Destination Brighton, England

The intoxicating aroma of the sea air provided an exhilarating punch as I walked along the prom watching the waves crash as they hit the pebbly beach. True it was cold and the sun was only making small guest appearances but nevertheless it felt invigorating to be in Brighton.

A stroll on the renowned Brighton Pier is a prerequisite of a trip here. A ride on the dodgems, a flutter on the slot machines all seem part and parcel of a day at the English seaside.

Brighton beach

Of course, meandering round the labyrinth of narrow streets awash with jewellery shops and boutiques is a great way to indulge yourself. Even if you are not a chocoholic, the incredible window displays at Choccywoccydoodah will lure you inside to sample their goodies.

Most day trippers don’t venture to North Laine – separate from The Lanes – but you will miss a real treat if you don’t go. It’s the place to immerse yourself in street art. Look out for Banksy’s piece of two policemen kissing.

From 1940s fireplaces to vintage clothes, to vegetarian shoes and sweets from around the globe, this is the edgy part of town. The roads bustle with an array of independent shops that cater for a wide range of tastes. Tribeca in Bond Street is the place to head for chic and elegant clothes.

Chances are, like me, along with sampling some fish ‘n’ chips, and a trip to Brighton’s Lanes (where the fishermen once lived), its renowned shopping area, is how you while away a typical day here.  

The Royal Pavillion
©Adam Bronkhorst

You should pepper your retail therapy with a dollop of culture. The Royal Pavilion, Brighton’s icon, is an essential stop. The glitzy pleasure palace of the Prince Regent, who later became George lV, was redesigned by architect John Nash over a period of seven years starting in 1815 and was transformed into a palace to be proud of. An Indian exterior collides with a predominately chinoiserie-style interior, it is hard not to be impressed with its opulence.

George first visited Brighton in 1782 and his love of the town helped to cement Brighton’s reputation as a fashionable seaside resort. Although it is thanks to Dr Richard Russell and the health claims of his seawater cure in 1750 that morphed Brighton from a small fishing town into a place that attracted the aristocracy.

Not only did Russell think it was a good idea to drink the salty water, he also advocated bathing in the sea. Bathing machines were used to pull people out to the water while the role of dippers for the women and bathers for the men was to immerse them.

The Lanes

©Adam Bronkhorst

The Royal Pavilion was used as a Royal Residence until the mid 1800s when Queen Victoria decamped to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. 

Make time to go the council-owned Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, a quick walk through the Pavillion Gardens. Salvador Dali’s Mae West lips sofa, the Egyptology collection and the Fashion and Style gallery are among its star attractions. 

Also pop into in SEA LIFE Brighton. Built in 1872, it is reputed to be the world's oldest operating aquarium. Don’t forget to stop and admire the Regency squares and architecture as you wander round this compact city. If your feet start to give way, you can always take a ride on the Brighton Wheel to admire the city from up high. 

Brighton may have gained a reputation for its nightlife – the arches under the beachfront are home to some of the best places – but if clubbing and music bars are not your thing, you will find plenty of other activities to keep you busy. 

There is a plethora of restaurants catering for every pocket. From vegetarian to Lebanese, you are never going to go hungry in Brighton. And when you need a caffeine injection you won’t be short of coffee shops in which to spend an hour or two. As well as the usual chains there are plenty of individual ones. It seems the residents of Brighton can’t get enough of the stuff. 

Sea air always makes me feel famished so I was rather looking forward to dinner. The famed Grand hotel on the seafront where we were staying, may offer the best afternoon tea in town, but its fish restaurant is well worth a visit.  

What I like about Brighton is that it can be just a day trip to the seaside but it can also be so much more. From lively festivals to thrilling theatre, it’s the perfect pick-me-up any time of year from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. 

By Daralyn Danns 

Getting there

Southern operates a frequent service from London Victoria. Southern provides services in south London and between central London and the south coast, through east and west Sussex and Surrey and parts of Kent and Hampshire. For more information visit southernrailway.com

Stay at the Grand grandbrighton.co.uk

First published in All About Hair (All About Hair UK), the travel and lifestyle blog with a luxury twist

Destination Bath, England

The golden, locally-quarried limestone of Bath’s buildings still shimmered, even though it was raining. The green hills in the far distance stood out against the grey sky. A city that can look this magnificent on a cold, rainy English winter’s day is a remarkable sight.

Snuggled in the valley of the River Avon with the Cotswold Hills to the north and the Mendips to the south, Bath is renowned for its Georgian architecture and for its thermal springs. So, my first port of call was the Roman Baths.

Roman Baths

Courtesy of visitbath.co.uk

©Bath Tourism Plus / Colin Hawkins

It was amazing to find myself walking around this huge, well-preserved, steaming pool on ancient stone pavements that the Romans had walked on almost 2,000 years ago. It was about AD43 that they began building the baths and a temple, dedicated to the goddess Minerva, as well as establishing the city of Aquae Sulis (the Roman name for Bath).

The Roman plumbing and drainage system, I discovered, is largely in place. I wish I could find builders who were half as good today. You can’t visit the baths without “taking the waters” in the Pump Room. Served from a rusty old fountain, this water, which you drink, reputedly, contains 43 minerals. It’s warm and is rather an acquired taste but, as they say, when in Rome ...

View of Bath
Courtesy of visitbath.co.uk
©Bath Tourism Plus

I took a city tour with the Bath Bus Company to orientate myself and to get a quick history lesson about the main sights, such as the Abbey, before doing my own exploring. The beauty of Bath is that every time you turn a corner or wander down one of its small lanes you discover another surprise such as a quirky boutique or a great café. Sally Lunn’s, renowned for its Sally Lunn Bath Bun, is not to be missed.

The Georgian townhouses that filled the Royal Crescent looked even better in reality than in photographs. I half-expected to see Mr Darcy walk out of one. As I am a fan of Jane Austen’s novels, I headed to The Jane Austen Centre to gen up on the life of Bath’s treasured resident. Jane spent five years in the city which crops up in all six of her completed works.

Royal Crescent

Courtesy of visitbath.co.uk

©Bath Tourism Plus / Colin Hawkins

The Fashion Museum is a must-see. It showcases clothes from the past and present. There were some evening dresses from the 1930s that I would love to wear today.

Bath has plenty of great restaurants such as the atmospheric Firehouse Rotisserie, a favourite with locals and tourists as the food is good and reasonably priced. I also enjoyed the chic Circo, bar and lounge at The Halcyon, one of the city’s boutique hotels, where I stayed. The service is good and the rooms well-furnished. Ensure you ask for a quiet room, otherwise you could find the traffic keeps you awake all night.

A real treat was going to the Thermae Bath Spa, where you can bathe in warm, mineral-rich waters. The open-air rooftop pool was full of people taking in the views of the city, even though the temperature outside was close to freezing.

After a relaxing massage, I had enough time before I had to catch my train to take a walk along the river. The sun was now shining and the Pulteney Bridge, England’s answer to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, looked resplendent in all its glory.

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

The Halycyon thehalcyon.com

I travelled with First Great Western firstgreatwestern.co.uk

For more information on Bath, visitbath.co.uk

First published in All About Hair (All About Hair UK), the travel and lifestyle blog with a luxury twist