10th March 2009 - by Paul Silver
Brighton's Hidden Places
Brighton is a small city on the coast of the UK, directly south of London and an easy train
journey from the capital. It has a history of attracting bohemians, artists and tourists who originally came for
the clean air and now enjoy the nightlife, art galleries and relaxed atmosphere.
Like any English city, Brighton has its mainstream shops and attractions. Happily, they are easy to avoid and you
can experience the more unique side of the city without having to put in any extra effort. As parking in Brighton
is a nightmare, lets presume you're arriving on the train and provide you with an interesting walk through the
hidden places that make Brighton worth visiting.
As you come out of the station, please turn immediately right before the bike racks, then left and walk down
Trafalgar Street. Under the front of the station concourse is the Brighton Toy and Model Museum. Perfect for
children or the very young at heart, this tiny museum contains a wide range of toys including puppets, antique
dolls, and a very large set of model trains which have been lovingly laid out with model villages and working
points.
Continuing down the hill from the museum, you may want to pop in to the Lord Nelson for a pint of the very fine
Harveys ale, brewed a mere ten miles away in Lewes. Then it's downhill a little more to turn right at Sydney
Street. This is the start of the North Laine shopping area. Their trading association doesn't allow chain stores to
open in the main streets so there is a wide range of independent traders, coffee shops and small restaurants. If
you want a tattoo, a unique haircut, or a bonsai tree, you'll be able to find it here.
For great food in the North Laine, try Bills on North Road. Both vegetarians and meat eaters give their regularly
changing menu rave reviews. For great beer, try the Basketmakers Arms near the bottom of Gloucester Road (one road
north of Bills.) For decent beer and very good pub food, the Eagle opposite the Basketmakers Arms is a great
compromise.
Once you're refreshed, take in the photography exhibition above the Snoopers Paradise flea market in Kensington
Gardens. Regularly changing, they show fantastic shots of Brighton from a wide variety of photographers, from
people who have been homeless to experienced professionals. Once you've had your fill of art, you can pop
downstairs and pick up a new (recycled) outfit, second hand books, computer games, models, records, antique
furniture, and practically anything else you can think of.
If you like graffiti or 'street art', take in Robert Street, which runs parallel to Kensington Gardens. At first it
looks like an average back street but look opposite the glass-fronted offices and you can see the backs of the
shops have been decorated by a local allowed-graffiti scheme.
If your need for art isn't quite satiated, take a left down Church Street and then right in to the Pavilion
Gardens. The Pavilion is the most famous building in Brighton, a seeming Indian palace dropped in to a British
tourist town. Hidden in it's gardens is the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, which displays both local historic
artifacts and local and visiting art exhibits.
Here you can chart Brighton's growth from a small fishing village in the 1800s to the current vibrant city it's
become. You can also see a range of influential furniture, clothing through the ages, and regularly changing
exhibitions.
Cutting through the Pavilion Gardens, then across North Street (ignore those high street shops!) You make it in to
the Lanes. The buildings of the Lanes are the remains of the original village and now hold a variety of shops and
businesses. Most famous for it's jewellery shops, the Lanes also holds a range of cafes, restaurants, an antiques
shops.
For a quick bite in the Lanes you can't beat Piccolos, an Italian restaurant in Duke Street which serves with
remarkable speed from it's busy, exposed kitchen. You can have a two course meal and be on your way before most
restaurants have come for your order at Piccolos.
The Lanes will lead you down to the sea. Whilst not exactly a hidden part of Brighton, you shouldn't avoid seeing
it while you're in the city. On the seafront between the Palace Pier (still standing) and West Pier (an
abstract-looking gridwork of remains in the sea) is a range of small art shops, a gallery, and the fishing
museum.
Grab an ice cream and fight your way over the pebbles to the sea for a paddle. When you're on your way home you can
reverse your route and find many things you didn't notice before, there's always something new to see in
Brighton.
Source: http://bb-articles.com
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