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Torquay
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Overview
A seaside resort since Victorian times 鈥� and, famously, the setting for Basil Fawlty's fictional hotel in Fawlty Towers 鈥� Torquay remains a classic destination for the good, old-fashioned British summer getaway. Rather fancifully billing itself as the heart of the 'English Riviera', a reference to its palm-lined seafront and russet-red cliffs, it's a curious mix: as popular as ever with coach tours, sun-seeking families and stag- and hen parties, but with a fresh smattering of fine-dining restaurants and boutique B&Bs that indicate the town might be sloughing off its old image in favour of something a bit more classy. And in fact, it's the sprawling, bargain-basement resort of Paignton 3 miles south that's in more dire need of an image overhaul.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
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Expect stalactites to drip water on your head and temperatures to dip to 14掳C in these atmospheric caves. Hour-long guided tours lead through a maze of鈥�
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There are 413 tiny buildings, inhabited by 13,160 even tinier people, on display at this Lilliputian attraction, the epitome of English eccentricity鈥�
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This innovative, 32-hectare zoo is by far and away Paignton's top draw. Spacious enclosures recreate habitats from savannah and wetland to tropical forest鈥�
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At 182 hectares, Cockington provides a welcome oasis of calm, green space, just a mile from Torquay's seafront bustle. Walking trails wind through fields,鈥�
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Built in 1196, this impressive abbey is a setting for arts and cultural events, but it's the wonderful gardens that are of most interest 鈥� particularly to鈥�
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The collection at Torquay's town museum is eclectic, taking in everything from samurai suits of armour to Egyptian mummies and taxidermied butterflies鈥�
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To indulge in pure holiday nostalgia, head to this grand old Victorian pier where you can parade along the long wooden deck, jump in a dodgem, bounce鈥�
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One of a string of sand-and-shingle beaches, Oddicombe sits at the foot of the Babbacombe Cliff Railway.
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