Travel bucket list idea:
Royal Pavilion
Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom (UK)
Credit Shutterstock.com/Dan Breckwoldt
Last updated: 07 February, 2024
Built by the future King George IV between 1787 and 1823, the Royal Pavilion is an eccentric confection of British Raj-style architecture and oriental kitsch – and an essential part of Brighton’s Regency heritage.
Its exotic minarets are still a striking novelty against the English sky, while the interior, which has been carefully restored in the Far-East-inspired chinoiserie style favoured by its original owner, offers visitors a glimpse of the Prince Regent’s decadent lifestyle.
Visitors can explore the interiors, including a banqueting room, kitchens, and a music room where Rossini performed.
Logistics
Price from: £6
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
The Pavilion is close to the city centre and seafront, with the railway station a 10-minute walk away. Inside the grounds, follow signs for the Pavilion entrance, where you can buy tickets and pick up multimedia tour handsets.
The audio guide is informative and allows for greater flexibility than a formal guided tour, although these can be booked in advance. Food and drink are available at the first-floor Tea Room; in warm weather, sit on the balcony for a view over the palace gardens.
From mid-November to mid-January, a temporary ice rink, restaurant and bar is installed in the grounds; go after dark, when the Pavilion is floodlit in neon colours.
When to do it
The palace is open Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Monday. To avoid the crowds, go in the afternoon when the school parties have left, and if you can, avoid peak summer (July-August), especially weekends.
