Torquay is the sparkling jewel of the English Riviera, with its wide palm-lined boulevards, stylish Art Deco architecture, vibrant waterfront and glittering marina filled with fabulous yachts. Like Rome, Torquay is built on seven hills; in fact with its white Italianate Victorian villas scattered across pine covered slopes that sweep down to golden beaches, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in the Mediterranean. With such a magnificent backdrop its easy to see why Torquay continues to attract those who seek a more sophisticated seaside experience, and in the 21^st Century Torquay remains a classic destination for those who enjoy a stylish English vacation.

A Torquay holiday is an ideal escape for grown ups and you’re never far from one of Torquay’s award-winning beaches or pretty coves. Whether you want to soak up the rays, relax with a good book or take to the water, you’re sure to find a beach to suit. Agatha Christie (who was born and bought up in Torquay) enjoyed bathing locally at Beacon Cove, one of the English Riviera’s original ‘ladies’ beaches’. Torquay was host to the Yachting events during the 1948 Summer Olympics and water sports continue to be extremely popular in the bay.

Torquay boasts a number of heritage sites including Kent’s Cavern, a network of prehistoric caves where you can take a guided tour around one of Britain’s most important Stone Age sites. Step back a little more recently in time at the Bygones Victorian Museum, with its Victorian street of houses and shops. Nearby Beacon Quay, which in 1944 saw the mass embarkation of British and American troops for the Normandy Invasion, is home to the penguins, puffins and seals of Living Coast. Also on the waterfront is the Princess Theatre, host to West End Shows and international musicians.

Only a mile from Torquay’s sea-front, is Cockington, a 17^th century manor house with an idyllic estate of thatched cottages with pretty gardens and a blacksmith at work in the forge. Browse the craft shops there or enjoy a Devon cream tea before going for a stroll through the glorious gardens and woodland.

A former visitor to Cockington was crime writer Agatha Christie, who was born in Torquay in 1890. You can find out more about her life at the Torquay Museum or walk the Agatha Christie Mile from the Tourist Information Centre and take in Torquay’s harbourside and seafront along the way. Christie’s house at nearby Greenways, now owned by the National Trust, is where you can also take a trip on the Paignton to Dartmouth Steam Railway - a journey Hercule Poirot took in Christie’s mystery “The ABC Murders”. The steam trains run from Easter to October.

There are some excellent shopping opportunities at the Pavilion, a former Edwardian Theatre, with its specialist boutiques and shops. Nearby, Fleet Walk is an undercover shopping area with an open terrace leading to the Winter Gardens. End the day soaking up Torquay’s cosmopolitan ambience on the waterfront, which has plenty to entertain grown ups with it’s stylish wine bars and award-winning restaurants such as the Michelin-starred Elephant. It’s easy to see why Torquay holidays are ideal for those who enjoy a more sophisticated seaside escape.

With the cost house of hold bills in the UK increasing almost on a monthly basis and everyone bearing the credit crunch, people are beginning to skip their holidays abroad. While this is natural, people can still take dream holidays closer to home while saving money by visiting some of the more popular tourist destinations within the UK. The UK has many exciting and diverse places to visit, with self catering holidays in Cornwall becoming increasingly popular year-on-year. With so many beautiful places to visit and spectacularly diverse landscapes all in an easily travelled area, this is hardly surprising.

Until recently one of the most popular ways to holiday in this popular destination was either camping or caravanning. However, the price of luxury accommodation has come down in recent years and although people have had to miss out on overseas holidays, people still want a level of luxury and comfort for their holidays and a central location to act as a base to explore this unique location. While Cornwall is famous for its traditional holiday cottages, there are also a large amount of 4 and 5 star self catering accommodation in Cornwall that include lodges, townhouses, barns and apartments, all set in a contemporary style offering something a little bit more discerning for your next trip.

No matter what you want from this beautiful county, you are guaranteed to find contemporary self catering accommodation in Cornwall that will match your desires. For example, Newquay is the most popular holiday destination in Cornwall with sweeping sandy beaches interspersed with spectacular cliff top views. The pace of life is entirely up to you in Newquay from action packed watersports to relaxing and enjoying the many tranquil beauty spots. Newquay has many self catering apartments and holiday homes within easy reach of all these diverse attractions and over looking the stunning coast line the surf capital of Europe has to offer.