From Regency Glamour to Mod Revolution: A Brighton Walking Tour
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About the Tour
About the Tour
Brighton is one of Britain’s most colourful and progressive seaside towns. On this walking tour, you’ll discover how it evolved from a modest fishing village called Brighthelmstone into a cultural playground that embraces eccentricity, creativity, and diversity.
The tour begins at the elegant Italianate Brighton Station – part of the same railway connection that transformed this coastal retreat from an exclusive royal getaway into a bustling tourist destination. You’ll explore the bohemian North Laine district with its colourful independent shops, and discover how the Prince Regent’s extravagant Royal Pavilion with its distinctive onion domes became the enduring symbol of the city.
Along the way, you’ll learn about local legends like Martha Gunn, the “Venerable Priestess of the Bath” who helped Victorian ladies into the healing waters, and discover how the iconic 1964 Mod-Rocker clashes inspired the film Quadrophenia. The tour ends at the skeletal remains of the West Pier, where you can contemplate both the town’s glorious past and its ever-evolving future.
On this 60-minute tour, you’ll have a chance to:
- Admire vibrant street art, including Dave Pop’s colorful murals and the Icons Wall at the Prince Albert Pub
- Step inside “Quadrophenia Alley,” a filming location from the cult movie that celebrates Brighton’s Mod heritage
- Navigate traditional Sussex twittens, the narrow passageways once used as escape routes for fleeing monarchs
- Learn how The Body Shop began in a tiny shop in Kensington Gardens, launching Anita Roddick’s ethical retail revolution
- Stand where DJ Fatboy Slim hosted his legendary Big Beach Boutique events
- Spot the former location of The Pink Coconut nightclub, where local legend Disco Pete danced his way into Brighton’s heart well into his 80s
- Discover the dramatic history of The Grand Hotel, site of the infamous 1984 IRA bombing
This walk introduces you to a city that has always danced to its own beat, where royal indulgence, creative expression, and seaside charm combine to create a unique Brighton experience.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Miranda Diboll
I'm an audio producer based in Sussex who's been waiting for years for something clever like VoiceMap to come along. And it did in 2014, just in time for me to launch my first tour with them: Britpop Camden.
I now live on the Sussex Coast so it was inevitable that a Brighton tour would come along a decade later: From Regency Glamour to Mod Revolution: A Brighton Walking Tour
I'm excited by Geolocation: I'm a Geocacher so something like this combines my passion for immersive audio and GPS. My love of audio started with radio when I was a teenager and thats where I wanted to be. I worked at the BBC for a while before setting up as a freelancer. It's a cliche to talk about the intimacy of radio but thats one of the main ingredients in the recipe for a VoiceMap tour. Just don't try one with your eyes closed or if you do, make sure you're sitting down first! Yes, you can do them from the comfort of your sofa with 'Virtual Playback'. Nice.
Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 16
Royal Pavilion
If Alderman Sir Herbert Carden had his way back in 1930, you might be seeing something quite different right now.
What you’re looking at is the Royal Pavilion, a stunning landmark that's not j... Read More
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Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Brighton Belle
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The Prince Albert
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Komedia Brighton
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Theatre Royal Brighton
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Royal Pavilion
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Quadrophenia Alley
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Brighton Hippodrome
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SHELTER HALL
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The Grand Brighton
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Brighton West Pier
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Brighton i360
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start locationQueens Rd, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 3XP, UK
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Total distance3km
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Final locationLower Kings Road, Brighton BN1 2LN, UK
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Distance back to start location1km
Directions to Starting Point
The tour starts outside the M&S (Marks and Spencers) Food Shop which is located just outside of Brighton railway station on the right hand side. If you're arriving by train, head for the exit and as you leave the station, M&S food will be on your right on the corner. You need to make sure you are standing by the shop door which is on the outside of the station as there is also an entrance to the store located just by the ticket barriers inside. You don't want that one.
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Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
There are loads of pubs on the way, some of them I talk about as they have an interesting history. We pass by the Royal Pavilion which is worth a visit as I talk about the interior which might whet your appetite! If you want to rest for a bit half way, the Pavilion gardens are nice for a rest in the shade under the trees.
We walk through the Laines, the place for independent shops and curiosities so feel free to stop the tour and visit a few if you wish.
The final stretch of the tour is along the seafront and we finish just outside the West Pier and i360. Observation Tower. If you would like to have a seagulls eye view of where you've just walking, I recommend going up the i360 to take it all in!
Best time of day
You can do this tour any time, day or night. Brighton can get very busy at weekends, especially on hot sunny days so if you want to avoid the crowds, it's best to come off peak. I don't recommend doing the tour in the very early hours of the morning though, Brighton is a safe city but like any urban area, it's safer to avoid wandering about after midnight.
Precautions
Just be aware of your surroundings and your possessions, especially during busy times. We cross plenty of roads and if there's a pedestrian crossing, we'll be using it. Some of the alleys are very narrow so you might have to give way to people walking through. You can only walk through these spaces single file but thats what makes them so fun!
If you're doing the walk in the summer, you'll be exposed to sun especially on the seafront. There's not much shade. The seafront can also get very blustery on windy days so don't try and put your upbrella up if it's raining. It better just to wear a rain coat instead.
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