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Plymouth

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The Barbican, Plymouths old harbour area, Plymouth, Devon, England, United Kingdom

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Overview

For decades, some have dismissed Plymouth as sprawling and ugly, pointing to its architectural eyesores and sometimes palpable poverty. But the arrival of high-profile chefs Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Mitch Tonks and an ongoing waterfront regeneration begs a rethink. Yes the city, an important Royal Naval port, suffered heavy WWII bomb damage, and even today it can appear more gritty than pretty, but Plymouth is also packed with possibilities for visitors: swim in an art deco lido, tour a gin distillery, learn to SUP, kayak and sail, roam an aquarium, take a boat trip across the bay, then see a top-class theatre show and party till dawn. And the aces in the pack? The history-rich Barbican district and Plymouth Hoe – a cafe-dotted, wide, grassy headland offering captivating views of a boat-studded bay.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Fishing vessels and terraces of Pubs and restaurants, Barbican, Old harbour, Plymouth, Devon - stock photo

    Barbican

    Plymouth

    For a glimpse of ancient Plymouth, head down to this historic harbour area, where part-cobbled streets are lined with Tudor and Jacobean buildings, and…

  • PLYMOUTH, DEVON, UK - January 25 2020: Plymouth Gin Black Friars distillery entrance on Southside Street Plymouth Gin Distillery

    Plymouth Gin Distillery

    Plymouth

    This heavily beamed distillery has been concocting gin since 1793, making it the oldest working producer of the spirit in England. Four to six tours per…

  • Plymouth, Devon, UK - August 3rd 2019: National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth, UK. Bright sunny day, day time photo.

    National Marine Aquarium

    Plymouth

    The UK's biggest – and perhaps best – aquarium is lodged beside the Barbican harbour. There's a huge amount to see, but the highlight is the impressive…

  • Plymouth England August 2020. The fish market with the deep sea fishing fleet moored alongside the quay. Boats registered in Plymouth and Brixham. Light cloud

    Plymouth Fish Market

    Plymouth

    Around 60,000 tonnes of fish pass through this market, making it the second biggest by volume in England after London's Billingsgate. It's an amazing…

  • Plymouth Hoe

    Plymouth Hoe

    Plymouth

    Francis Drake supposedly spied the Spanish fleet from this grassy headland overlooking Plymouth Sound (the city's wide bay); the bowling green on which he…

  • The Mayflower Steps at The Barbican in Plymouth south Devon England UK February 2017

    Mayflower Steps

    Plymouth

    The Mayflower Steps mark the approximate final UK departure point of the Pilgrim Fathers – the band of settlers who founded New England's first permanent…

  • 2 June 2018: Devon, UK - Smeaton's Tower is the third Eddystone Lighthouse, built by John Smeaton, which was dismantled and rebuilt on Plymouth Hoe as a memorial.; Shutterstock ID 1194001051; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Smeaton's Tower

    Plymouth

    The red-and-white stripes of Smeaton's Tower rise from the middle of the Plymouth Hoe headland. For an insight into past lighthouse keepers' lives, head…

  • City Museum & Art Gallery

    City Museum & Art Gallery

    Plymouth

    Plymouth's main museum was closed for a multi-million-pound redevelopment at the time of writing. It's set to reopen in 2020, with the transformation of a…

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