Famous for its bustling seaside location, Brighton is also blessed with an abundance of green open spaces – perfect to relax in if you are a battle-weary shopper or worn-out reveller.
The regal blooms and cultivated lawns of the Royal Pavilion, recently restored to their original regency splendour, is an oasis of stately calm in the hub of the city. Venture out from the city centre in any direction and you will have a wealth of parks, greens and gardens to choose from. City parks to the north, east and west include Preston Park, a major events space, St Ann’s Well Gardens with its wooded parkland and Queens Park complete with a Victorian Clock Tower and large duck pond.
Brighton is also the perfect base for exploring gardens of Sussex and the South. Close by are Borde Hill Gardens, containing a phenomenal range of rare trees, shrubs and perennials; Leonardslee, a spring flowering garden, with fabulous rhododendrons and azaleas; Merriments, an artistic wilderness of colour and texture; and the National Trust Gardens, which include Wakehurst Place, home of the millennium seedbank, Kew and Uppark; to name but a few. Read more about some of these gardens.
With all this on Brighton’s doorstep why not stay a few extra days longer and combine the sophisticated seaside city with stunning Sussex countryside?