I love London. Do not get me wrong. But every so often, its necessary to be able to get away for the weekend and breathe in fresh air that isn’t congested with miles of traffic, a thousand buses and a million people. I think I might make a little series of these ‘Mini Breaks from London’ posts as not only do you need to escape London to appreciate it, its also perfectly situated for travel around the rest of the UK and Europe and Londoners have prime pick of destinations to take advantage of. So, here is what to do with 48 hours in Brighton as a weekend trip from London.
DAY 1.
TRAIN:
Take the train early from your preferred London station. With the journey only taking around 45 minutes to an hour you will be in Brighton early enough and in time for breakfast/ brunch.
BRUNCH:
Brighton is a bit of a foodie paradise, and I am saying that as someone who prides myself on being a Melbourne Brunch Enthusiast. I highly recommend Cafe Coho for awesome avocado on toast and classic brunch staples. I Gigi is also a good pick.
WANDER THE LANES:
After filling up at breakfast, go for wander around the iconic Lanes of Brighton. I had an image that these would be tacky and a little subpar, (again, probably because I am a Melbourne local) but actually they are full of independent boutiques, coffee shops, artisan jewellers and a fair share of hippy, crystal and fortune telling shops.
PICK UP A JUICE:
Head to 42 Juice at SIX for a refreshing juice or smoothie before heading towards to beachfront and Brightons colour houses for prime photo opportunities.
DUM DUM DOUGHNUTS:
I suggest skipping lunch just so you can go get doughnuts from Dum Dum’s, a Brighton institution famed for its delicious offerings of sweet treats and crazy flavours.
TAKE PICTURES AT PHOTOMATIC:
Who doesn’t love a good Photo Booth where you can use props and costumes? The ones at Photomatic are awesome because they have wind machines and proper studio lighting so your pictures look super profesh. Find them at 22 Gardner St, Brighton. BN1 1UP.
BRIGHTON PAVILION:
Brighton Pavilion is like a strange imitation of India on the English seaside coast. However, despite it looking a little odd among the rest of the very British town, it is worth a visit, even if you don’t go in, just to wonder at its beauty and sit in the gardens surrounding it which are often full of performers, picnickers and sun worshippers.
DINNER:
No trip to the English beach would be complete without a supper of fish and chips, mushy peas and a tonne of vinegar. Head to the foreshore and take your pick from the hundreds of offerings before taking your food and sitting on the pebble beach (or a deck chair if you splash out) to take in the sunset.
STROLL THE PIER:
After dinner, take a stroll alone Brighton Pier, the institution that has been bring visitors for hundreds of years. At night, the somewhat tacky feel gets slightly less as the whole thing lights up in technicolour and the sound of a good old-fashioned time surrounds you.
DAY 2.
BREAKFAST:
The New Club does a fab brunch so thats always a good bet on a Sunday. Otherwise there are heaps of places in the Lanes for breaks fats, its just a matter of picking one. Here are a few other suggests; The Flour Pot Bakery, Little Miss Piggies and The Breakfast Club.
WALK TO HOVE VIA THE BANDSTAND AND BOXES:
Take a walk along the seafront towards Hove. This will bring you past the Bandstand and the Bathing Boxes which seem to be a must for most visitors, but then again, I’m from Melbourne and the bathing boxes in Brighton, AUSTRALIA are far superior. In saying that, it’s still a nice little walk and a traditional part of a weekend in Brighton.
LUNCH:
Have lunch at one of the many restaurants around the station area (Fatto a Mano), or pick up a bagel from Bagelman.
BACK TO LONDON:
Head back to London on a late afternoon train feeling like you really got away this weekend and can now be prepared for the work week ahead!
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