EXETER CAN be best summed up by one word - rustic. If I was going to add a few more I guess they’d be noisy (put that down to all the buskers), compact and relaxed.
In terms of big tourist attractions, Exeter’s all about the cathedral of St Peter. Looming large above the high street, its scenic lawn is a great place to waste an afternoon. If you’re particularly lucky whilst on the way there you’ll bump into Exeter’s prime busking talent - an old guy who performs a timeless duet of The Blue Danube, with a rather ragged dog barking the last few notes.
Despite being dubbed the worst ‘clone town’ in Britain by a high profile economics publication, prejudices must be forgotten. Though the high street is full of far too many of the usual suspects, ventures further afield are very worthwhile.
Gandhi Street and the McCoy’s arcade are both havens for smaller, independent retailers. Of particular note is Real McCoy’s vintage clothes store, offering a great range of traditional formalwear, including great hats. Whilst wandering round town it would be foolish to miss out on the claustrophobic delight of Parliament Street - the world’s narrowest Street!
To sample some local cuisine head to the Oggy Oggy Pasty Company, which offers a plethora of different fillings.
Boston Tea Party, a coffee shop-cum-café, is another great place to relax - especially its opulent and cavernous upstairs room. Their locally sourced sandwiches and spicy ginger beer are undeniably awesome.
While the variety of nightlife is hardly on par with Manchester, Timepiece offers some decent club nights and The Cavern, which generally plays host to local bands, is full of character.
Exeter’s real strength lies in its pubs, including The Ship Inn, a favourite of renowned sixteenth century slave trader and explorer Sir Francis Drake. The Tavern also deserves a few words, mainly because it boasts a real human skeleton in its basement. Both are situated close to the Cathedral green.
Comment
Have your say, tell us what you think...