St. Mary's Church Kemp Town Brighton

The twin towers of St. Mary's rise unexpectedly above the elegant Victorian streets of Kemp Town, and they stop you dead in your tracks the first time you round the corner. This is a proper Victorian church, built in the 1820s, all Gothic Revival grandeur with those distinctive turrets that dominate the Brighton skyline from certain angles. Inside, it's all soaring arches and stained glass - genuinely moving if you care about that sort of architecture, though I'll admit the exterior is the real draw.

It's a fairly quick visit unless you're genuinely into ecclesiastical design. Ten minutes if you're just popping in to gawk at the stonework, maybe half an hour if you settle in and read the plaques. The location itself is the real appeal - Kemp Town's one of Brighton's best-kept residential areas, all Regency terraces and village-like calm that feels properly separate from the seafront madness.

Histories buffs and architecture types will get the most from it. Kids might find it a bit dull unless they're already interested in Gothic buildings. Best approached as part of a longer wander through Kemp Town's streets rather than a standalone destination.

If you're based at Brighton Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite or Pegs and Pitches Camping, both just over a mile away, it's an easy cycle or short bus ride. Worth combining with a proper explore of Kemp Town's independent shops and cafes - that's where the real character lives.