Longing for a luxury beach holiday in the United Kingdom with a warm climate and sunshine?
You might be surprised to learn that Torquay, located on the English Channel in southeast Devon, provides an almost year round opportunity to enjoy the English coast. Famous for its beautiful beaches, coastal walks, and literary attractions, and many luxury accommodation options, Torquay is often referred to as the English Riviera.
Victorians thought that Torquay was reminiscent of the Mediterranean coast. With easy access provided by the railroad, Torquay became a popular tourist spot in Victorian times. Torquay offers twenty-two miles of stunning coastline and a UNESCO Global Geopark, a lively pier, international marina, and —what more could you ask of your English beach vacation ?
photo: Wikimedia, David Dixon
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Torquay offers a variety of beautiful beaches, water sports, art galleries, and bustling towns. It’s an ideal base for a family holiday, solo trip, or girl’s weekend. activities.
Which beaches should you visit in Torquay?
Maidencombe Beach in the North of Torquay. This beach is not easy to access, but worth the effort for the excellent sea views.
Watcombe offers a beautiful sandy beach for sun worshippers.
Oddicombe Beach is a sheltered sandy beach where you can hire chairs and umbrellas for relaxing or hike to the top of the cliffs for a bit of cardio. There’s also the cliff rail if you don’t fancy too much physical exertion.
Anstey’s Cove is a small beach with sparkling blue water and a heavily wooded area behind the beach. When you get tired of lying in the sun, you can hike from Torquay to Babbacombe. The south west coast path is a great place to observe nature and breathe in the fresh, clean sea air.
Babbacombe Beach has pristine waters and stunning coastal views. Take a stroll along the Downs, the highest promenade in England.
Photo: Wikimedia, Derek Harper
Living Coasts
The whole family will love the Living Coasts, a coastal zoo where the animal’s natural habitat is recreated. Penguins, seals, otters, are a few of the critters the kids will love seeing in real life.
Kents Cavern
Kent’s Cavern are spectacular natural caves providing evidence that people and animals have explored these caves for hundreds of thousands of years. It’s also located within the Global Geopark. It is the most important prehistoric cave-dwelling in Britain.
Photo: Wikimediacommons
Literary Torquay
Torquay was also the home of the famous crime mystery writer Agatha Christie, and many people come each year for the Agatha Christie Festival. If you love a good mystery and a bit of exercise combined, don’t miss the Agatha Christie Mile mystery walk. I want to do this!
