While other cities on the southern coast of England keep their stiff upper lip, Brighton knows how to let loose, just as it has for the last two centuries. Sporting a garish 19th-century Royal Pavilion, a kid-pleasing carnival pier and a long stretch of rocky beach, Brighton is the destination for students, bohemians and blue-collar Londoners looking to go “on holiday.” It may not be the most tasteful place you’ll ever visit, but one thing is certain: in Brighton, you’ll never be bored.
In the 1790s, Prince George, who went on to rule England as King George IV in the 1820s, chose this place to build his vacation palace, now called the Brighton Royal Pavilion. After his decision, royal followers began a frenzy of construction in Brighton. Soon, this once-sleepy seaside village was transformed into a resort town. With the rise of train travel, connections to London became quick and cheap, making Brighton an easy vacation spot.
The Royal Pavilion, once the king’s holiday residence, is still one of Brighton’s most eye-catching landmarks. The exterior was designed by John Nash, a Regency-era architect who redesigned Buckingham Palace. You can tour the colorful, exuberant – even gaudy – sitting rooms and royal bedrooms for about $10. (King George, who paid royally for this palace, would think you’ve gotten off cheap.)
George, decadent and trendsetting, was well-known for his scandalous “secret” marriage to Catholic widow Mrs. Fitzherbert. He loved to vacation by the sea and host glamorous dinner parties. He was enamored with Asian cultures, and the rooms you’ll see in the Royal Pavilion are filled with exotic decorations from the East.
While George built the palace for royal reasons, it was used mainly as a party pad to entertain guests. His passion was music, and the evidence is the massive Music Room, where the royal band serenaded guests under Chinese-inspired decor. George’s other passion? Food. In the Banquet Room, the ornate table is permanently set for the dessert course. Standing in the palace, you can imagine England’s elite munching crumpets under the one-ton chandelier, with its dragons exhaling light through lotus-shaped shades.
Prudish and more practical Queen Victoria took the throne seven years after George’s death. She scorned the excesses in George’s court, and quickly sold the decadent Pavilion to the local town council, which still own it today. It was only recently that Queen Elizabeth II brought the Pavilion’s original furniture out of storage and returned it to the palace (for more info on visiting, see www.royalpavilion.org.uk).
Glittering and shiny with amusement rides and carnival games, the nearby Palace Pier is the place to go for fortune tellers, “candy floss” (cotton candy) and tacky souvenirs. The pier, built in 1891, has gone in and out of fashion; in recent years, it’s come back to life, thanks to a restoration. The main pavilion, which is free to enter, is a 19th-century gem.
With enough time, pop into the free Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, which displays decorative arts with a heavy focus on 20th-century design. The modern pseudo-kitsch includes Salvador Dali’s Mae West Lips Sofa and the architect Frank Gehry’s Wiggle Chair. The cafe above the gallery has a pleasant view of the action (www.brighton.virtualmuseum.info).
While Brighton isn’t likely to be confused with Spain’s Costa del Sol (the gravel beach is your first clue) you can wander along the waterside to get your feet wet. Striped beach chairs on the promenade are free for your lounging pleasure. As vacationers have known for more than 200 years, Brighton offers a fun escape from the everyday life – and a fix of candy floss to boot.
Rick Steves of Edmonds (425-771-8303, ) is the author of 30 European travel guidebooks, including “Europe Through the Back Door.” He hosts a public radio show, “Travel with Rick Steves” (Saturdays at 2 p.m. on KUOW 94.9 FM) and the public television series “Rick Steves’ Europe” on KCTS, airing some weeknights at 7 p.m. This week’s schedule:
Monday: London: Mod and Trad
Wednesday: Highlights of Paris: Eiffel and Monet to Crme Brule
Thursday: Belgium: Bruges and Brussels
Friday: Provence: Legendary Light, Wind and Wine
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