The English Riviera is a labour of love — a free, independent travel guide to Torquay, Paignton, Brixham and the wider bay, written for people who want more than a bucket-and-spade weekend.
Torquay has been calling itself the English Riviera for well over a century, and the nickname is more earned than you might expect: real palms on the promenade, a mild microclimate, red-sandstone cliffs dropping to sheltered coves, and a heritage that runs from prehistoric caves to the world’s best-selling novelist. This guide sets out to show the bay honestly — the famous sights and the quiet corners, the rainy-day plans and the perfect-afternoon ones.
What you’ll find here
Everything is organised into five straightforward strands, each with its own guides:
Independent & not affiliated
This is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with any hotel, business, attraction or council, and it doesn’t sell tickets or take bookings. When we point you at a place, it’s because it’s worth your time — not because anyone paid for the mention.
Accuracy
We describe real places as accurately as we can, and we deliberately avoid printing prices, opening hours or dates, which change with the seasons — always check locally before you set out. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it.