Torquay

Part of the exotic English Riviera, the Devon seaside resort of Torquay has long been a leading English destination for traditional seaside holidays and holiday cottages. These days it is as popular as ever, with more and more visitors choosing to stay in one of the town's growing number of holiday cottages. Torquay holds amazing views of far-out blue stretches of ocean occasionally inhabited by crowd-pleasing orca whales and a wealth of friendly sea life. View some of the sea life close up at Living Coasts on the harbour. Alternatively, nip 'next door' where there is plenty of more exotic wildlife to be found at nearby Paignton Zoo or the Woodlands Family Wildlife Park for more animal antics. 

Torquay has regularly Britain's tables for Best Beaches in the past few years. Swept clean by the tide twice a day, you can sunbathe, build sandcastles or go beachcombing. You can still hire paddle boats from the beach or motorboats from the harbour in which to chunter around Torbay, or take a mackerel fishing trip to catch a fishy feast to BBQ back at your holiday cottage in the evening.