Description
As the evenings draw in and the long winter months approach, what better time than to plan a pre-festive weekend away? It's time to get Christmassy and the English Riviera must be one of the loveliest places to visit at any time of the year. Noted for its mild climate, Torquay enjoys higher than average UK temperatures. It's even warm enough for palm trees to flourish all year round. The Torbay Palm has become the symbol of the English Riviera and has thrived in the area since it was brought over from New Zealand in 1820. The opportunity for a little Christmas shopping and some festive fun and food. Lovely!
Itinerary
Highlights
- Hotel for 3 nights with breakfast & dinner- Porterage- Welcome tea/coffee & biscuits- Complimentary drink on arrival night before dinner- Transfers into Torquay for leisure time on Saturday- Festive thermed dinners - Christmas & New Year's Eve- Quiz one afternoon with tea/coffee- Some entertainment\n
Your Itinerary
DAY 1 - After joining your holiday coach to the south coast enjoy an en-route stop for refreshments. Arrive at your resort hotel in Torquay late afternoon where a very welcome cup of tea or coffee & biscuits awaits you. Meet your fellow guests for a complimentary drink in the Gallery Lounge before dinner. 3 Nights here with breakfast & festive dinners (Christmas & New Year's Eve) included.\n\nDAY 2 - Enjoy Torquay\nA day at leisure in Torquay on the magnificent 'English Riviera' with its palm-lined seafront and russet-red cliffs - perfect for a winter promenade. There is a market every Saturday (Union Street), a good smattering of cafes and restaurants as well as the Torquay Museum (open Saturday 10.00 - 16.00 - entrance approx. £10 pp in 2025), full of local history and artefacts with a gallery dedicated to Agatha Christie, the 'Queen of Crime' born in Torquay in 1890\n\nOne afternoon join in the festive quiz in the hotel with tea and coffee and then freshen up before your Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and this evening's entertainment.\n\nDAY 3 - The House of Marbles & Trago Mills\nFull English breakfast this morning before boarding the coach for your included excursion. Enjoy the countryside as you head to a unique visitor attraction located not far from the Devon town of Newton Abbott. The House of Marbles has a fascinating collection of marbles from across the ages, an operational glassworks, enchanting marble runs, pottery museum, a treasure trove of nostalgic games & toys, a cafe and shopping emporium. Makers & purveyors of a world famous range of glass marbles, board games, classic toys, puzzles, pastimes & decorative accessories, they have been designing, making and selling fun and entertaining products since 1973.\n\nNext stop is Trago Mills with over 18,500 square metres filled with 100,000 home, garden, clothing and leisure products. There are 38 departments packed with leading brands at discounted prices, special clearance offers and one-off bargains - the perfect opportunity to get a head start on the Christmas shopping all under one roof! Refreshments can be bought at the Towers Tea Room and Staple Hill Servery and Trago is also home to the largest garden centre in the South West\n\nDAY 4 - After breakfast, it's time to return homewards breaking the journey at a suitable stop for refreshments. Arrive back at your local joining points this evening
Venue Information
Headland Hotel & Spa, Torquay
This elegant 3* Torquay hotel is situated in one of the most beautiful parts of Torquay on the English Riviera, sitting majestically on the headland looking out to sea. It is set in two acres of magnificent ground and offers stunning views across Torbay with numerous coastal walks nearby. \n\nThe Hotel has 78 en-suite rooms each equipped with beverage making facilities & flat screen TV. There is free Wi-Fi in the public areas and also a Sauna, Mini Gym, Gallery Lounge and Sea View Terrace as well as the spacious and elegant Romanoff Restaurant. Disabled facilities are also available. \n\nEntertainment some nights and lift to most floors.\n\n