The Local Area

Plymouth Tourist Office

Plymouth's Tourist Information Centre is situated on the Barbican, close to the historic Mayflower Steps. Here you can collect up to date information about forthcoming events, theatre timetables and food/music festivals, as well as hundreds of suggestions for a day exploring the city and local area.

For all local information - Tel: 01752 306330

View this Map of the Local Area

Things To Do Ashore

A wander through the Barbican's tiny cobbled lanes will take you to the hidden Elizabethan House and its peaceful gardens, or you could take a tour of Plymouth Gin (the oldest working gin distillery in the world!).

The National Maritime Aquarium is also on the Barbican and includes the best collection of sharks and manta rays in Europe, the UK's largest collection of marine life in over 50 tanks, and a 4D cinema.

Plymouth's City Museum and Art Gallery contains collections of fine art, decorative art, human history and natural history, and is complemented by changing exhibitions touring from national galleries.

On Plymouth Hoe, you can admire the views from the top of iconic Smeaton's Tower, and the spot where Sir Francis Drake famously finished his game of bowls before defeating the Spanish Armada, take a walk along the Victorian promenade with an ice cream, or a dip in the renovated art-deco Tinside Outdoor Pool.

Saltram House and Gardens is a wonderful National Trust property which can be reached by foot or bicycle along a riverside path, or in a few minutes by car. It has lovely landscaped gardens and an impressive Georgian House which was the location for Sense and Sensibility.

You could also take a short ferry ride to Mount Edgcumbe to explore its beautiful house and gardens, and to enjoy some glorious coastal paths with stunning sea views. There is also a beautiful coastal path to be found from the marina itself, following Plymouth Sound and the coast towards the River Yealm, with access to several tiny beaches along the way.

Plymouth has a timetable of great events throughout the year. Here are some of our favourites:

Apr 29 - May 2: International Jazz & Blues Festival

June 6: Start of Round Britain and Ireland Race

May 20 - 22: Tall Ship HMS Bounty Visit and Pirates Family Fun Weekend

Jul 7 - 10: Barratt Homes Plymouth Race Week - major new regatta

Jul 23: Summer Jazz Picnic at Saltram House

Jul 30 - Aug 3: Port of Plymouth Regatta

Aug 16 - 17: British Firework Championships

Aug 19 - 21: Fastnet Race finishes in Plymouth

Sep 17 - Dec 4: British Art Show

Nov 5: Bonfire Night & Fireworks on the Hoe

For more information take a look at our News & Events pages

On any day of the week or year, you will find plenty of entertainment in Plymouth. There is a multiplex cinema and ten pin bowling at theBarbican Leisure Park, and an interesting calendar of performances at the Theatre Royal, Drum Theatre and Plymouth Arts Centre.

Staddon Heights Golf Club welcomes visitors, and offers 18 holes of golf with fantastic views over Plymouth Sound. Own equipment required.

Fort Stamford Health & Fitness Centre has a gym, aerobics studio, squash courts, pool and beauty therapies. Visitors are welcome and there are a variety of activities taking place each day and evening.

Children will enjoy a visit to Plymouth Pavilions which has both an indoor ice rink and a fun pool with water slides. And for something a bit different - you could spend the day at the Ski & Snowboard Centre practising your turns on a dry ski slope!

An Introduction to Plymouth

Plymouth lies between Dartmoor and the sea, at the southern border of Devon and Cornwall and is surrounded by Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Plymouth has been a significant English port for almost a thousand years, and by the 16th century had a reputation as a centre for voyage and discovery. Sir Francis Drake embarked from here on journeys into the Pacific and around the globe, and back in Plymouth defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588 - allegedly playing bowls on Plymouth Hoe as the Armada sailed up the English Channel. In 1620, the Pilgrims left Plymouth on board the Mayflower, heading for the New World. In the 18th century Capt James Cook led three voyages from Plymouth to the southern ocean and the Pacific, and in 1831 Charles Darwin departed Plymouth for the Galapagos Islands, where he formulated his theories of evolution. More recently, in 1967 Sir Francis Chichester started and finished at Plymouth the first ever solo circumnavigation of the globe on board his yacht Gypsy Moth IV.

Plymouth has also long been known for its military importance. The Citadel which still stands today was built in 1670 on the highest point above the town, the Hoe, meaning high ground. The Royal Dockyard first opened in 1690 and continued to develop throughout the 18th century. The British Navy's role in the war against Napoleon was pivotal, and Plymouth's breakwater was built in 1812 to protect the fleet - a project so important to Britain at the time that it was known as "The Great National Undertaking".

Because of its military importance, Plymouth was heavily bombed during the Second World War, and much of the city centre and Devonport areas were destroyed, but today the city is flourishing, with a population of almost 250,000. While the Dockyard is still important, Plymouth is now a popular tourist destination, attracting large numbers of visitors who are drawn to the medieval Barbican district with its ancient cobbled streets and great restaurants, the stunning views of Plymouth Sound from the Hoe, the array of summer festival events which include the British Firework Championships, and the easy access to explore the beautiful coastline and countryside of Devon and Cornwall.