Brighton's city centre runs roughly between the train station in the north and the seafront in the south, with North Laine at the north end and The Lanes at the south. The Royal Pavilion grounds are roughly in the middle. It's a small and walkable area — you can cross it in 20 minutes on foot — but it contains most of what brings visitors to Brighton.
The streets around Western Road and North Street are the main shopping thoroughfares. The Old Steine is a busy roundabout that was once a green used by fishermen to dry their nets. The seafront promenade runs from Hove in the west to the Marina in the east, with the Palace Pier as the central landmark. Most of Brighton's restaurants, bars, and nightlife concentrate in the city centre and the streets just behind the seafront.