This Ocean City Surprised Me (Plymouth, England)

#PLYMOUTH
Surrounded by the green rolling hills that Devon is so famous for, Plymouth is England's great ocean city and is the destination from which the Mayflower departed. In this travel guide we'll show you the very best things to do in Plymouth, including top attractions in the surrounding countryside and even some hidden gems.

We'll begin our exploration of Plymouth by heading to the Barbican, a historic port district with a storied past of pirates and privateers. This area is home to Plymouth Gin, the oldest distillery in Britain as well as the oldest still-in-operation commercial bakery. We'll then head to the Hoe, an iconic green space with sweeping views of the city and known for Smeaton's Tower, a decommissioned lighthouse.

The following day we'll set off bright and early to reach Drake's Island, a little isle nestled within the Plymouth Sound that is most closely associated with Sir Francis Drake before heading to the iconic Tamar view.

Afterwards we'll chat with local naive painter and artist Brian Pollard about his works and what drew him to Plymouth. We'll end our trip to the city with a historic house visit and by checking out Plymouth Miniature Steam, a set of rolling stock locomotives maintained by volunteers.