3 Best Sights in Torquay, The West Country

Torquay's chief attraction is Torre Abbey, surrounded by parkland but close to the seafront. The abbey itself, founded in 1196, was razed in 1539, though you can still see traces of the old construction. The mansion that now occupies the site was the home of the Cary family for nearly 300 years. It was later converted into a museum and art gallery, and the main building contains such artistic riches as Victorian sculptures, maritime paintings, Pre-Raphaelite window designs, and drawings by William Blake. There are plenty of family-friendly activities, including brass-rubbing. There's also a good café in the Spanish Barn.

At the southern point of Torbay, Brixham has kept much of its original charm, partly because it still has an active fishing harbor. Much of the catch goes straight to restaurants as far away as London. Sample fish-and-chips on the quayside, where there's a (surprisingly petite) full-scale reproduction of the vessel on which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the world from 1577–1580. There's also a statue of the Dutch William of Orange, who landed here with an army in 1688 to set in motion what became known as "The Glorious Revolution," eventually becoming King William III. The village is 8½ miles south of Torquay via A379 and A3022 and 10 miles southeast of Totnes via A385 and A3022.

Just a mile outside the heart of Torquay by bus or car lies this chocolate-box village with thatched cottages, a 14th-century forge, and the square-tower Church of St. George and St. Mary. Repair to the Weavers Cottage Tea Garden for refreshments, or head to the Drum Inn, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1936 to be the fulcrum of a new (but never completed) model village. Nearby lies Cockington Court—a grand estate with crafts studios, shops, and the Seven Dials Café. Cockington has, however, more than a touch of the faux: cottages that don't sell anything put up signs to this effect.