HIDDEN GEMS
1 BARBICAN
With its narrow cobbled streets and listed buildings, the Barbican gives you a real taste of the old Plymouth. There are plenty of boutique shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants here to keep your crew entertained. Make sure you visit the Dolphin Hotel (01752 660876), a traditional boozer with connections to the Plymouth artist Beryl Cook. There are also paintings by her on the wall. The award-winning Harbourside Fish and Chips (www.harboursidefishandchips. co.uk) is popular. For those seeking some peace and quiet, the Elizabethan Gardens (01752 306330) in New Street are worth exploring. Nearby Sutton Harbour also has plenty of restaurants.
2 HISTORIC PLYMOUTH HOE
The Hoe offers panoramic views over Plymouth Sound, and is home to the red and white striped Smeaton’s Tower lighthouse, which is open daily 1000-1700 (www. plymhearts.org/smeatons-tower) and the 17th-century Royal Citadel. A statue of
Sir Francis Drake can also be found here, and a bronze plaque commemorating Sir Francis Chichester’s single-handed voyage around the world in Gipsy Moth IV can be found on the wall next to the Waterfront Restaurant, once the home of the Royal Western Yacht Club.
3 PLYMOUTH MAYFLOWER
Set over three floors, the museum explores the voyage of the Pilgrims and their journey aboard the Mayflower to America. 2020 will be the 400th anniversary of their voyage. There is also a 1:11in scale replica of the boat. Call 01752 306330.
4 PLYMOUTH DISTILLERY
No visit to Plymouth would be complete without a taste of Plymouth Gin, and the distillery based at the Barbican has been producing it since 1793, making it the oldest working distillery in England. Tours run daily and booking is advisable. Visit www.plymouthdistillery.com
5 NATIONAL MARINE AQUARIUM
Located close to Sutton Harbour and Queen Anne’s Battery Marinas, the aquarium houses more than 4,000 marine species and is the largest in the UK. Highlights include the Atlantic Ocean Exhibit, which houses rays and sharks. www.national-aquarium.co.uk
6 TAMAR AND LYNHER RIVERS
Escape the crowds by heading up the River Tamar, where you pass under Brunel’s Royal Albert Bridge. The Lynher river, which branches off the Tamar, is buoyed for 2 ¼ miles.