Torquay - Paignton - Brixham 

Torbay is made up of three towns, Torquay, Paignton and Brixham which all have their own character and charm and overlook Torbay itself. The Torbay area is also known as 'The English Riviera' as it resembles the original Riviera to some extent with its sweeping boulevards, inner harbour and palm trees. 

For details of  Torbay Hotels and Holidays, Guest Houses Cottages  and Attractions.  Go to Torbay Hotels Guest Houses and Cottages

Torquay is built on several hills that drop down to the sea and the long crescent shaped beach front that runs around most of the bay. The focus of the town is the marina area which is both old and new - part faded glory from Torquay's Victorian roots and part new development with swish hotels and racy yachts in the marina. Like many British resorts Torquay is constantly having to re-inventing itself as trends and tastes change. 

The old harbour area has been re-developed into the modern marina and new walkways constructed around the area. There is a splendid new attraction  overlooking the marina - this is called Living Coast which contains many sea birds from around the world, including penguins.

Torquay has access to several excellent beaches with good swimming opportunities. Torre Abbey is the beach closest to the town and a short bus ride away are the cliff fringed beaches of Babbacombe and Oddicombe. Look out for the cliff railway at Babbacombe which provides easy access to the beach from the cliff top gardens.

Paignton is renown for its great family holidays with its pier, wide lawns and miles of sandy beaches. This is the territory of the traditional family fun seaside holiday with all the essential ingredients - sandy beach, paddler- friendly water, ice cream and candy floss and of course Punch and Judy. In addition to the main beach at Paignton there is an excellent beach at Goodrington. There are great family attractions to see as well - Paignton Zoo, Quaywest Waterpark and the Steam Railway that goes to nearby Dartmouth.

Brixham is a working port and fishing village on the west side of the bay. There is still a large fleet of fishing trawlers based at Brixham and these can be seen unloading at the quay in the town centre. Around the harbour a maze of narrow, twisting streets to explore and plenty of cafes and restaurants where you can sample the locally caught seafood. Nearby are the towering cliffs of Berry Head Country Park where you can get some of the best views of the bay. There is also an old fort and a lighthouse on this headland.

What to see in Torbay - Torbay attractions

Kents Cavern - Prehistoric cave site and visitor centre. 

Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway - Steam railway that starts in Paignton and goes to Dartmouth. Option to return via boat and bus. 

Paignton Zoo Environmental Park - Plenty of animals including tigers, in a great setting.

Living Coasts - Coastal animals and birds including penguins - Torquay Harbour, Beacon Quay, Torquay, Devon TQ1 2BG Tel: 01803 202470

The Golden Hind - Full size replica of Francis Drakes ship - moored in Brixham harbour. 

Nearby

Cockington Village - Thatched cottages and rural charm. 

Berry Head Country Park - Great cliff top wildlife site with loads of seabirds and great views. Also a Victorian fort and visitor centre. 

For other sections of the guide you may also enjoy - see below.

Activities

Includes details of many coastal activities such as; surfing, sailing, bird watching and walking.

Attractions - see listings pages

A huge selection of attractions are available within the coastal area and this section will have details of many of them. From piers and harbours to fun fairs and roller coasters, the listings will have details of what's available in your chosen area. For details of attractions look in the resort pages. 

  Padstow

Pubs, restaurants and shopping guide

The listings section will also have details of pubs, restaurants, nightclubs and shops available in the locality. Restaurants and shops coming soon.....

                                                                                                                               The  Beach Pub - Exmouth

Features

We will bring you feature  articles  about the coastline and  news items about life in the coastal area. contributions to this section are welcome.

Photo Gallery

     VISIT