Torquay Harbour
Torquay Harbour sits at the heart of one of the most attractive seaside towns on the south Devon coast, the principal resort of the English Riviera, a string of three Torbay towns whose mild climate, sheltered coastline and abundance of palm trees have justified the Mediterranean comparison since Victorian leisure tourism transformed this stretch of coast in the mid-nineteenth century. The harbour is the social and visual centre of Torquay, its marina surrounded by restaurants, bars and hotels occupying the elegant Victorian and Edwardian buildings that reflect the town's prosperous resort history. The harbour developed from a modest fishing anchorage in the late eighteenth century as the town's fortunes grew. The arrival of the railway in 1848 and the patronage of wealthy Victorian visitors seeking the health benefits of the coastal climate and the scenery drove rapid development that gave Torquay its grand villas, promenading spaces and theatrical seafront architecture. The town's character as a fashionable resort was established in the Victorian period and, though much has changed, something of that character persists in the better-preserved quarters of the town above the harbour. Torquay's most famous daughter is Agatha Christie, who was born in the town in 1890 and retained connections to it throughout her life. The Agatha Christie Mile, a self-guided trail through the town, connects places associated with her life and the locations that inspired her work. The Torquay Museum holds a permanent collection related to Christie and the town hosts an annual Agatha Christie festival that draws visitors from around the world. The harbour waterfront provides pleasant walking, with views across Tor Bay toward Paignton and Brixham and out into the Channel beyond. Boat trips from the harbour include cruises along the coast, fishing trips and seasonal services to Brixham. The natural harbour of Torbay itself provides sheltered water for sailing and water sports, and the beaches immediately north and south of the harbour offer good bathing in the calm summer waters of the bay.