Brighton Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour

Brighton Palace Pier and the seafront

The Palace Pier is the symbol of Brighton: an ornate iron pier stretching more than 500 metres into the sea, opened in 1899 and lined with kiosks, arcades and a small funfair at its far end. The Palace Pier bus stop is the most popular place to start the Brighton hop-on hop-off bus tour, and from the open top deck you see the pier, the pebble beach and the long seafront promenade in one sweep.

Along the seafront, the route passes painted arches converted into galleries and cafés, the old fishing quarter with its small museum, and the beach where locals swim from spring to autumn. Hop off here to walk on the pier, take a ride on the seafront zip wire or simply sit on the stones and watch the sea before catching the next bus.

Old Steine, the Royal Pavilion and the Lanes

Just inland from the pier, the bus crosses the Old Steine, a long green space with a fountain that was once the fashionable promenade of eighteenth-century visitors. Behind it rise the domes and minarets of the Royal Pavilion, the extraordinary Indian-style palace that is Brighton's most famous building, set in restored gardens beside the city museum.

A few steps away lie the Lanes, the narrow alleys of the original fishing town, now full of jewellers, antique shops and small cafés. This stop is ideal for a longer break: visit the palace, wander the Lanes and have lunch before rejoining the bus. Your ticket includes a discount on entry to the Royal Pavilion and the city museum, so keep it with you.

Brighton railway station and the North Laine

The route climbs to Brighton railway station, the arrival point for most day visitors from London, with its grand curved iron roof from the nineteenth century. It is a convenient stop if you arrive by train, as you can start your hop-on hop-off tour of Brighton the moment you step out of the station.

Just below the station lies the North Laine, a grid of colourful streets known for its independent spirit. Vintage clothes shops, record stores, street art, small theatres and cafés line every lane, and the atmosphere is lively from morning until evening. Hop off here to explore at your own pace, then walk downhill to the seafront or catch the next bus to continue the circuit.

The West Pier, the i360 and the Hove seafront

Heading west, the bus passes the rusted iron skeleton of the West Pier, standing alone in the sea since storms and fires destroyed it, and the slender Brighton i360 tower rising beside it. Your ticket gives a discount on a walk-in flight in the tower's glass pod, a great way to see the whole route from above.

Beyond lies Hove, Brighton's calmer neighbour, with wide seafront lawns, rows of colourful beach huts and grand white terraces and squares built in the early nineteenth century. The commentary tells the story of how a small fishing village became one of Britain's most fashionable seaside resorts. Hove is perfect for a quiet walk along the promenade away from the crowds.

Brighton Marina and the eastern cliffs

At the eastern end of the route lies Brighton Marina, a large harbour sheltered by breakwaters and filled with yachts and fishing boats. Built in the 1970s below the white chalk cliffs, it has a waterfront boardwalk, shops, restaurants, a cinema and a bowling centre, and it is a good place for a relaxed lunch by the water.

From the marina, a seafront path runs beneath the cliffs back towards the town, and on the way the bus passes Madeira Drive with its long green iron terrace. With a two-day ticket, you can spend one day on the seafront sights and another on the Royal Pavilion, the Lanes and Hove. Remember that the ticket also covers local city buses, handy for evenings out.