A Trip to Babbacombe Model Village

Located in a beautiful area of Torquay in the English Riviera, Babbacombe is the perfect place to visit if you’re looking for a seaside getaway. Affectionately known as the ‘Jewel in the crown of the English Riviera,’ Babbacombe includes a great range of things to do and see in a quiet, laid-back setting.  

One of the must-visit attractions in the town is Babbacombe Model Village and a couple of weeks ago we were invited to spend the morning here. For those of you who have no idea what Babbacombe Model Village is, let us give you an overview...  

Babbacombe Model Village is a beautiful garden which consists not only of many gorgeous trees and plants, but also over 400 miniature models of stately homes, iconic monuments, town centres and historical scenes. From Shakespearean, to Victorian, there’s a vast variety of architectural styles and many famous historical landmarks. Not forgetting the tens of thousands of miniature folks who reside in the village! Babbacombe Model Village pride themselves on creating comical and satirical scenes that depict the best (and worst!) of British culture. There are several fun indoor features too, such as the 'Little Enders' soap set, the Victorian snowy village and the world of movie miniatures. This attraction is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it gives you a chance to slow down and enjoy the little things in life (quite literally!). 

One of the first things you see when visiting the village is the panoramic viewpoint of the entire garden. You’re able to see all tiny scenes from the top and it’s a great place to take some snaps! Below, the garden is spread over 4 beautiful acres so it’s the perfect place to spend some time meandering through and noticing all the subtle details of the scenes. Our favourite scenes and buildings include the miniature railway which circles the fishing village, complete with real fish, the medieval castle protected by the fire-breathing dragon (again... real fire!) and the beautifully crafted Bath Crescent. Other highlights include the satirical Hovis unaffordable housing development and the miniature city centre featuring many puns of high street names. The scenes and models at the Model Village are all hand crafted by their talented production team and some even cost thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours to create.  

At the bottom of the garden is the Model Village’s 9-hole crazy golf course. This part of the attraction was added this year and it’s a wonderful way to break up your walk through the gardens and elongate your visit here. Our marketing team, Sydney and Tia, played a round of golf and it’s safe to say that one of them might need a bit more practice! Click here to watch out TikTok video and find out how many shots it took for Tia to get the golf ball in the hole...  

Overall, it took us a couple of hours to wander around the gardens and play crazy golf. After you visit here, we’d really recommend visiting the rest of Babbacombe and St Mary’s Church as they have plenty of great independent shops and eateries. Why not head down to beach at Babbacombe and sit with a portion of freshly made fish and chips, and watch the world go by to finish the day off. 

To find out more about Babbacombe Model Village click here. Stay up to date with all the latest Visit South Devon blog posts, competitions, events and more by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or sign up to our e-newsletter here.