Brixham is a charming seaside town in Devon, located at what is often referred to as the “English Riviera”. Wander the marina and watch the many boats bring in their freshest catch of monkfish, crabs and lobster and wander the streets full of charming cottages and other historical buildings to get an impression what life was like a hundred years ago while enjoying all the comfort of today in charming bistros, restaurants and holiday homes.
Culture & attractions in Brixham
There is a surprising number of museums to be found in Brixham ‐ but don’t fret, this doesn’t mean you’ll have to look at glass vitrines for hours: all of them have a unique hands-on approach and many quirky exhibits so you definitely won’t get bored.
The National Coast Guard Museum and Brixham Heritage Museum for example have a large collection of trinkets that many different visitors of Brixham left here ‐ and visitors there were many, as the harbour was first popular with the Vikings, then with young men as port of return for their Grand Tour and later became an important military harbour.
If you’ve ever wandered around London’s South Bank, you might have come across the capital’s own replica of The Golden Hind, the ship used by Francis Drake for his journey around the globe. Brixham’s own life-size replica, which makes the London version pale in comparison, has been turned into a museum where you can find out everything about Drake’s travel and life during the Tudor age. Like the original version, this ship has actually circumnavigated the world, too ‐ several times!
Must-do highlights in Brixham
As with every fishing town, the harbour and key are the heart of Brixham. Regular quay markets with local food and delicacies, handy crafts and interesting bric-a-brac are a perfect opportunity to shop for unique souvenirs for family and friends.
If you’ve always wanted to find out if you would make a good fisherman, private fishing tours around the harbour are a fun way to find out. With many of them, you’ll get a lovely meal at the end of the day, regardless of the size of your catch.
If you prefer to be on solid ground, St Mary’s Bay walk is a wonderful coastal walk with stunning sea views. St Mary’s Beach itself is located a steep half-mile climb up from Brixham that will reward you with a quiet beach (even in the height of summer) and calm waters as it is sheltered by the cliffs.
Berry Head National Nature Reserve is a limestone peninsula and 100 acre nature reserve just outside Brixham. The country park has excellent sea views and is home to a population of horseshoe bats and many bird species which make it a paradise for bird watchers.
Without doubt, the most famous building in Brixham is the Coffin House which looks exactly what it sounds like. According to legend, it was built by a young man when the father of his beloved told him that he would rather ‘see her in a coffin, before she wed’ ‐ after seeing the coffin house, the father gave in and they lived happily ever after.
Eating & drinking in Brixham
Even for grown-ups, there’s nothing quite like eating fish and chips by the seaside. The Golden Fish and Nick’s Fish Bar are just two of the many shops that are lined up along Brixham’s strand.
For more gourmet food, try the Breakwater Bistro which serves fresh Brixham seafood, steaks and surprisingly good vegetarian food for such a rural location. The restaurant also collaborates with many local artists whose works adorn the walls.
Accommodation in Brixham
If you’re visiting Brixham, you probably are not the type of traveller who stays in club resorts and hotels. But even if you usually like the luxury of those, the many unique and high-class holiday apartments available in Brixham might make you think twice.
The Captain’s Quarters is an old captain’s cottage with enclosed private garden. The 2 bedroom cottage used to belong to Captain Schjonnerman who sailed the world in the 19th century and then settled here to set up the navigation school in Hill House.
A very child-friendly bungalow is Badger’s Run which is located right in between the town centre and Berry Head Nature reserve. The bungalow has panoramic sea views and a lush garden that is home to many species of birds as well as a family of badgers that visits from time to time!
So that’s our round up of things to do on a weekend in Brixham. Have you ever been there? What would you recommend doing if someone went there for the weekend? Please share you experience with us…