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Torquay - town in Devon, England

Torquay Town Hall

Torquay (pronounced "Tor-kee") is an English town on the coast of Devon in the West Country. Since the 19th century, it has been a fashionable seaside resort in the English Riviera. The town is situated on the English Channel, on the southern edge of Torbay, an east facing bay that is part of the larger Lyme Bay.

Understand

Torquay's advantages as a seaside resort and destination are obvious, with 9 sandy beaches and extremely high standards of water quality (holder of 3 European Blue Flags, more than any other English resort). Torbay enjoys a warm micro-climate that allows palm-like trees to grow readily, though these are not true palms but rather Cordyline australis - Cabbage Tree.

Torquay is infamous as the setting of Fawlty Towers, the hotel owned by Basil and Sybil Fawlty in the classic 1970s British television comedy. The TV show was inspired by the now closed Gleneagles Hotel which the cast stayed at while filming Monty Python's Flying Circus.

The coastal area of Torbay which includes Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, was given the nickname 'English Riviera' because of the large amount of sandy beaches and the relatively warm climate compared to the rest of the country. Officially known as Torbay, it is almost completely made up of tourist resorts and small fishing communities. It is in a natural east-facing harbour.

Torquay is also known for being the place where explorer Percy Fawcett was born.

Get in

By plane

Exeter (IATA: EXT) is the closest airport, but seldom the most convenient as it's lost its flights to London.

By road

Torquay is connected to the UK motorway network by the A380, which traces the outskirts of the town as Hellevoetsluis Way and Hamelin Way, leading to the A38 and then on to the M5 at Exeter. The A3022 branches from the A380, leading into Torquay as Riviera Way, to the seafront as Newton Road and then Avenue Road, and then on to Paignton as Torbay Road. The A379 runs past the harbour to the Babbacombe and St Marychurch areas of Torquay, and then north along the coast to Teignmouth.

By train

Torquay is on the scenic Riviera Line. Trains run every 30 min from Exmouth, looping round the estuary and taking 55 min from Exeter (3 stations) via Starcross, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot and Torre, and continuing from Torquay to Paignton. There's occasionally a through-service but usually you change at Exeter for Bristol, the Midlands, Manchester and London Paddington.

Torquay railway station 📍 is on the coast near Torre Abbey. There's a staffed ticket office, machines and a coffee shop. Plusbus tickets are available.

Torre railway station 📍 is one mile north along the road to Newton Abbot. The frequent Exmouth-Exeter-Paignton trains stop here but not the long distance services.

By bus

Torquay is the terminus of the Gold service which runs from Plymouth, Totnes, and Paignton, and terminates at the harbour. This can be a useful way to reach Torquay from the west since it means you do not need to change trains at Newton Abbot.

Get around

Two bus routes operated by Stagecoach Devon pass through Torquay - the 'Bayline' number 12 service between Newton Abbot and Brixham, and the X46 service between Exeter and Paignton - while other routes operate within the town.

See

Museums

Do

  • English Riviera Wheel, 10-12 Vaughan Rd, TQ2 5EQ, 50.460987°, -3.52703°, +44 115 967 9991. 10AM-8PM. A tall ferris wheel, similar to the London Eye, offers souvenir photographs. Booking online saves 20%, private bookings are also available. Adult: £6, Concessions (Students / Senior Citizens): £5, Child (under ): £4, Family (2 adults plus 2 children under ): £18 2018-01-19
  • Harbour Amusements, Victoria Parade, TQ1 2BD, 50.459219°, -3.524794°, +44 1803 297990. As with any seaside town, there is an amusement arcade which provides a great way to get rid of loose change. 2018-01-19
  • Watch football at Torquay United, who play soccer in the National League, the game's fifth tier. Their home ground is Plainmoor, capacity 6200 with half seated, a mile north of the sea front.

Theatres

Beaches

Torquay is also set along a coastline renowned for its 9 main beaches. The high standards of water quality and beach facilities mean that many carry coveted awards. Torquay's beaches and coves are stretched out along the palm-lined coast:

Buy

Union Square and Fleet Walk shopping centres are near to the Harbour. They offer a wide range of high street shops, ranging from independent boutiques to large chain stores.

The Willows, a few miles from the centre, offers a retail park with a large Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's, Next and electronics stores.

Eat

Chefs in the area are spoilt for choice when it comes to locally sourced seafood and meat. The cuisine has a distinctive west country flavour. Adventurous diners can take a culinary journey around the world, sampling everything from French, Italian and Spanish, to Indian, Thai, Moroccan, Mexican and Lebanese cuisine

Accolades like AA Rosettes, Michelin Stars and Les Routiers can be found, while even several of the fish and chip shops are award winning. From restaurants with stunning views across the emerald bay, to Country pubs offering hearty fare, Torquay has it covered.

Budget

  • Bamboo Sandwich & Coffee Bar, St Marychurch Rd, TQ1 4TY, 50.481674°, -3.5229°, +44 1803 326015. M-Sa: 9AM-5PM, Su: 10AM-3AM. A small cafe, with a great sandwich selection. 2018-01-19

Mid-range

Splurge

Drink

There are numerous pubs, clubs and bars close to the harbourside, ranging from traditional English pubs to classy wine bars.

Sleep

Torquay is well supplied with bed and breakfast (B&B) and self-catered accommodation. The Tourist Information Centre is a good source of quality information about accommodation and Torquay in general.

Connect

As of May 2022, Torquay has 4G from all UK carriers, and you might get 5G from EE in town centre.

Go next

  • Paignton – A coastal town which has lots of tourist attractions.
  • Brixham – A small fishing town, reachable by ferry.
  • Totnes – A small market town.

Torquay

Date Time:Please wait...Timezone:Europe/LondonCoordinates:50.46, -3.53

Borough of Torbay

2nd-order administrative division

England

Primary administrative division

United Kingdom

gov.uk
Population:66.5 MDial code:+44Currency:Pound (GBP)Voltage:230 V, 50 Hz