A SUNNY city lined with palm trees on America’s gorgeous west coast is partnering with one in Sussex – and we know which one we prefer.
Brighton and Santa Monica, which was recently named in the top ten beach cities of the world, have formed a partnership - which on closer inspection, might not seem so unlikely.
While our US counterpart may boast golden, sandy beaches – and Brightonians are forced to traipse across pebbles – we share common ground in rich culture, delicious regional cuisine, and fantastic piers.
Celebrations for the new Friendship Cities agreement between the two cities burst into life this month, with a beach volleyball and a sunset BBQ on Brighton beach last weekend.
Throughout July, Californian cuisine will be rattling the city’s tastebuds as a Michelin-starred chef dishes up treats at Shelter Hall in Kings Road Arches, Brighton, while smooth Santa Monica tunes drift through the airwaves each Sunday.
The month of culture swapping will culminate in a friendship mural to honour the two locations, which will be unveiled by the cities’ mayors.
The agreement is a partnership between Visit Brighton and Santa Monica Travel and Tourism.
A spokesman for the partnership said they want to promote a “cultural understanding between their citizens, and offer an exchange of ideas and activities through school curriculums, events series, and in-market tourism experiences on both sides of the Atlantic.”
The partnership is centred around the iconic piers for which both locations are known.
Both are more than 100 years old, with Brighton’s opening in 1899, while Santa Monica’s, on California’s Pacific Ocean coast, debuted just 10 years later in 1909 and now welcomes more than eight million visitors each year.
“The pact therefore marks a new chapter for the tourism industries of Brighton and Santa Monica as they partner to celebrate the parallels between the culture, history, food scenes and creative communities of the two cities,” a spokesman said.
Santa Monica Travel & Tourism is also offering one winner and their guest the chance to win a four-night trip to Santa Monica, with entries now open via their website.
A full schedule of dates and events is available via the partnership’s website.
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