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holiday@torbay.gov.uk
Tel: 01803 211 211

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Torquay

Explore the palm trees and other exotic tropical plants and flowers, the busy harbour and the rolling green countryside give Torquay a special atmosphere. There are plenty of Torquay Hotels and a wide choice of accommodation to suit everbody - from Torquay's popularity has never waned, and new developments mean that Torquay is still the Queen of British resorts.By day, its beaches and activities are unrivalled and at night it glitters with fun and vibrancy.

From a background of pirates, smugglers and honest fishermen, the town developed into a fashionable haven for visitors in the 19th century. Torquay established an outstanding reputation and it soon expanded to take in nearby parishes such as Babbacombe and Cockington.

During your stay, make sure you visit Beacon Quay, redeveloped on the site of the World War II slipways, where you will find a number of shops and cafes in a beautiful setting overlooking the Bay, as well as Living Coasts, an aquatic zoo full of marine magic.

6 Torquay Titbits

1.Torquay was named "Queen of the Riviera" by the Victorians and carries the Riviera title to this day.

2.Torquay, like Rome, was built on seven hills. Italianate villas set amongst the pines would look equally at home on the Adriatic.

3.Agatha Christie enjoyed bathing at Beacon Cove, one of the English Riviera's original "ladies' beaches".

4.During the late 1800s, many literary figures based themselves in Torquay, with Charles Kingsley, author of The Water Babies, spending some time in what is now the Livermead House Hotel.

5.An eccentric hotel proprietor was the inspiration for John Cleese to create Basil Fawlty and Fawlty Towers when he and the Python team stayed at a Torquay hotel. The establishment has recently been refurbished into a 3 star boutique hotel.

6.Torquay was the setting for the 2003 film Blackball starring Vince Vaughan and Paul Kaye.

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