I returned from a week in Italy with my mum, where the week felt like living in the Dolce Vita. The Weather was bleak, with grey skies and heavy rains. It was cold in London, and my heart was sinking at the idea of having to get ready for the change of season, which set me in a desolate mood. I always need help adjusting from Summer to Autumn; such harsh weather changes are difficult to swallow. So when it finally warmed up, my husband suggested an escape to the seaside.
Where would we go for 24 hours? Leaving on Saturday Morning, coming back on Sunday evening? I suggested Deal in Kent, but he was adamant that we would have walked around quickly. I started to look at places like West Bay. I loved the TV series Broadchurch, and we decided to go to Weymouth. Anywhere next to the seaside always makes me happy. After being in Plymouth in March, it made sense to set off for Weymouth. To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect. I had heard about the Jurassic Coast and remembered the cliffs featured in Broadchurch, but there’s much more to Weymouth than that. In this post, I will take you on a journey through this magnificent town, guiding you through the must-see attractions. So get ready to unlock the magic of Weymouth in just one day with me.
The Beach Front
We parked at the train station car park to walk down to the sea to the hotel we had booked for the night. As soon as I stepped outside the car, I got a whiff of sea breeze. The sky was beautiful, and many families were walking on the pavement with shovels, colourful rubber wheels and inflatable mattresses. The summer holiday mood was whole on and did lift me up. It still felt like summer, after all. The walk to the hotel on the Greenhill promenade layered with Georgian terrace houses made you feel on holiday. Bare the fish and chips shops. You could nearly picture yourself somewhere in France on the Coast of Normandy. Add some palm trees, and it could be somewhere on the continent. My first impression was a mix of British heritage with European and Mediterranean influences, and I felt right at home.
After dropping our bags at the Chapter 1 Hotel, we walked on the beach. This was a complete change of scenery from the previous week in Italy. You were free to roam from a crowded and cramped beach covered with an army of sun umbrellas. Golden sand at low tide, clear water with families enjoying a moment of fun with their young kids.
It was a fascinating scenery watching toddlers running into the sea, holding water buckets and being covered in sand, having the freedom to play and get dirty. I loved the laid-back atmosphere on the beach. People were standing and chatting in the water while watching their little ones running around in their flowery swimming trunks, splashing water all around and having a lot of fun. Others were moving around on a yellow pedal boat or paddle board with no sea scooter in sight.
You could sense the happiness from a day at the beach, having fun and spending meaningful time with the family. People could roam outside in the sunshine after a gloomy summer. It felt like pure bliss. I walked on the sandy beach with my camera, framing and composing the scenes. The end of the daylight was so beautiful that the photographs I took nearly looked like paintings or beach scenes from another century. The beach scene was even more beautiful when the sun had set, and the blue light started to set in. It made me want to retake every scene in this different light setting. It was less harsh and softer, with a gorgeous blue glow. I had only spent an afternoon in Weymouth and was already conquered.
The Historic Harbour
Weymouth is easy to get around by foot or bike. It was only a short walk through the restaurant we had booked for dinner, and we walked through the pedestrian streets to the harbour.
Weymouth Harbour is a different sight from the Georgian terraced house on Greenhill Promenade. It feels like a proper fishing village with the river Wey lined with fishing boats, oil skin trousers hanging around to dry, and nets parked in the corners. On the other side, the pub had a lively atmosphere with live music. Sailing boats were lined against the pastel-coloured baby pink and baby blue paint houses and a few luxury yachts opposite, creating a strange mix of hard-working fishermen and a crowd of leisure-seeking sailors.
There is a wide choice of restaurants to choose from. Traditional fish and chips to 8-course dinner. The central theme for food is, of course, fish. It would be a shame not to indulge in fish so close to the sea. Everybody seemed so laid back, happy and relaxed. I have no idea how if feels to live in Weymouth, but I got a reel sense of being on holiday. It felt like time stopped and a moment to surrender into the present, no thinking ahead or wondering what’s to cook for dinner tomorrow. I wanted to soak everything in, the atmosphere, the delicious food. It felt close to the living the Dolce Vita. Is there a word in English for that?
I’m at an age where I don’t want to walk around like a zombie anymore. I want to make the most of every new place I visit and every food I taste, every new sensation I experience. It’s like seeing the world again like an 8-year-old child.
The English city of Weymouth is one of the most underrated travel destinations in the country; it's full of stunning scenery, iconic landmarks, delicious dining options, and loads of things to do. The best way to get the most entire experience of all Weymouth has to offer is to dedicate at least a day to it. Even spending one day in Weymouth, you can easily immerse yourselves in this quaint small town, explore its stunning beaches and scenery, and enjoy all its natural beauty. With an endless list of attractions to explore, Weymouth is the perfect destination for an English summer holiday.
We stayed at Chapter One Hotel a boutique hotel on the Seafront.
One the way we found a lovely pub in the countryside called the Hoddington Arms that served delicious fresh food.
We had dinner in Weymouth at Catch on the old fish market. A wonderful experience with clever flavours serving a sustainable catch of the day. The menu was themed around fish and seafood under asian influences. A well worth food delicacies to explore new tastes.