Iconic seaside city with 'UK's best beach' has amazing shopping and great pubs

05 May 2024 , 06:07

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Brighton Beach is a "cultural icon", according to Beach Atlas (Image: Getty Images)

One of the UK's warmest seaside cities also has its best beach, according to the results of a new poll.

Each year Beach Atlas gets a group of coastal experts, travel writers and influencers together to attempt to work out where in the world is bestowed with the most remarkable beach.

This time around the seaside savants have broadened out their criteria - looking beyond just "powdery sands and clear blue waters" to a "richer tapestry of what makes a beach remarkable."

"This is the first selection ever to expand and encompass diverse criteria such as the value to the local community, lifestyle offerings, and cultural significance. This broader perspective allowed us to shine a light on those beach gems that typically don't make it onto traditional, unidimensional 'best beach' lists," Beach Atlas explains.

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Brighton Beach is the best the UK has to offer, according to the list (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Topping the pile of the UK entries this year is not a peaceful Scottish sweep of sand, a craggy Pembrokeshire spot or a picture-perfect stretch on the English Riviera, but Brighton Beach.

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"Brighton Beach, stretching a scenic five kilometres along the southern coast of England, offers stunning views of the English Channel and stands as a cultural icon of the UK," the beach guide writes of the East Sussex destination, which came in at 25th overall in the list of 100.

"Located on Brighton's vibrant seafront, this beach is a legendary getaway for Londoners seeking a seaside escape. Moreover, Brighton is celebrated for its inclusive and diverse community, particularly known for having one of the largest LGBT communities in the UK.

"Often hailed as the 'gay capital' of the country, Brighton's rich LGBT history dates back to the early 19th century, contributing to the city's reputation as a welcoming and progressive seaside resort."

The high position of Brighton Beach is particularly eye-catching given the rough-underfoot pebbles which cover it and the dramatic drop off of the seabed that makes swimming there slightly difficult. However, it is clear from how challenging it can be to find a free spot there when the sun is shining that it is a hugely well used and treasured local asset in a city which has a lot going for it.

Not only is Brighton statistically among the warmest places in the UK and one of the country's newest cities, it has plenty to see. One of its top attractions is the ornate Royal Pavilion which was originally built as a seaside pleasure palace for King George IV. The iconic building looks like nothing else in Brighton or the country at large, built as it was with its domes and minarets to fulfil the vision of architect John Nash.

Anne and Chas recently took a look around and wrote on Tripadvisor: “What a fantastic experience. The Royal Pavilion was so exotic and full of splendour. It must have been stunning when it was first built as it took our breath away. It has aged very elegantly due to the hard work of all the staff concerned.”

Whatever the weather, there’s few better ways to kill a day in Brighton than by treasure hunting through the shops and boutiques on Brighton Lanes. From antiques to vintage clothing, many of the shops are filled with towers of knick-knacks that hint at jewels hidden beneath. The whole atmosphere of the famed shopping parade is as energetically exciting as the Shambles in York or the fictional Diagon Alley.

On the seafront itself it is almost required to stop off at one of Brighton's excellent chippies or spend some 2p pieces in the surviving pier's arcade. If you have your walking boots with you, catching a bus out of the city centre eastwards will quickly get you to the South Downs National Park and the chalk Seven Sisters cliffs, which rise dramatically above the seawater below.