BRIGHTON, ENGLAND

Brighton, long loved, it boasts to be the most popular and most often visited of southern England's seaside resorts. Situated 50 miles (80km) from London, it merged from obscurity as a fishing village after visits by George IV (then the prince of Wales) who made Brighton as popular as it is today.

Brighton offers an extensive array of cultural attractions and entertaining activities. The narrow winding streets are reminiscent of London's Covent Garden. Famous in Brighton are "the Lanes", a romantic and splendid assortment of winding cobbled roads and of course the "piers" which stretch far into the sea.

How do I get to your school and get around in Brighton?
Air: Gatwick Airport is only 30 minutes from Brighton with good connections by train, road and bus. From Heathrow, take the Heathrow-Gatwick link and then catch the train, or travel by underground to London, Victoria station to catch the Brighton train.
Train: Getting to Brighton by train couldn't be easier. There are four trains an hour from London, including fast services from Victoria and London Bridge stations, with a journey time of 51 minutes.
Or you can catch a regular train from Gatwick (30 minutes' journey). The school is located a few minutes walk from the train station and a taxi costs a few pounds.
Bus: National Express coaches will bring you to Brighton from London and other major towns and cities around the UK.

Bus: A no nonsense flat 60p fare (30p concessions) across the Brighton and Hove town centres is the cheapest and probably the best way to travel.

Our School
The "Languages PLUS" school, a beautiful Edwardian building, is located on the sea front opposite the West beach. Recently renovated, the school building provides a high quality teaching environment with excellent facilities. The residence accommodation is located next door to the school.

School Accommodation
Languages PLUS offers you a choice of either single or double room apartments, shared among other course participants. All accommodation features fully equipped kitchens and shared bathrooms. The apartments are located close to the school and are recently renovated in a beautiful period building and are only a 5 minute walk to the post office, banks, the beach and the bus station. Linens will be provided for you, please bring your own towels.

Residence Accommodation
The Languages PLUS residence is also a very new building (converted turn of the century). We offer the option of choosing a one or two star residence. The one star * offers a private bathroom and television. The two star ** offers a private bathroom, TV and a beautiful view of the sea.

*Please note that the residence option does not offer cooking facilities. A Catering option is available at an extra cost per week. Please speak to a Languages PLUS representative for further details.

Host Family Accommodation:
Languages PLUS offers single or doublerooms with Host families, which also includes both Breakfast & Evening Meals. Your host family is looking forward to your visit and they will always do their best to engage you in daily conversation while making you feel as though you are in a 'home away from home'. Please respect their house wishes and they will respect your wishes as well. Try your best to be accommodating with your host family and remember that they will have different customs and habits than perhaps you are accustomed to.

*Remember that for the duration of your stay, you will be living among other course participants. You are expected to comply by the 'mutual' house rule and this means that all common living areas must be kept clean and tidy at all times. The kitchen that you will share is fully equipped so feel free to cook up a storm and enjoy the pleasure of working together with other participants to make your meal time an enjoyable one!

*Important: linens are provided by your family and will be changed once a week. Please do bring with you, a supply of towels, which will be washed regularly.

Prices
Programs in Brighton start from $770.00 US for 2 weeks including accommodation and tuition. We have many program options and all year round start dates. If you want more detailed pricing or start date information, we suggest you request a brochure or call us Toll Free within North America at: Tel: 1 888 526 4758 (LANGPLUS) or outside of North America at 416 925 7117.

COUNTRY TIPS
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Is Brighton Safe?
The people in Brighton and in fact throughout England are very friendly and are always willing to help. Do however be cautious and well aware of your personal space at all times. Never let someone you do not know watch your luggage and never accept rides from anyone other than official taxi drivers.

What is the local currency?
The basic monetary unit is the pound sterling (£).The pound is divided into 100 pence. Bills are issued in the denominations of £5, 10, 20, and 50. Coins are available in denominations of £1, and 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 pence.

Are a passport, visa, or vaccinations necessary?
Citizens of the United States and Canada in possession of a valid US or Canadian passport, are not required to obtain a visa for England for a period of up to three months if traveling as a tourist.

In case that a stay of more than three but less than six months is intended, a visa is required. If you are a resident of the U.S. but do not hold U.S. citizenship, a visa may be required.

Visitors from the U.S./Canada do not need inoculations.

Time?
England operates on Greenwich mean time (GMT), England is 5 hours a head of American Eastern Time.

Should I bring local currency, traveler's checks or use credit cards?
England is still a very traditional country, so everyone is very happy to accept local currency; after all, who doesn't like cash? But for safety and convenience sake, you might not want to have large amounts of either dollars or local currency on hand and so we would suggest you bring along travelers checks, which are accepted almost everywhere, or major credit cards to obtain cash along the way as needed. Be aware that you will be charged a 'service charge' each time you cash travelers checks, so convert enough each time to cover your expenses for several days. In addition, if your travelers checks are in a foreign currency such as U.S. Dollars, you need to be aware that you will receive a much better exchange rate if they are converted at a bank.

Cash and traveler's checks can be exchanged at the official Exchange rate of the day at any bank or exchange counter (airports, railway stations, tourist offices--a small commission applies); travel agencies, hotels, restaurants and stores may accept foreign currency but give you a lower rate to cover their handling.

Banking hours are normally 9:00 a.m.-4.30 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday 9am-noon, Banks are closed Sundays.

Credit cards are accepted everywhere. In general, most larger hotels, car rental agencies, and upscale stores in the tourist areas will accept the major credit cards. Be aware, however, that many , restaurants, pubs and stores will only accept cash so be sure to ask in advance.

What are the business hours?
Shopping hours are usually 9 or 10 AM–5 or 6 PM, Monday–Saturday, and, for a few shops (such as supermarkets and larger chain stores) hours are 9 or 10 AM until 7 or 7:30 PM one or night per week.

How much will I spend a day?
This is very difficult to answer and depends on the person, however the prices below should give you a approx. idea.
Three-course meal without drink 12-16 Pounds, Budget meal, 4-6 Pounds.
Laundromat, self service was 1.50 Pounds.
Cafe meal: Sandwich, dessert and coffee 3.50 Pounds.
Pint of lager 1.50 Pounds.

What is the weather like?
The United Kingdom's climate, moderated by the surrounding seas, is mild and moist. Fog, mists, and overcast skies are frequent. Average temperatures for the months of January and July 4° C (40° F) and 18 ° C (64° F) respectively. The temperature in Brighton is quite pleasant. During the summer months, the average temp is approx. 75-80 degrees- with glorious sunshine and a lovely sea breeze. During the winter months, warm clothes and a raincoat are necessary, as the temperature can fall to 40 degrees, or even colder.

Will my electrical gadgets work?
Electric current in England is 220 volts AC at 50 Cycles per second. To operate small appliances, laptop computers or other electronic gadgets, you will need a multi-adapter. Check with a large electronics store in your area. Electric clocks, record players and tape recorders will not work properly even on converters because they use the 60 Cycle American/Canadian standard.

What is the best way to phone home?
There are numerous public phones around the city which use phone cards and/or coins. All these phones can be used for both local and long distance phone calls. You can buy a British Telecom (BT) and Mercury phone cards for making telephone calls. They come in different denominations, and can be used at special cardphone booths.

It is also smart to obtain an overseas phone card (they are usually free-of-charge) from your long distance carrier, such as MCI, AT&T or Sprint. MCI's Worldphone Program, for example, lets you phone the US/Canada from England or any other European countries at greatly reduced rates from what you would pay from the regular charge. The long distance carrier will give you a special number to call when placing your call.

What major holidays are there in England?
Banks and most businesses close on New Year's Day (1 January), Bank Holiday (2 January, Scotland only), Saint David's Day (1 February, Wales only), St. Patrick's Day (18 March, Northern Ireland only), Good Friday and Easter Monday (March or April; dates vary), Labour Day (1 May), May Day Bank Holiday (early May; dates vary), Victoria Day (20 May, Scotland only), Spring Bank Holiday (late May; date varies), Orangeman's Day (12 and 15 July, Northern Ireland only), Summer Bank Holiday (late August, date varies), Christmas Day (25 December), and Boxing Day (26 December).

THINGS TO SEE IN BRIGHTON
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The Royal Pavilion: The spectacular seaside palace of the Prince Regent (George IV) transformed in 1815 into one of the most dazzling and exotic buildings in the British Isles.
Preston Manor: The Manor powerfully evokes the atmosphere of an Edwardian Gentry House allowing visitors a chance to see both 'upstairs and downstairs'.
Regency Town House: TOUR AND TALK, A Grade I listed terraced home of the mid 1820s, currently in the final phase of restoration as a Heritage Centre.
Palace Pier: Offers free admission, free deck chairs and free live entertainment. It took ten years to build, and the main section of the deck was finally opened in 1899.
Brighten Sealife Centre: Explore one of the most spectacular underwater tunnels in Europe and experience a completely uninterrupted view of life beneath the waves.
Volks Railway: Britain's oldest electric railway, built in 1883,running for 1 1/4 miles along the top of the beach from the Palace Pier to the Brighton Marina.
Madeira Drive: The lower road that runs along the seafront from the Palace Pier to the Marina is host to a number of world famous events throughout the year including the Vintage Car Run, National Speed Trials, and the London to Brighton Cycle Ride.
Brighton Marina Village: The Village Square lies at the heart of the 2,000 berth Marina, and offers exciting shopping, boutiques, gift shops, waterside pubs, restaurants and cafes.

Museums
Brighton Museum and Art Gallery: An attractive museum opened in 1873 offers an exciting range of collections of local and national importance.
Hove Museum and Art Gallery: The museum is housed in a Victorian villa near Hove seafront. Important collections of 18th and 20th century pictures, ceramics, furniture & jewelry.
Booth Museum: Unique display of British birds in their natural surroundings. Gallery displays on the environment, skeletons including a whale, world butterflies and dinosaur bones.
British Engineerium: Museum of Steam and Mechanical Antiquities.
Barlow Gallery & Museum: Unique collection of Chinese works of art covering every period of China' s history from the 12th century BC to the 18th century AD.
Brighton Museum of Childhood: The Museum has two floors of exhibits including world famous Steiff toys and teddy bears, china, celluloid and cloth dolls.

Theaters
The Concorde: Madeira Drive Brighton 01273 605056
Connaught Theatre: Union Place, Worthing 01903 235333
Gardner Arts Centre: University of Sussex, Falmer 01273 685861
The Good Companions: Dyke Road, Brighton 01273 734417
The Hawth: Hawth Avenue, Crawley 01293 553636

Cinema
ABC Cinema: 75-79 East Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1NF Telephone: (01273) 202095
Odeon Cinema: West Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 2RE Telephone: (01273) 323317
Virgin Brighton Marina: East Sussex. BN2 5UF Telephone: (0541) 555145

Sports and Activities
Bowling (Ten Pin): At King Alfred Leisure Centre, Kingsway, Hove, Tel: (01273) 772828
Bungee Jumping: At Brighton Marina and West Pier on various weekends throughout the summer. Telephone UK Bungee Club for further details: (01753) 686861
Cricket: Sussex County Cricket, Tel: (01273) 732161.
Cycling: Sunrise Cycle Hire on Brighton Seafront on the West Pier Promenade (also tandems and three-wheelers), Tel: (01273) 748881.
Fishing: Seafishing from Brighton Marina. Tel: West Quay Trippers (0850) 724159 (daytime)
Football: Brighton & Hove Albion Football Ground, Hove, Tel: (01273) 778855
Go-Karting: Pro Kart Racing, Aquarium Terraces, Madeira Drive, Brighton (01273) 333222.
Golf: Two public courses (Hollingbury and Waterhall) and five private clubs.
Horseracing: Racecourse combines top class racing with panoramic views of the sea. Tel: (01342) 834800 for more information on race meetings and prices etc.
Indoor Swimming: King Alfred Leisure Centre, Tel: (01273) 822228.
Tennis: Selection of outdoor tennis courts (ask at Tourist Office for details).
Watersports: Windsurfing, canoeing, jetski, dinghies, catamarans, sailboards from beach.
Brighton Marina Boat Trips: Deep-sea fishing from Brighton Marina.