24 hours in Torbay
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So, you’ve decided that you want to study at EF Academy, but you’re torn over which campus to attend. You’re drawn to the concrete jungles of New York, enchanted by the history of Oxford, and mesmerized by the beaches of Torbay.
In this article, I’ll bring you on a 24-hour tour of Torbay. This small town deserves so much more credit than people give it. I’ve been living here for almost a year and a half now, and yet this quirky town still surprises me every week. It’s been the best year of my life and I’ve no doubt that I’ll miss this place. I’ve also no doubt that it’ll serve you well as your new home.
9:00 am: You’ll want to wake up as early as you can in order to get the most out of your day. Just as well, our little adventure requires you to have plenty of energy and a full stomach. So our first stop for breakfast will be none other than Brody’s, a breakfast bar hidden away in a nook of the main street.
This breakfast bar serves your usual English breakfast, but is famous for their waffles and pancake buffet, fully equipped with all your favorite syrups and sauces. Now, how’s that for a small town?
10:00 am: Once you’ve filled up and are ready for action, our first stop will be Living Coasts down at the harbor. Living Coasts is a zoo home to various fishes, birds, coastal animals, and penguins. Yes, we have a penguin zoo in Torbay. As I said, this place is crazy. Granted, they’re Macaroni penguins and African penguins but still. Penguins. The best part? The penguins, birds, and ducks are free-roaming, so sometimes they’ll come onto the walkways as well to have some fun with you.
I’ve been here twice now, the first time with my family during my first day in Torbay and the second time with friends to shoot an environmental documentary. Both visits were a delight and if you’re into ecology or animal conservation, strike up a chat with the workers here who are passionate about their job to keep these animals and our environment safe.
12:00 pm: Next up, we’ll take a nice, scenic walk across Torquay Harbor to get to Torre Abbey Sands Beach and Corbyn Head Beach which are located next to each other. If the water’s too cold, a relaxing stroll along the beach is just as beautiful. If you visit in June, this is where you’ll have the best view of the Torbay Airshow as well! Though, you’ll probably want to invest in a good pair of earmuffs as many of the fighter jets blasting through the air might even blast your eardrums if you’re not careful.
This is an amazing experience that you wouldn’t want to miss, and it’s even for free. If you’re not a fan of beaches, Torbay is also home to lush parks. One such park is Cockington Country Park. I personally have not been here but many of my friends have and have vouched for its beauty. Advice from them is to stop by here for some traditional English cream tea.
1:00 pm: After all this walking, lunch is probably on your mind. Since we’re at the seaside, what’s more suitable than some classic English fish and chips? Rock Fish, which overlooks the harbor, serves up amazing food as well as a view. The fish served here is freshly and sustainably caught, so you’re guaranteed to enjoy your meal.
3:00 pm: Our afternoon will be spent in the Babbacombe region of Torbay. A little further from the main city center, this area is full of adventure. We’ll first be heading to Babbacombe Model Village. This is a sort of amusement park with miniature-sized cities and towns, perfect for your Instagram modeling life and pretending you’re a giant. It includes medieval towns, modern cities, picturesque countryside and a lot more.
After this, we’ll head over to Kents Cavern, a prehistoric cave system. Kents Cavern is known for being one of the oldest and warmest caves in Britain, even Europe for that matter! If you look on their website, they even have special events in the caves for tourists. Last year, our school came here to watch an interactive play of Romeo & Juliet in the caves, many calling it a brilliant experience. Actors and actresses of the play would lead us around the caves as they reenact Shakespeare’s tragedy, even bringing students into the fray on some occasions.
6:00 pm: Before we end our day with dinner, we’ll head over to Babbacombe beach to watch the sunset. If you’re feeling a little peckish, there are a variety of cafes here where you can have tea and a small sandwich to go along with the view.
7:30 pm: Finally for dinner, we’ll go out with a blast with the best restaurants in Torbay along the seafront. You can choose from British, French, Mediterranean, Asian, Italian, Mexican and more. And there we go, our little adventure around Torbay for 24 hours comes to a close.
Of course, there’s still so much more to see and do, even opportunities to travel to neighboring towns and cities such as Exeter, Bristol, and Plymouth. But this is the essence of what life is like for a student studying at EF Academy Torbay, or what awaits them, if only they get out there and live it for themselves.
At EF Academy’s private boarding school in Torquay, in the borough of Torbay, our campus extends beyond the classrooms and into the quiet town the school is nestled in. The community – made up of students, school staff and locals – has often been described as a family and you will feel very much at home in this encouraging learning environment.