Royal Pavilion, George IV's oriental palace
1 h 30All agesAll year · October to March 10:00 to 17:15, April to September 9:30 to 17:45
Palace · 1 h 30 · £21.50 adult · one child free in families with two
From £21
Book
From London1 hr by train from Victoria
From Gatwick30 min by train
Seven SistersNumber 12 bus from Brighton
Minimum time1 day; 2 with the cliffs
CarNot needed
Overall difficultyEasy
The cliffs crumble. Don't go near the edge or sit on it, either on top or below, on the beach, right at the foot of the wall.
What to do
What to do in Brighton and the Seven Sisters
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Brighton Palace Pier
1 h 30All agesAll year; hours depend on the day
Victorian pier · 1–2 h · rides, arcades and fish and chips over the sea
Seven Sisters from Cuckmere Haven
2 h 30Walkers from age 8; short, steep climbsDog-friendlyAll year; in strong wind, stay well away from the edge
Walk · 2–3 h · free · from the Cuckmere valley to the white cliffs · bus 12 from Brighton
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Brighton and the Seven Sisters, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Brighton and the Seven Sisters
From May to September for the beach and the cliffs in long daylight; in July and August, big crowds on the pier. In winter Brighton stays lively and the cliffs look good on clear days, but in strong wind the route is uncomfortable.
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How you travel
Brighton and the Seven Sisters your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
Fly to Gatwick, half an hour from Brighton
Gatwick, London's second airport, with direct flights from many Spanish cities, is on the same train line as Brighton: about 30 minutes without going through London. If you fly to Heathrow, Stansted or Luton, go through the centre and take the train at Victoria or London Bridge. For Brighton you do not need a car; for the Seven Sisters, the 12 bus solves it.
- Getting thereLondon Gatwick (LGW), the closest…
- Getting aroundOn foot in Brighton: from…
- Where to sleepPremier Inn Brighton City Centre…
- ServicesBrighton station, with trains to…
Getting there
- London Gatwick (LGW), the closest, with a direct train to Brighton in about 30 minutes
- Heathrow (LHR), Stansted (STN) and Luton (LTN), passing through central London
- From London Victoria or London Bridge, a train in about an hour
Getting around
- On foot in Brighton: from the station to the sea, 10–15 minutes
- Bus 12 Coaster to the Seven Sisters and Eastbourne
- A hire car at Gatwick, if you want to tour the Sussex coast
Where to sleep
- Premier Inn Brighton City Centre, ten minutes from the station
- Hotel du Vin Brighton, in The Lanes
Services
- Brighton station, with trains to Gatwick and London
- Bus 12 Coaster to the Seven Sisters
Train to Brighton and the coast bus to the cliffs
Brighton and the Seven Sisters are easy without a car: an hour by train from London, the town on foot and the 12 Coaster bus along the coast road to the Seven Sisters visitor centre. Parking in Brighton, on the other hand, is expensive.
110–200 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepThe Grand Brighton, on the…
- Getting aroundTrain from London Victoria or…
- Where to eatEnglish's, oysters in The Lanes
- ServicesBrighton station
Where to sleep
- The Grand Brighton, on the seafront
- Hotel du Vin Brighton, in The Lanes
- Premier Inn Brighton City Centre, on North Street
Getting around
- Train from London Victoria or London Bridge, about an hour
- Bus 12, 12A or 12X to the Seven Sisters
- On foot along the seafront, The Lanes and North Laine
Where to eat
- English's, oysters in The Lanes
- Palm Court, fish and chips on the pier
- Birling Gap Café, at the end of the walk
Services
- Brighton station
- Bus 12 stop at the Seven Sisters visitor centre
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Brighton and the Seven Sisters for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
A pier with rides, a fairy-tale palace and white cliffs
Brighton is London's beach and works with children of all ages: the pier with its rides, the Royal Pavilion, which looks like something out of a fairy tale, and the ride up in the i360 pod. For those who like walking, the Seven Sisters are the most spectacular day in the countryside in the south of England.
- What works bestBrighton Palace Pier, with rides…
- Where to sleepThe Grand Brighton, facing the…
- Where to eatPalm Court, on the pier
- Good to knowOn the cliffs, never go…
What works best
- Brighton Palace Pier, with rides and amusement arcades
- Royal Pavilion, one child free per family with two
- Brighton i360, half an hour at 138 metres
- Birling Gap, beach and rock pools at low tide
Where to sleep
- The Grand Brighton, facing the sea, with a page for families
- Premier Inn Brighton City Centre, between the station and the sea
Where to eat
- Palm Court, on the pier
- Birling Gap Café, after the walk
Good to know
- On the cliffs, never go near the edge: they crumble
- The steps at Birling Gap number 50
- Brighton beach is shingle: bring footwear for the water
What to do as a family
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're flyingwithout a car
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
The Grand Brighton
Why we like it: The grand Victorian hotel on the seafront, open since 1864, with sea-view rooms, a spa with a thermal suite, the Cyan restaurant and tea on the terrace.
Hotel du Vin Brighton
Why we like it: A boutique hotel in a restored 19th-century building on Ship Street, in the heart of The Lanes, a minute from the seafront. French bistro and wine cellar.
Hotel
Premier Inn Brighton City Centre (North Street)
Why we like it: A chain hotel on North Street, between the station and the sea, ten minutes from the Palace Pier and the beach, with a restaurant, breakfast and free wifi.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Brighton and the Seven Sisters
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
English's of Brighton
What to order: half a dozen oysters at the bar and a fish of the day; if it is an occasion, the lobster.
Open every day from midday · book by phone, email or website
Palm Court, on Brighton Palace Pier
What to order: the classic fish and chips, at a table by the windows.
Opens with the pier's hours · you can book a table on the pier's website
Birling Gap Café (National Trust)
What to order: a tea and something to eat at the end of the cliff walk.
Map
Everything on the map
The places to stay and services on the map are the ones for the way you travel. Turn on the layers you want and tap a point to see its details.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Nearby
Near Brighton and the Seven Sisters
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Buy the Royal Pavilion online
You save 5% and skip the queue.
- 2Take the number 12 bus in the morning if you are only going to the cliffs
That way you have light to reach Birling Gap.
- 3Check the tides for Birling Gap
At low tide the rock pools appear at the foot of the cliffs.
- 4Return by train from Gatwick
If your flight leaves from there, it is half an hour from Brighton.
We'd skip it
Swimming at Brighton beach with small children on rough days: it is pebbly, steeply shelving and the sea is cold. Better the rock pools at Birling Gap at low tide.
Brighton has been London's seaside city since the Prince Regent made it fashionable two centuries ago: a Victorian pier with amusements, a palace with oriental domes, alleys of shops and a pebble beach where Londoners spend their Sundays. Half an hour east by bus, the coast rises into the Seven Sisters, seven white chalk cliffs above the sea, the best-known postcard of the south of England. You can do it all in one long day from London, although with a night you see it without rushing.
How do you get there from London?
By train, which is the usual way. From London Victoria and London Bridge, Southern and Thameslink reach Brighton in around an hour. If you fly into Gatwick, the airport is on the same line, about 30 minutes from Brighton: you can start or end your trip here without going through London.
By car it is about 85 km on the M23 and A23, around an hour and three quarters from central London. Brighton has expensive pay car parks that are full in summer; for the Seven Sisters, a car does help, with pay car parks at Exceat and Birling Gap.
To the Seven Sisters, by bus. The 12, 12A and 12X Coaster buses leave central Brighton along the coast road and stop at the Seven Sisters Country Park visitor centre, at Exceat.
What to see in a day
In the morning, Brighton. Start at the Royal Pavilion, George IV's palace, with its Chinese-style rooms. Go down through The Lanes, the alleys of the old fishing village, to the sea, and walk the Palace Pier. Eat oysters at English's or fish and chips on the pier. If you stay in town in the afternoon, go up the i360 and stroll round North Laine.
If you prefer the cliffs, after lunch take the number 12 bus to Exceat and walk down the Cuckmere valley to Cuckmere Haven: 45 flat minutes to the beach, with the Seven Sisters straight ahead. Those with the legs for it can carry on along the clifftops to Birling Gap, two hours of ups and downs.
With two days, give one to each.
When to go
From May to September, with long days, is the best time to combine the city and the cliffs. In July and August, the pier and beach fill up at weekends. Brighton works all year round; in winter, pick a clear, windless day for the Seven Sisters, because it blows hard up there and the grass path turns muddy.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can you see Brighton and the Seven Sisters in a day from London?
Yes, with a long day: Brighton in the morning and the number 12 bus to the Seven Sisters in the afternoon. With a night, much more relaxed.
How do I get to the Seven Sisters without a car?
On the 12, 12A or 12X Coaster buses from Brighton, which stop at the Exceat visitor centre.
How much does the Royal Pavilion cost?
£21.50 for adults and £13 for children aged 5 to 18; for families with two or more children, one goes free.
Is there a sandy beach?
Brighton's is pebbly. So is Birling Gap, but with tidal rock pools at the foot of the cliffs.
Can you go with a dog?
To the Seven Sisters and Birling Gap, yes, on a lead near livestock; the café and beach at Birling Gap admit dogs on a lead.