Must see attractions in South Devon

High on Devon’s must-see list, the captivating summer home of crime writer Agatha Christie sits beside the placid River Dart. Part-guided tours allow you…

Three miles south of Totnes off the A381, this renowned vineyard is chiefly known for its crisp, sparkling white wines, as well as its delicious cheeses…

Sitting on one of England's most exposed peninsulas, the 815,000 candela beam of this bright-white lighthouse can be seen for 25 nautical miles. Tours (on…

This innovative, 32-hectare zoo is by far and away Paignton's top draw. Spacious enclosures recreate habitats from savannah and wetland to tropical forest…

For an evocative glimpse of jazz-age glamour, drop by the former home of the D'Oyly Carte family of theatre impresarios. Built in the 1920s, its faultless…

An Aladdin's cave of curios, Edwardian country house Overbeck’s crowns the cliffs at Salcombe's estuary mouth. It's set in 3 hectares of lush, subtropical…

Expect stalactites to drip water on your head and temperatures to dip to 14°C in these atmospheric caves. Hour-long guided tours lead through a maze of…

Clinging to the cliffs beside Torquay Harbour, the open-plan Living Coasts aviary brings you close to exotic birds. The immense enclosure features a…

There are 413 tiny buildings, inhabited by 13,160 even tinier people, on display at this Lilliputian attraction, the epitome of English eccentricity…

Although it gets busy in the summer holidays, South Sands has immense charm. It's something to do with the broad beach (at low tide), the mini watersports…

Here be treasure: the highlight of the hauls from local shipwrecks are the 500 glittering Moroccan gold dinars from the Salcombe Cannon wreck site, dating…

Salcombe's best high-tide beach, sand-filled Mill Bay sits across the water on the east side of the estuary. It's reached by either walking the lane south…

Two miles east of Totnes, this ruined castle was originally built by the feudal Pomeroys in the 15th century. Within the walls is a second stronghold, a…

Bantham is, arguably, South Devon's finest low-tide beach. Set at the mouth of the River Avon, this dune-backed sweep of sand offers a cool cafe, surf…

Henry VIII gave this pastoral 324-hectare estate to two of his wives (Catherines Howard and Parr). For many years it was home to the town's art college;…

A slanting 10-hectare chunk of grass-topped rock, tidal Burgh Island is connected to Bigbury-on-Sea by a stretch of sand at low tide. At high water the…

Discover maze-like passages, atmospheric guardrooms and great views from the battlements of this picturesque castle. The best way to arrive is via the…

Slapton Ley's broad sweep of water is ringed by a nature reserve and fringed by reed beds and woods. A 1.75-mile trail skirts the ley, crossing the reed…

Wave-dashed as they are today, Slapton Sands have an even more dramatic past. During WWII, thousands of American servicemen trained here for D-Day using…

At 182 hectares, Cockington provides a welcome oasis of calm, green space, just a mile from Torquay's seafront bustle. Walking trails wind through fields,…