Hi, my name is Ray. I'm originally from Ashford, Kent but am currently working as an economist in ...
Hi, my name is Ray. I'm originally from Ashford, Kent but am currently working as an economist in Malaysia. I enjoy travelling, good food,non-league soocer and Formula 1 motor-racing and love writing about these passions. Hope you enjoy reading my ...
Member since:21.06.2000
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Ever since I was a small boy I have had a tremendous liking for maritime cities. I suppose the open sea beckons for people like me who suffer from wanderlust or,what might be called, "The grass is always greener on the other side syndrome "! This is why I like Plymouth inSouth West England very much. Frankly it is not a city that I know exceptionally well but I have visited it on three separate occasions and liked what I saw.It seems to me to be a very relaxed,laid-back sort of place that somehow succeeds in successfully combining the old with the new.
Plymouth is a nice mixture of modernity and old world charm. Due to the German Air Force during World War II, much of the city centre had to rebuilt, and it is a modern, pedestrianised area full of well known shops including the likes of Woolworths, Boots , Topshop, Argos, Virgin and specialist shops. There are plenty of street cafes, children’s play areas, a goodly array of seats for weary shoppers, fast food outlets , verdant floral displays and as befitting a waterfront city,fountains and other water features.Plymouth is a major regional shopping centre and attracts
shoppers from neighbouring parts of Devon and Cornwall.
Accommodation in this city includes a number of good 3 and 4 star hotels, cosy, guest houses and very welcoming and comfortable bed and breakfast establishments.Among the well known hotels are The Bowling Green at the Hoe, Browns Hotel, The Cranbourn and the 3 star Grand Hotel.
The dining out scene in Plymouth is good-apart from the usual fast food joints such as four branches of Kentucky Fried Chicken, three branches of McDonalds and two Burger King outlets, there are old English tea rooms,fish and chip restaurants, pubs serving up reasonably priced bar food , English cafes and a goodly array of ethnic eateries, as one would expect in a cosmopolitan maritime city.
Although unfortunately I havent been able to sample them all, there are several Chinese restaurants, Spanish eateries, Bistros, Indian Balti Houses and Tandooris,a branch of Cafe Rouge, a Beefeater Restaurant and Travel Inn, Pasta bars and French restaurants in town.Other food havens include Italian restaurants such as Giovannis and the Bella Napoli.
The city is home to the University of Plymouth which I understand is renowned for its marine studies and Colleges of Further Education.There is a small airport nearby and of course this is a naval town par excellence. This is the places to see the destroyers,frigates and aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy.
Plymouth does not disappoint as regards sports and entertainment. Nationwide soccer is played at Home Park where you can watch Plymouth Argyle play, they were founded in 1886, but have ,unfortunately,never reached the heights. The Theatre Royal is among the finest provincial theatres in England,whilst the Plymouth Pavillions is the major regional venue for both classical and pop music, top comedians and other forms of live entertainment. A recent attraction which I have yet to visit is the National Maritime Aquarium,I have heard good reports about it.
A must see spot is Plymouth Hoe. This is where Sir Francis Drake played his famous game of lawn bowls. This area is full of historical associations and shaped the lives of the Pilgrim Fathers and countless more who sailed the seven seas from Plymouth. You could climb up the best known landmark in the city- Smeatons Tower Lighthouse- and take in some panoramic, breathtaking views over Plymouth Sound.
You have to make a pilgrimage to the Barbican,no trip to Plymouth would be complete without such a visit to this lovely area.
The quaint ,narrow, streets and lanes of the Barbican are well worth exploring with all their very cute shops ,attractive,warm and inviting hostelries and lively clubs,restaurants and shops..I remember having a wonderful aromatic coffee and a yummy chocolate fudge cake in the Barbican. Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh and Captain Cook were well known in the Barbican and set sail from here for foreign shores.
The Barbican, it should be added, is also a real haven for art lovers and houses a number of attractive art galleries stocking the works of local artists.
It is basically the medieval heart of the city but is now a hive of vibrant activity. The House That Jack Built is a thoroughly fascinating warren of tiny and most unusual shops which will absolutely delight you. In the Barbican Centre there are more than 25 craft shops,design shops and antique stores. There is also a glass works which has an open glass blowing area-the last time I was there I bought a lovely glass replica of a ship. I went last time in September and I suspect that is a good time to go,it was busy but perhaps not so chocker-block with tourists as it would be in June-August.
The small picturesque fishing boats dock to unload their catch and the Fish Market is a very bustling,vibrant,spot, and I believe, is enormously popular with local restauranteurs who buy their fish for their chefs to come up with mouth watering seafood dishes.
Of course since a lot of tourists are attracted to the Barbican,prices can be a bit steep. It is well worth setting aside some time to dwell in this picturesque part of Plymouth.
Plymouth is the gateway to the lovely county of Cornwall and is also a good base if you want to explore untamed Dartmoor and theverdant, mellow, coast of South Devon. The surrounding countryside is exceptionally beautiful and well worth visiting. Try and check Plymouth out,I do not think you will regret visiting this fine,maritime.city!You can walk the very streets frequented by such illustrious figures as Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh and Captain James Cook.
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Advantages: Nice areas of the city (waterfront, Hoe and Barbican) local city that provides all you need and a nice center for other areas Disadvantages: Looks pretty bad and there are nasty sides to it.
Chris_Padden 09.03.2002 ·
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Review of Plymouth in General
Advantages: Locality of beaches, great to eat and drink. Good base to explore Devon and Cornwall Disadvantages: Long drive from most of the country, bad city centre
intel 08.08.2001 ·
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Review of Plymouth in General
Advantages: ICE CREAM FACTORY, reasonably priced kids meals, good deals. Disadvantages: Quite expensive, can only visit salad bar once, pasta not very nice.
hays298 18.10.2005 (18.10.2005)
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Review of Pizza Hut, Devon
Jun 21st, 2001
(Sep 13th, 2001)
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