Book Scarborough attraction tickets

Scarborough occupies a dramatic stretch of the North Yorkshire coast, where two sweeping bays are divided by a rocky headland topped by the ruins of a medieval castle. It is one of England's oldest seaside resorts, a distinction it earned long before the Victorian era made seaside holidays fashionable, and the town has been drawing visitors since the seventeenth century when its mineral springs first attracted those seeking a cure. That layered history gives Scarborough a character that goes well beyond the candyfloss and amusement arcades of the seafront, though those pleasures are very much present and entirely unapologetic.

The castle headland is the natural point of orientation for anyone arriving for the first time. English Heritage maintains the site, and the views from the promontory across the North Sea and back over the terracotta rooftops of the old town are among the finest coastal panoramas in the north of England. Below the headland, the South Bay curves around to the Spa complex, a grand Victorian building that once hosted concerts and still anchors the more genteel end of the resort. The North Bay is quieter and less commercial, backed by Peasholm Park with its boating lake and open-air theatre, and it tends to attract families looking for a slightly slower pace.