Whitby Abbey
There are ruined abbeys, and there are picturesque ruined abbeys. And then there's Whitby Abbey, dominating the skyline above the East Cliff like a great…
Andrew Montgomery
Whitby
Whitby is a town of two parts, with the River Esk carving a path between a huddle of 18th-century fishermen's cottages along its East Cliff and a genteel Victorian suburb atop the West Cliff. It's also a town with two personalities – on the one hand, a busy commercial and fishing port (it was here that 18th-century explorer Captain James Cook gained his seafaring legs) with a bustling quayside awash with fish; on the other, an oh-so-pretty, traditional seaside resort complete with sandy beach, amusement arcades and promenading holidaymakers.
Keeping a watchful eye over the town is an atmospheric ruined abbey, the inspiration and setting for part of Bram Stoker's Gothic horror story Dracula. But tales of witchery and ghostly legends have haunted Whitby ever since Anglo-Saxon St Hilda landed here to found a monastic community in AD 657. The town embraces its reputation for the weird and wonderful, which culminates in two hugely successful Goth Weekends each year.
Explore Whitby
- Whitby Abbey
There are ruined abbeys, and there are picturesque ruined abbeys. And then there's Whitby Abbey, dominating the skyline above the East Cliff like a great…
- Captain Cook Memorial Museum
This fascinating museum occupies the house of the ship owner with whom Cook began his seafaring career. Highlights include the attic where Cook lodged as…
- Endeavour Experience Whitby
In 2018, a full-size replica of Captain Cook’s HM Bark Endeavour became a permanent fixture in Whitby harbour and opened to the public as a visitor…
- Whitby Jet Heritage Centre
A museum housing the remains of Whitby's last Victorian jet workshop lies at the bottom of the 199 steps, with original tools rescued from a derelict…
- Whitby Sands
Whitby Sands, stretching west from the harbour mouth, offers donkey rides, ice-cream vendors and bucket-and-spade escapades, though the sand is mostly…
- Museum of Whitby Jet
Housed inside a 1901 chapel, this small museum has created a temple to Whitby jet – one of the town’s most prized exports, a gothic icon, and a favourite…
- St Mary's Church
The 199 steps of Church Stairs lead steeply up from the end of Church St, passing the spooky graveyard of St Mary's Church, a favourite haunt of Goth…
- WWhitby Museum
Set in a park to the west of the town centre is the wonderfully eclectic Whitby Museum, with displays of fossil plesiosaurs and dinosaur footprints,…
- BBram Stoker Memorial Seat
The Bram Stoker memorial seat is on Khyber Pass; look for the bench furthest from the Whale Bone Arches, which is more battered than the rest. From here,…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Whitby.
See
Whitby Abbey
There are ruined abbeys, and there are picturesque ruined abbeys. And then there's Whitby Abbey, dominating the skyline above the East Cliff like a great…
See
Captain Cook Memorial Museum
This fascinating museum occupies the house of the ship owner with whom Cook began his seafaring career. Highlights include the attic where Cook lodged as…
See
Endeavour Experience Whitby
In 2018, a full-size replica of Captain Cook’s HM Bark Endeavour became a permanent fixture in Whitby harbour and opened to the public as a visitor…
See
Whitby Jet Heritage Centre
A museum housing the remains of Whitby's last Victorian jet workshop lies at the bottom of the 199 steps, with original tools rescued from a derelict…
See
Whitby Sands
Whitby Sands, stretching west from the harbour mouth, offers donkey rides, ice-cream vendors and bucket-and-spade escapades, though the sand is mostly…
See
Museum of Whitby Jet
Housed inside a 1901 chapel, this small museum has created a temple to Whitby jet – one of the town’s most prized exports, a gothic icon, and a favourite…
See
St Mary's Church
The 199 steps of Church Stairs lead steeply up from the end of Church St, passing the spooky graveyard of St Mary's Church, a favourite haunt of Goth…
See
Whitby Museum
Set in a park to the west of the town centre is the wonderfully eclectic Whitby Museum, with displays of fossil plesiosaurs and dinosaur footprints,…
See
Bram Stoker Memorial Seat
The Bram Stoker memorial seat is on Khyber Pass; look for the bench furthest from the Whale Bone Arches, which is more battered than the rest. From here,…
Featured videos
10 unique experiences in the UK
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