navigate their way round these lanes with ease, first timers can find themselves getting turned around, but don’t worry, this isn’t London, if you get lost find a local and ask for help, most Brightoneons will be happy to help. Once you’re don’t with The Lanes, head over to North Laine, Gardner Street, Kensington Gardens and the surrounding streets for a range of eclectic shops sure to cater to everyone from music lovers, shoe hoarders, clothes addicts and everything in between. If you love junk shops, anything retro or just something a little bit different have a walk round Snoopers Paradise on Kensington Gardens – you’re going to need that sense of direction again though.

Dinner

You can’t throw a pebble from the beach in Brighton without hitting a dozen restaurants, cafes and bars but the trick with finding somewhere amazing to eat in Brighton is not to judge a book by its cover. You can head over to one of the expensive hotels but the best restaurants are hidden in plain sight, usually on the sea front and have been battered by the assault of the salty weather over the years. If you’re in Brighton it really needs to be a sea food dinner and the best sea food restaurant in Brighton has to be The Melrose just opposite from the old West Pier, it might look like a throw back from the nineties from the outside and the inside décor doesn’t fare much better but the menu is a fish lover’s dream with everything from oysters to lobster with the usual code and plaice thrown in too. The food is always cooked perfectly, the service is second to none and the prices are incredibly reasonable. If sea food isn’t for you then try Stekis still on the sea front but closer to the main pier for mouth-watering traditional Greek food. You have no reason to even look at the non-descript restaurant chains when in Brighton.

Brighton Pier, UK by stephen jones

The Pier

You’ve had a great day, you’ve seen some landmarks, done some shopping and you’re well fed. No trip to the sea side would be complete without actually visiting the sea side. All along the water’s edge there are plenty of bars and when the weather is nice there’s nothing like a drink out on the beach. If you’ve gone for dinner at one of the places mentioned above, walk down to the promenade by the West Pier, find an inviting looking bar and head in for a drink. Once you’re done carry on towards the Pier, stopping to look at the artists galleries peppered along your left hand side. Once you reach the pier stroll along it, play the slots in the amusements, have your caricature drawn or tarot read and once you reach the end go on a few of the rides. The Booster should only be attempted if your dinner has well and truly gone down and you’re not faint hearted. As you head back down the pier stop for some good old fashion candy floss or doughnuts and munch them as you head over to the Brighton Wheel, for less than a tenner you can spend 15 mins and see the whole city from a height and take in just how awesome it is.

And there you have it, the perfect day out in Brighton.

Jessica spent several happy years living in Brighton and now works for Travelworldrv.co.uk where you can find the perfect vehicle for exploring the amazing cities and country side the UK has to offer.

The post The Perfect Day Out In Brighton | United Kingdom appeared first on Best of European Union.

Seven Sisters, UK by mari

Stunning Scenery

The Seven Sisters and Beachy Head are one of the most iconic views in the country. These stunning cliffs are whiter and longer than the White Cliffs of Dover and offer miles of uninterrupted walks. Standing at Beachy Head you can look to your left to see the quaint essential sea side town of Eastbourne where you can make out their award winning carpet gardens along the sea front and the pier jetting out into the water.  Directly in front of you is the lighthouse and without getting too close to the edge, directly underneath you’ll see what’s left of part of the cliff that collapsed into the sea just over ten years ago. On a clear day you’ll see Brighton to the right and if it’s clear enough you’ll see all the way over to Selsey in the edge of West Sussex. You’ll find plenty of spots along this costal route to pull up your camper van or motorhomes for a quick overnight stop or if you prefer a few more immunities there are dozens of campsites dotted along the south east coast.

Quirky City

If miles and miles of rolling hills and stunning views don’t quite do it for you and you want something a little more happening then Brighton has to be your ultimate destination. All the cheese of a British sea side town with just enough quirkiness to make it cool, culture to make it cultural and eccentricity  to make it unique. There aren’t many sea side cities with a palace parked right in the centre, The Royal Pavilion was commissioned by the Prince Regent who would go on to become King George IV. Walking round you’ll notice the first half is decorated so decadently it’s almost too grandiose then suddenly the latter half resembles the more traditional sombre décor you’d expect from a royal palace. It’s almost like you can spot the very room he was decorating when he unexpectedly became king. If history doesn’t appeal to you the shops in Brighton are second to none. There are plenty of typical high street names but The Lanes and North Laine offer truly one off shops from jewellery to bohemian chic and everything you could possibly imagine in between. Oh and there’s always the obligatory sea side attractions and pier.

Royal Pavilion, Brighton, UK by Richard Randall

Quaint Essential Sea Side Town

Hastings is the best stop along the south east coast if you’ve got young children to keep entertained. It offers all the innocence of a British sea side holiday without the hidden innuendo of Brighton and it’s generally a little cheaper too.  Driving through Hastings you can’t fail to spot too perfect attractions for the little ones. The first is the sea side attractions; although the pier is off limits after a devastating fire a few years ago there is still plenty down the sea front to keep children of all ages entertained, from Underwater World to the Stade Amusement Park and Clambers. The second obvious attraction is the Hastings Funicular Cliff Railway taking visitors up the steep cliff to the national park at the top (for more of Sussex’s stunning views). For slightly older kids a trip to Battle just outside of Hastings is the perfect way to make their history lessons come to life (the infamous Battle of Hastings never actually took place inside Hastings, but just outside in a place that would later become known as Battle). Set a little further inland this beautiful little town offers plenty to see and do for any history buffs – or even someone who just appreciates what the perfect British holiday entails.

Louise writes for TraveWorldRV who offer the largest range of RV’s and Motorhomes in the UK – whether you’re looking to buy or rent, they can make sure you see the country in style.

The post The Best British Holiday – Sussex appeared first on Best of European Union.

Prince Regent Royal Pavilion, Brighton, UK by Dominic Alves

It’s only around 50 miles from the centre of the capital, and is an hour’s train ride from London Bridge and Victoria stations. There are times when even the most iconic cities in the world become a little too fast-paced, congested and hectic, so if you’re in the mood to seek out some fresh sea air and a little more space in which to breathe, Brighton should be a must on your vacation itinerary.

Brighton is home to a significant number of top class restaurants that offer the finest cuisine options for any visitors who are seeking out the best in dining, but sometimes it might be better to choose a true classic. Fish and chips is synonymous with all things British, of course, but it’s perhaps best enjoyed when close to the sea. Freshly-caught cod in crispy batter is simply delicious, especially when accompanied by a generous serving of the finest quality chips.

The city of Brighton, officially known as Brighton & Hove, has a rich heritage and is home to a number of historic buildings. Perhaps chief among them is the Royal Pavilion, once the home of the future King George IV. More than 400,000 tourists visit the location every year, and a guided tour of the landmark is a must. The distinctive design is reminiscent of Indian architecture, reflecting a popular fashion from the time when it was constructed.

Palace Pier, Brighton, UK by Garry Knight

Equally famous, although perhaps not as noble, is the spectacular Palace Pier. Located in the heart of the city, it’s a hugely popular attraction that plays hosts to tourists from all over the world every week. It’s home to several amusement park rides, bars, restaurants, and other attractions.

For those who enjoy live music, an overnight stay in Brighton is highly recommended, because the city has plenty of venues that remain open into the wee small hours. The local nightlife has a distinctive buzz about it, and this intriguing Sussex location enjoys a reputation for its artistic innovation and its musical diversity.

David Showell has visited Brighton on several occasions. When he’s not travelling, he’s working for http://www.carrentals.co.uk/.

The post Visiting London? Head South for a Day of Difference in Brighton! appeared first on Best of European Union.