Explore Plymouth England: 4 Must-See Viewpoints for Your Weekend

Why did I want to explore Plymouth on my birthday weekend? You will laugh when I tell you. I could have spent another weekend in Paris. Still, this year I started to take swimming as a fitness activity more seriously, and when I spotted Tinside Lido as one of the largest open-air swimming pools in Europe, my heart sank; I had to swim in that gorgeous pool. The downside was that I had forgotten that my birthday was at the end of March, and the lido would stand empty. It doesn’t open before May. However, I still went ahead with a weekend in Plymouth and had a fantastic time. In this post, I will share 4 must-see view points for a weekend in Plymouth.

The Royal William Yard

This is where I decided to stay and rent an Airbnb in one of the buildings. The Royal William Yard is an ensemble of buildings built between 1824 and 1835 destined to serve the Royal navy’s need to feed their soldiers by having a facility providing all the food and victuals, where bread and beer were made with slaughterhouse and general stores and offices. These buildings are considered the largest group of military facilities in Europe and were closed in 1985 and decommissioned in 1992. However, in 2004 the city of Plymouth decided to transform the building into a living and shopping area. The first new residential apartments were completed in 2007, and it has become a trendy neighbourhood with many bars, restaurants, art galleries, and an outpost for the University of Plymouth. It’s a great place to start your visit from in Plymouth and stay in one of the apartments. The only hotel in the area is the Rooms by Bistro Pierre, which is often fully booked. From this area, you can take the bus number. 34 to town.

Devil’s Point Park

Access the park by walking across the green in front of Bistro Pierre. There is an alcove to walk through to access the viewpoint over the sea. You can also access the promenade by walking out of the yard and continuing walking up the hill and going right. The scenery is spectacular. Opposite you will find Sir William’s Drake Island.

Plymouth Barbican

After the initial shock of discovering Plymouth city centre rebuilt in one of the ugliest post-war architecture it was a delight to walk across the cobbled stones streets of the barbican, one of the historic areas that has survived the blitz of 1941 with timbered framed medieval and brick houses

This place has been made famous through the expeditions ships sailing from here across the globe with the pilgrims on the Mayflower. Sir Francis Drake waited here for the Spanish Armada and later became the city’s mayor in 1581, as Thomas Cook, among many others.

Plymouth Hoe and the Tinside Lido

The medieval quarter of town where the first settlers arrived. You can’t miss the Smeatons tower red and white lighthouse pointing at the top and the large avenue where the Victorians used to take a Sunday stroll on top of the hill among the lush greens and the scenic views. You can spot the gorgeous Tinside Lido Pool from the top of the hill, built in art deco style and restored to its former glory. It is one of the largest open-air seawater swimming pools in Europe. The pool was built in 1935 and closed in 1991 due to fewer visitors escaping to warmer climates. This pool is one of my main reasons to visit Plymouth, but I must return as it only opens between May and September. However, you can still walk down the steps for a closer view of the pool and enjoy the fantastic view of the pool over the sea.

What about the town centre?

You might have to walk across the city centre from the train station. Don’t be deterred by the architecture of the city centre, which was rebuilt in a rush after the war in an East German block style and gives a rather dreadful first impression of the town. Once you walk out of town and uncover the historic part of the city left unscathed by the blitz, you will delight in extending your exploration by walking along the coast.

I had a wonderful time in Plymouth despite the weather on a constant whim of rain and sunshine. There are so many areas to explore, and this city has a lot to offer just for a weekend to unwind along the seaside, 3 hours by train from London.