Best things to do in Plymouth

Plymouth Essentials

Plymouth's maritime identity is anchored by the historic Barbican district, home to the Mayflower Steps and the 16th-century Elizabethan House. The city’s naval legacy continues at the Royal William Victualling Yard and the 17th-century Royal Citadel. Along the waterfront, Plymouth Hoe offers panoramic views of the Sound, featuring the iconic Smeaton’s Tower lighthouse and the Art Deco Tinside Lido. Visitors can explore marine biodiversity at the National Marine Aquarium or tour the Black Friars Distillery, the oldest working gin distillery in England.

Barry Lewis / CC BY 2.0

Plymouth Hoe

Plymouth Hoe, referred to locally as the Hoe, is a large south-facing open public space in the English coastal city of Plymouth.

MyNameIsClare / Public domain

National Marine Aquarium

The National Marine Aquarium, which opened in May 1998, is situated in Plymouth in south-west England.

Jabarney / CC BY-SA 3.0

Mayflower Steps

The Mayflower Steps are close to the site in the Barbican area of Plymouth, south-west England, from which the Pilgrim Fathers are believed…

Herbythyme / GFDL

Smeaton's Tower

Smeaton's Tower is a redundant lighthouse, now a memorial to civil engineer John Smeaton, designer of the third and most notable Eddystone…

Jagojanner / CC BY-SA 3.0

Royal William Victualling Yard

The Royal William Victualling Yard in Stonehouse, a suburb of Plymouth, England, was the major victualling depot of the Royal Navy and an…

Jackofhearts101 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Tinside Lido

Tinside Lido is a 1935 Art Deco lido in the city of Plymouth in south-west England.

Adam Cuerden / Public domain

Royal Citadel

The Royal Citadel in Plymouth, Devon, England, was built in the late 1660s to the design of Sir Bernard de Gomme.

Glen Denny / CC BY-SA 2.0

Black Friars Distillery

The Plymouth Gin Distillery is a gin manufacturer on The Barbican, Plymouth, England.

Palickap / CC BY-SA 3.0

Elizabethan House

A restored 16th-century merchant’s house located in the Barbican. This Grade II* listed building features period-furnished rooms that illustrate the daily lives of residents during the Elizabethan era and survived the city's heavy bombing during World War II.