Buzzing Brighton

Travellers using the leading international travel website TripAdvisor have tipped the vibrant English south coast resort of Brighton as one of the world's top ten hotspots to visit this year. It was named sixth in the list of the world's trending tourist destinations for 2016, and third in Europe.

A flood of overseas tourists are expected to head for the exciting resort that features Regency squares, many eateries and bars, quirky shops and heaps of culture and nightlife. Trip Advisor included it because of its year-on-year increases in positive feedback.

Brighton, England’s favourite ‘city by the sea’, has been popular with Londoners for beach getaways ever since the railway arrived in 1841. Its pier above the sprawling pebbled beach features an amusement arcade and the elegant historic Royal Pavilion is another key sight. But many visitors just love to wander the little streets containing many boutique shops, pubs, clubs, restaurants, bars and cafes, and rows of market stalls.

According to figures released by the UK’s Office for National Statistics, Brighton, often dubbed ‘London on sea’, is the most popular UK seaside destination for foreign tourists, with more than 400'000 overseas visitors staying at least one night in the East Sussex city in 2013.

Based on data collected by tourist office Visit England, Brighton was the only place in England to visit in the UK outside London that made the top ten. Counting both UK residents and foreign visitors alike, it enjoyed four million visitors in 2014.

One of the resort’s attractions is its fading glamour, and it has gained growing visitor numbers despite very little redevelopment or revamping in recent years.

However that is changing. Its famous Grand Hotel - which survived bombing by the IRA in 1984, killing five people but narrowly missing the chief target, Prime Minister of the time, Margaret Thatcher - recently had a £5million (7.25 CHF) refurbishment. The new look retains the seaside ambience yet adds lots of style.

The hotel has a superb central position right on the beach. It is located close to the Lanes, a maze of narrow streets and alleyways with shops selling designer clothes, jewellery and antiques, an area that used to be at the heart of the old fishing town.

And the local council is currently exploring developing the waterfront, which would include building a new multi-purpose venue. Architects WilkinsonEyre have been appointed to lead a team of experts to develop a masterplan for the scheme. The architecture firm is noted for designing the Gateshead Millennium bridge and the basketball arena for the London 2012 Olympics.

Due for completion in August is the British Airways i360, a 162-metre observation tower being constructed at a cost of £46.2m (67.2m CHF) on the seafront near to the West Pier. It will offer visitors views for 25 miles along the coast, and a visitor centre, restaurant and exhibition space will also form part of the attraction.