About the Brighton, England Program
The Brighton program is a USAC partnership program. Learn more about on-site program elements and the city itself below.
About Brighton
- Distance from London: 46 miles
- Distance from Paris: 175 miles
The city of Brighton and Hove is located on the south coast of England and grew rapidly in the nineteenth century to become a busy seaside town. After the arrival of trains between London and Brighton in 1841, the town became popular with day-trippers and many of the major attractions built in the Victorian era can still be seen today – such as the Grand Hotel, the West Pier, and the Palace Pier. Today, Brighton attracts millions of tourists each year for its quirkiness, liveliness and, of course, the award-winning beach.
Brighton is conveniently located only 30 minutes from London’s Gatwick airport and 30 minutes from Newhaven, which has ferry crossings to France.
Brighton's fame started with the building of the Royal Pavilion, an enormous palace located in the city center where the Prince Regent George IV would entertain friends and host parties. Surrounded by gardens, the area still attracts tourists and locals alike.
Although most tourists never look further than the Palace Pier and the Royal Pavilion, students will find a lively city where something is always happening. The city hosts music concerts and festivals, its own Fringe Festival, open-air theatre shows, food festivals, comedy festivals, and more. For sports enthusiasts, there is Premier League soccer at Brighton and Hove Albion’s Amex stadium (next door to the main Falmer campus), the Brighton marathon in April, and national cricket games at the Sussex County Cricket Club in nearby Hove.