TORQUAY

The stretch of coast including Torbay and surrounds is commonly known as The English Riviera, and in the town of Torquay, with its palm-tree lined promenade you could just about imagine yourself to be somewhere more continental. The poet Tennyson, who visited in 1838, described it as “the loveliest sea-village in England”, and it was the inspiration for his poem Audley Court. It can no longer be referred to as a sea-village though, having grown into a full-blown holiday resort.

The English Riviera is home to a Global Geopark due to the scientific significance of the area’s geology. Torquay itself houses one of the Geopark’s most popular attractions, Kent’s Cavern, a prehistoric cave which was inhabited by ancient humans for thousands of years. Guided tours can be taken around the caves, which include impressive stalagmite and stalagtite formations, and an underground exhibition chamber.

Most of the town’s other attractions centre around the lovely seafront, for example ancient creatures are showcased in Dinosaur World, while night owls can enjoy a wide variety of restaurants and a vibrant nightlife, as well as a casino and entertainment courtesy of the Riviera International Centre.

For a list of events in Torbay, see here.

Live webcam of the harbour.

Map of the area.

Torquay Harbour. Photo by averoxus, via Wikimedia Commons.