Brighton Beach

England's most famous pebble beach stretches for miles beneath the South Downs, lined with colourful beach huts and Victorian seafront architecture. The beach offers swimming, water sports, and beach volleyball courts, plus the UK's first naturist beach section at the eastern end. It sits in Brighton's Brighton Seafront, close to the other main sights. It ranks among Brighton's most visited sights, and for good reason - most itineraries include it on day one. Entry is free and 2-4 hours gives you a thorough visit.

Priority: High - do not skip Time needed: 2-4 hours Best for: experience england's most famous beach with Skip if: You prefer sandy beaches or warm water swimming Cost: Free

The visit is straightforward. 2-4 hours gives you enough time to see everything at a comfortable pace.

Accessibility: Wheelchair access via ramps at several points, beach wheelchairs available from lifeguards

Experience England's most famous beach with Victorian charm and surprisingly clean swimming water. That puts it near the top of any Brighton visit, and it deserves the spot. Combine it with Brighton Pier and West Pier ruins - they are close enough to walk between and together make the strongest half-day in Brighton. Mornings are quieter if you want to take your time. Free entry makes the decision easy - walk in, see if it holds your attention, and leave when you have had enough.

Skip if: You prefer sandy beaches or warm water swimming

• Bring beach shoes as pebbles can be uncomfortable for bare feet.
• Beach huts can be rented daily from £25 during summer.
• Swimming is safe but water temperature peaks at 18°C in August.

Insider tip: The best fish and chips are from Bankers on the seafront, eaten sitting on the pebbles at sunset

Wide-angle shots from the pier capture the full beach curve, colourful beach huts make great subjects