Brighton Beach

If I were to put together a Brighton soundscape, it would have to include the sound of seagulls calling, carousel organs playing and pebbles crunching underfoot.

While, contrary to popular belief, Brighton’s beach does have sand as well as stones, the sand is well buried and only gets an airing when the tide’s extremely low. Basically, this is a pebble beach. And I’m perfectly OK with that. It doesn't detract from the glory of this south-facing shore - it just means that if you want to really relax, you have to get inventive with mats, or hire a deckchair.

Alternatively, you could settle for a stroll. Both the upper promenade and the lower esplanade are thoroughly pleasant places to stretch your legs, with plenty of events, cafés, bars and shops (from the arty and quirky to the supremely tacky) to keep you entertained. In summer, it feels as if the whole world is holidaying here.