Brighton i360

The Brighton i360 is impossible to miss — a slender 162-metre tower rising straight from the seafront beside the ruins of the old West Pier, with a giant glass viewing pod that glides serenely up its spine. Created by Marks Barfield, the architects behind the London Eye, it offers the one thing even Brighton couldn’t otherwise provide: the whole city, the South Downs and miles of Sussex coast in a single sweeping view.

The Flight

The experience is a “flight” — the circular pod, ten times the size of a London Eye capsule, carries around 175 passengers gently up to 138 metres, hangs there while everyone drinks in the view, then floats back down, around twenty-five minutes in all. On a clear day you can pick out Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters to the east, the Isle of Wight to the west, and the whole of Brighton laid out like a map below — with a bar on board if you fancy toasting the view.

A Tower with a Story

The i360 has had a rollercoaster history of its own — after financial troubles it closed abruptly at the end of 2024, before reopening in spring 2025 under new ownership with fresh investment, keener pricing and big plans for the site, including generous discounts for local residents. The tower stands on the root of the West Pier, whose skeletal remains just offshore are one of Brighton’s most photographed and poignant sights — the ticket hall even echoes the old pier’s Victorian tollbooths.

Visiting the i360

You’ll find it on the Lower Kings Road seafront, an easy stroll from the Palace Pier, the Lanes and Brighton’s beach — it slots perfectly into a classic Brighton day. Flights run regularly through the day and into the evening; sunset flights are the ones to book, and booking online in advance is cheaper. The pod is fully accessible, step-free and pushchair-friendly.

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