Palace Pier

Built in its original form in 1823, the Palace Pier has had a stormy past, having been knocked down or had major destruction affecting the structure of the pier around 10 different times! It has therefore been re-built on a number of occasions, most notably in 1899 when it re-opened at a grand cost at the time of £27,000. It has since been re-branded as a fairground-type attraction with a number of rides at the end of the pier, arcade games and traditional fairground games like tin can alley and hook a duck. There are also lots of amazingly traditional British delicacies to try like fish and chps, candy rock, cockles and Mr whippy Ice Cream, not to mention candy floss, doughnuts and crepes! Click here for opening times and more information on the Palace Pier.

Brighton Pier, England, UK by Paul

Brighton Wheel

This relatively new Brighton attraction was opened in October 2011 and was previously built as an attraction on the site of the 2012 World Cup in South Africa, it was then shipped over to the UK. Once inside one of the 36 pods you can see a number of Brightonian landmarks such as the Brighton Pavilion and on a clear day even the Isle of Wight. It actually moves at a relatively faster pace than the London eye, although it does offer you at least three wheel rotations per ride. Tickets are not too expensive either starting at £8 for an adult there, but you can find a 10% discount online.

Brighton Wheel, England, UK by Jim Linwood

Royal Pavilion

This fantastic attraction completely unique to Brighton was the ‘holiday home’ of George IV, also known as the Prince Regent and he started building it in 1786. It is now a great place for people of all ages to discover some royal treasures and beautiful paintings and interior designs of the grand rooms. A special mention must go to the music room, which has stunningly exquisite chandeliers and wall paper patterns and designs, certainly not to be missed!

Royal Pavilion, Brighton, England, UK by Stuart Boreham

Meeting Place Café

As a Brightonian myself, one of the best things to do on a lazy weekend is to stroll along the beach and work up an appetite so you can treat yourself to a delicious spread at this particular favourite café of mine. They have a selection of enticing homemade cakes and they even do a traditional cream tea. A tradition of mine is to have a plate of cheesy chips and sit on the quaint plastic chairs tucked behind the bright yellow windbreaker and people watch as the sun beats down. But make sure you don’t let the seagulls and pigeons snatch your treats! It’s all part of the fun at this great British institution.

Meeting Place Cafe, Brighton, England, UK by Jeremy Tarling

The Lanes

A mecca for vintage clothes shoppers, the North and South Lanes offer a multitude of choice and variety at a whole range of different prices. From well-known vintage stores like Beyond Retro to little thrift stores that sell anything from binoculars to melamine home ware, at all manner of prices. I love going to these unique stores to get pieces that nobody else has and to truly be an individual, Brighton is certainly full of them!

Big Yellow Shop – The Drum Cavern in the North Laines, Brighton, UK by Dominic’s pics

If you want to get to Brighton from London it is best to catch the fast train from Victoria station which only takes about an hour and you can always get the Gatwick Express to London Victoria if you’re coming from the airport itself. Brighton Station is not far away from the seafront and main city centre and most places are within walking distance once you get there. The main motorway leading into Brighton is the A27 then A23, all making this city an easily accessible destination.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Tomas Maltby

Originally there was a town called Bristelmestune situated on the territory of today’s Brighton, but was completely burned down in 1514 by French pirates. The first known finding of the new city of Brighton comes from 1545. In the years 1740 – 1750 there was a local doctor who started to prescribe local sea water as a medicine to their patients, which initiated the future of Brighton as a treatment center. In 1780 began the construction of Regency terraces and originally insignificant fishing village soon became a popular seaside resort. In 1841 the town was made accessible by rail, which brought the first tourists to Brighton from London. During the Victorian era was managed the construction of many important buildings, which raised population and area of ​​the city began to expand rapidly. Brighton has currently about 250 thousand inhabitants.

Now, it is young and dynamic city offering all the benefits of modern life. Brighton is a major educational center with two universities and many schools. From time immemorial it attracted actors, artists and lords, who fled here from the hustle and bustle of the capital city of London. Good location of Brighton was appreciated also by an English Queen Victoria, who built a summer residence here in 1850. For some period of time it was also a home to Sir Laurence Olivier.

Walking through the city is ideal mainly for romantic souls who will be enchanted by the picturesque nooks and winding streets. The most important and most visited monument in Brighton is undoubtedly the majestic Royal Pavilion, with its extravagance which ranked among the most beautiful buildings, not only in England but also throughout Europe. The palace is notable especially for its architecture inspired by India and interior design in the oriental style. History of the Royal Pavilion dates back to 1785. It was a time when the Prince of Wales rented a fort in Brighton. It was a place where he used to meet with his mistress, later wife Maria Fitzherbert. In 1785, they got married secretly, but the Anglican Church never officially recognized and accepted it.

In addition to the Royal Pavilion, there is another very popular attraction in Brighton – Palace Pier. It is a late Victorian pier from 1899, where you can find funny attractions, classic fairground attraction, as well as cafes and boutiques. You can also visit the aquarium Sea Life Centre, the largest in southern England, where you can walk along the seabed. There are sharks and various sea animals that live in local waters. It is worth to visit also a former fishing district Lanes or lookout point The Cliff Walk situated high on the cliffs above the sea.

In Brighton, you can also find the oldest operating electric railway in the world – Volk’s Electric Railways, which was built in 1883. Runs along the inner edge of the beach from Brighton Pier to Black Rock. One of the oldest buildings in the city is the Old Ship Hotel from 1559, but also the Church of St. Nicholas from the 11th century and church of St. Bartholomew.

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The biggest attraction of Hornbæk is its local beach. It is also one of the best beaches in Scandinavia, awarded by the Blue Flag. Hornbæk Beach has fine white sand and you can enjoy here really clean air. It is a popular place of windsurfing and kitesurfing. Unfortunately there is no rent available, so you must bring your equipment yourself. In summer, the swimmers are secured by the Coast Guard. Hornbæk beach stretches on both sides of the harbor.

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Those who like walking and hiking are invited to the public forest Hornbæk Plantage, which stretches several kilometers along the coast. In the forest there are several marked routes. You can stop at one of many small parks and pick up the map of the trails at the local tourist Information Centre.

Hornbæk is also a popular place for fishing enthusiasts. Here you can rent a boat here either at the local Information Centre or in the office of Captain of the port, located on the south side of the harbor. Prices are around 600 DKK (80 EUR) per boat per day and up to 3 people.

You can stay in the local camp, which is well equipped and offers also cabins, a playground and an air trampoline for children. Or in one of the hotels. In the port you can visit the fish market.

Hornbæk is best accessible by train and car. The nearest international airport is located in Copenhagen, which is 50km away.

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Positano, Campania, Italy by Stefano Costantini

Positano is one of the world’s most beautiful resorts and, of course, one of the most expensive. The most renowned beaches here are sandy beaches Spiaggia Grande and Spiaggia Fornillo. There is also the rocky beach Scogliera. Of course you can do a wide range of activities here. The most popular is the diving and surfing. However the area is suitable for hiking as well. During the summer season Positano holds many festivals and celebrations. Among the most significant is the celebration of the landing Saraceno – “Festa di Santa Assunta” or Festival of Dance – “Premio Positano“.

The city was an important port during the 16th and 17th centuries, but later in the 19th century many people moved out and those remaining lived very poorly. Around the year of 1950 a poor fishing village has been discovered again and opened to a new and lucrative industry. Today the inhabitants live solely from tourism. Currently Positano has around 4,000 inhabitants.

Positano, Campania, Italy by Jensens

There are several sights that you can find here, but visitors are coming here mainly for romantic sunsets. One of the best ways to enjoy a sunset is sitting on the beach with a glass of Limoncello.

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Nesebar is situated on a rocky peninsula. Since 1983 it is registered in the list of World Heritage Sites of UNESCO due to its ancient center, which is among the oldest in Europe. There are wooden houses and many churches.

Admission is free to lots of sites in the town. Interesting tourist destinations in the neighborhood are Primorsko or Pomorie.

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Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia by Giovanni Dall’Orto

Soon after the completion of the main road, which connected the town to Altinum, Aquileia would grow to become a powerful and wealth commercial center. At the peak of its time, the town of Aquileia was home to more than 200,000 Romans. The city was known for its glassmakers.

In 452, the town was attacked by Attila the Hun and set ablaze. Many of the glassmakers who had helped make the town prosperous, relocated to the area surrounding the Venetian Lagoon. It is here at the lagoon that some of the most famous glass shops min the entire empire rose.

Archaeological Area, Aquileia, Italy by Zumzum

The town of Aquileia today is a park which is opened to the general public. Many of the ruins in Aquileia such as the forum, necropolis and harbor can be visited by year round by the general public. Many people also take the time to wander through the two neighborhoods in Aquileia that have been recently opened to the public as well. There are two different museums in Aquileia that house the many artifacts that have been uncovered over the years in the archeological dig sites located throughout Aquileia.

It is important to note that the original Roman basilica which had been built back in the 3rd century was destroyed during the attacks of Attila the Hun. The present day basilica was built on the ruins of the originally by order of the House of Savoy back in 1031.

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