Brighton is perhaps one of the nation's favourite seaside towns and has a special place in the hearts of many. It's famous for its pier, pebbly beaches and naughty comedy postcards.

Brighton's humble beginnings however started when the Saxons conquered Sussex in the 5th century AD. One of them was called Beorthelm and it is thought that the name Brighton evolved from this Saxon name. Brighton developed throughout the middle ages despite suffering from coastal erosion which swallowed a great deal of farmland. The town was also burned down by the French in the 17th century however was subsequently rebuilt thanks to the wooden construction of many of its buildings and began to flourish afterwards with a thriving fishing industry. The 18th century really saw Brighton take off and in 1787 the most famous building in Brighton, the Pavillion, was built for the first time.

The 19th century saw further rapid expansion and in 1841 a railway to London opened which made it much easier for visitors to reach Brighton. By 1848 it was estimated that 250,000 people visited Brighton each year. It was during this period that West Pier was built in 1866 and Palace Pier in 1899. Brighton saw extensive damage during the Second World War with 56 air raids causing over 5,000 houses to be damaged or destroyed.

Brighton and Hove was made a city in 2000 and in December 2002 West Pier partly collapsed when severe weather hit Brighton. Unfortunately Brighton's other pier, the Palace Pier was damaged by fire in February 2003 although it has subsequently reopened. Brighton is thriving today however and has an active scene for clubbers and party goers. Brighton also sees regular gay pride events due to its cosmopolitan and diverse culture.

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The seaside resort of Eastbourne has been popular with locals and tourists alike since the Stone Age. It is close to the famous Beachy Head chalk cliffs, which rise a dramatic 530 feet above the sea level. You may recognize them if you've seen the film Quadrophenia. Or more recently they were the backdrop to a sketch in "Little Britain". The cliffs themselves are marked by a prominent lighthouse to make sure that ships on the busy English Channel keep their distance.

The main focus of Eastbourne nowadays is to keep tourists happy. There are four miles of beach, which is comprised mainly of shingle, and the sea front itself is lined with a wide range of hotels and guest houses - be sure to book a sea view room if you want to ensure that you will be able to watch the ocean from your room when you stay in a hotel in Eastbourne.

As you wander around the town and surrounding South Downs, you may well recognize areas made famous by authors such as Lewis Carroll and Charles Dickens, who have made Eastbourne their home over the years.

Fans of "Little Britain" may recognize the promenade in the town - the character Emily Howard strolled along it during various appearances.

The Eastbourne Pier stretches 1,000 feet out to sea and features a camera obscura (a much larger version of a pinhole camera), which has been on site since Victorian times and has been fully restored in recent years. Whilst there are no longer any theatres on the pier - although there are several in the town itself - the pier caters for a younger crowd with a nightclub and bar instead. The pier also regularly holds the International Birdman competition as well as a local raft race where rafters have to get round the pier whilst avoiding the water cannon that is aiming at them.

Other events in Eastbourne include a 4 day international air show - be sure to book your room early if you stay when this is on. The show normally features the famous Red Arrows display team as well as holding other flights to commemorate the Battle of Britain.

History buffs will want to visit the Redoubt Fortress, which was built to support the Martello Towers and defend England against Napoleon. More recently, in World War II, the fortress was used to house Canadian troops before the D-Day landings. Nowadays the site houses a museum where you can trace its history and see reconstructions of how it would have looked.

Whenever you decide to visit Eastbourne, there is a multitude of places to stay. These range from small, family run hotels and guest houses - often on the seafront, for some quite spectacular sea views - through to larger hotels. If you are visiting the town for a specific event, it pays to make sure that your chosen lodging is close to where the main event is being held if there is still space available there. That said, there are always regular buses running around the town.

About the Author  - Discover lots of places to stay in Eastbourne ranging from small Eastbourne guest houses through to seafront hotels.