Ilfracombe is a well located holiday destination located in North Devon on the Atlantic coast with a sheltered harbour above which the mainly Victorian buildings occupy the steep slopes above the North and East of the harbour in tall rows of five or more stories apartments and villas with balconies overlooking the harbour and the sea with the North slopes softened with extensive woodland and parkland intersected by pedestrian paths climbing across the steep slopes. The entrance to the harbour to the West is surrounded by steep and jagged majestic rock buttresses above small coves with dense vegetation above rising to the peak of an Iron Age fort.
Many shops and restaurants line the South and East side of the harbour and up the steep hills to the high street. The winding sea front to the south has a wide pedestrian path built above the rocky coast with many small swimming coves, which climbs to Torre Hill to the East and is intersected by lantern hill and Copland hill which overlook the town. The lower part of the town has linker parks, a theatre, museum and many hotels and restaurants. Ilfracombe is easily reached from Barnstable and the M5 and there are many attractive resorts within easy reach such as Woolacombe, Croyde, Combe Martin and Lee.
Coastal and fishing trips are available from the harbour to Combe Martin and Morte Point and there is a ferry service to Lundy Island.