Brighton is a seaside resort on the south coast of England , an hour from London and close to Gatwick airport. It is easy to get to from because of close links to London and a lot cheaper than transport to Magaluf or Benidorm, or somewhere equally culturally appealing.

“ Seaside resort in Britain ?” you say. “Surely it must be for pensioners?” Usually the answer to this is yes, but with Brighton this isn't the case - unlike other seaside resorts on the south coast the pensioners tend to leave Brighton alone, probably because it has a reputation for being ‘full of them gays'. Brighton is essentially a young people's seaside resort, with good food, good bars and good shops. In the summer it is hot and sunny, and whilst the pebbly beach may not be everybody's cup of tea, surely the Black Rock nudist beach (which was opened in 1890, amazingly) must be.

Brighton does have a reputation for being the gay capital of the UK , and perhaps quite rightly – it is home to the largest gay club in the south (called Revenge, for a reason that I cannot fathom) and hosts a very popular Gay Pride week in August which attracts over 100,000 visitors. However, the overall population of Brighton is only 13% gay, which is only 3% above the national average. So, for any homophobic readers (shame on you, first of all), don't worry about being attacked by a ‘bummer' or anything like that if you visit Brighton . As the Brighton and Hove Albion football supporters say to homophobic chants from the opposition supporters, you are probably too ugly to be gay anyway. Sorry, I digress….

Brighton is great for shopping – not only does it have the huge Churchill Square Shopping Centre, but it also has lots of little interesting shops in an area of the city centre known as the Lanes. The Lanes are a network of small narrow streets filled with different shops selling everything from chocolate sculptures to vegetarian shoes. The Lanes twist and turn round the bottom of the hill that leads up to the city centre, and you can get lost there for hours there as every turn takes you to a new and interesting place full of new and interesting shopping experiences.

The South Lanes provide the more regular shopping experience, with shops like Oasis and Office jostling for space with the Old Post Office, a market which sells, among other things, Kimonos and Peruvian goat-herder boots. However, the crazier North Laines (so kooky they felt they needed to improve on the spelling of the word ‘lane') are great for finding things you didn't know you needed, such as vegetarian fast food, a giant statue of Buddha, flares so baggy people could live in them with you, a reading of your aura taken using a special aura camera, a mod-style Vespa scooter, or a Ferrero Rocher milkshake.

The Lanes are also home to some great pubs such as the Font and Firkin, which was originally a chapel, then a pub, then more recently a pub/chapel worshipping the Gods of music – Elvis and Kurt Cobain, amongst other stars, are depicted on a huge stained glass window in the centre of the circular building. There is also a great pub called the Mash Tun in North Laines , which is always lively and full of interesting people and furniture.

Brighton is great for food, with unusual restaurants on every corner, such as Genghis Kahn's Mongolian Barbeque and Mama Cheri's Soul Food Shack. There are more traditional restaurants (such as the lovely Donatello's Italian restaurant, situated in the South Lanes) as well as chain restaurants (like the delicious Wagamama noodle bar), so there is something for everyone. But let's face it, who wouldn't want Mongolian barbeque? Surely it can't all be sheep's testicles…?

One of the best things about Brighton is the laid back atmosphere the city exudes. It is a funny little place where, as my grandmother always said, you could run down the street naked and nobody would bat an eyelid. Maybe that is why it attracts so many celebrities – Paul McCartney, Fatboy Slim, Chris Eubank and Jordan, amongst others – and, quite frankly, so many weirdos too. It has to be seen to be believed.

If Brighton was one of your relatives it would be your cool aunt with lots of cats that you secretly think is a lesbian. It has been called the Amsterdam of Britain, and perhaps with good reason - when it looked like marijuana was going to be legalised the first thing a local businessman did was open a pot café called The Joint, which was going to be one of the first of its kind in the country. Marijuana, however, wasn't legalised, so the café became a place of suspicion for the police.

All in all, you can see that I think Brighton is great. Yes, I am biased – it was the closest city to where I grew up and going there was always a treat – but I still think anyone would enjoy themselves, especially in the summer when it is really hot and sunny. Brighton is the perfect place to chill or party, depending on how you feel. Take your friends, take your partner, take your grandparents – anyone and everyone would have a good time.