With its sheltered waterways, Salcombe is the most southerly seaside town in Devon, and is one of the South West's best loved sailing centres.

The town kept itself busy for most of its history with maritime industries - shipbuilding and repair, chandlery, port services and so on.

Inaccessible except by sea, and without the big sandy beaches required by tourists, it largely avoided resort-style development in the 18th and 19th centuries, although the prospect of a rail link in the 1880s (unfulfilled) gave rise to a guest house or two.

Sea trade peaked for Salcombe in the 1860s when it was home to 100 or so schooners (most of them locally built) shuttling to the Bahamas, the Mediterranean and the Azores for exotic fruit for the home market.

It was a tough but lucrative business if you survived, and profits from the trade provided the cash for many of the substantial Victorian houses you see today.

In more recent times Salcombe has, of course, been found out as a beautiful place to stay, with tiny streets, interesting pubs and shops, and two very pleasant little beaches - North Sands and South Sands. In case your sand castles lack inspiration, there is a real castle (a 16th century artillery tower, destroyed in the civil war) on North Sands.

On the headland just south of South Sands is Overbeck's Museum - an Elegant Edwardian house containing the weird and wonderful collections of scientist and inventor, Otto Overbeck. Heritage, lots of kids stuff, lovely gardens and fabulous views - everyone should be happy here.

You could also visit the Salcombe Maritime Museum and learn some of the history of the town, while the town’s surrounding coastline is perfect for all kinds of watersports. Sailing and motorboats are available for hire.

Salcombe has some upscale dinning establishments in addition to a number of outstanding traditional seafood restaurants. Boatswain's Brasserie and Duster's Bistro offer food lovers a fine dining experience, while The Oyster Shack, Winking Prawn and Restaurant 42 serve up a selection of locally caught fish and shellfish.

Salcombe and its surrounding area offers an extensive choice of holiday accommodation. Whatever you want, be it self-catering, bed and breakfast or luxury hotel, you can find it either in or around the town. There are pretty thatched cottages, barn conversions or elegant marine apartments. Salcombe is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and its camping and caravan parks are carefully located in discreet and pretty settings.

The picturesque villages of Thurlestone, Hope Cove, Bolberry and Soar are nearby, while East Portlemouth, located on the opposite side of the Salcombe Estuary, is just a two-minute passenger ferry ride away.

Key facts:
Population: 1,893
District: South Hams
County: Devon
Top restaurants: Restaurant 42, The Galley Restaurant, Jack Spratt's Restaurant, Winking Prawn, The Oyster Shack, Boatswain's Brasserie, Duster's Bistro and Captain Flint's.
Top hotels: The Lodge Hotel, The Marine Hotel, Soar Mill Cove Hotel, Tides Reach Hotel and The Port Light Hotel.
Local attractions: Salcombe Maritime Museum and Overbeck's Museum.