For those yearning to wake to the cry of gulls and end the day with salt in their hair, the Riviera offers an embarrassment of riches in the beautiful homes stakes. Plus, there is something about the very word ‘Riviera’ that conjures nonchalant chic (sure, we may be thinking of the French iteration, but we’d argue it stands up here too). From tucked-away retreats to grand shoreline residences, this is our pick of the most enchanting properties on the market right now.
5 Bed Art Deco House, Torquay, £1.5m
Stags
How’s this for a rare jewel on the English Riviera? A classic and spectacular white-washed 1920s Art Deco home, it has been meticulously restored to bring together heritage design with hotel-style comfort. Think grand double-height entrance halls and expansive sea views – simply, every detail has been designed to be conducive to relaxed coastal living.
The open-plan living space flows into a Mediterranean-style garden, perfect for gathering with friends while the sea laps at the shore below. Bliss. Upstairs, the master suite occupies the entire second floor, offering panoramic views, a luxurious ensuite with steam room and sauna, and a generous dressing room.
A separate two-bedroom annexe provides additional accommodation or a private retreat for when it all gets too much (but then there’s the prospect of sea swims for that too). With triple garaging, enormous windows to frame the exceptional view, ample parking, and proximity to the harbour, this is a knock-out of a home. Oh, did we mention there’s a pool too? Find the details.
4-Bed Art Deco House, Torquay, £950,000
Stags
Architecture enthusiasts are guaranteed to swoon over this one. A Robert Lutyens Streamlined Modern Art Deco home, it is not only an exquisite example of the period’s radical simplicity, but is also ideally situated overlooking the bay. As the original brochure eulogised, it is a ‘‘veritable dream home skilfully designed to derive the utmost advantages of the aspect.’’
Inside, the clean lines and gentle curves feel cinematic, with light flooding through vast windows that frame the ever-changing sea. Add in a wraparound balcony, beautifully maintained period details, and a garden with uninterrupted views of the water, and this is seaside living with serious style and pedigree. And that orange kitchen? Sublime. Find the details.
4-Bed Apartment, Villa Languard, Warberries, Torquay, £875,000
John Lake
Perched on the lovely Warberries hillside, this sweeping and sprawling Victorian four-bed apartment offers period elegance and coastal charm by the bucketload. Spanning the entire ground floor of an elegant villa, its capacious rooms are arranged across 4,000 sq ft, making it bigger than many houses. Highlights include a sun-drenched garden room, and a vast and beautiful kitchen/dining room that’s made for gathering friends for the kind of lunches that morph into dinners. Outside, a full-width terrace overlooks a perfectly manicured lawn, leading to a secret garden with a studio, hot tub, and outdoor shower. Could anything be more ideal?
With a private gated driveway, double garage, and proximity to Wellswood village, we love every inch of it – as does its current owner, who enthuses, ‘Villa Languard – our cherished home for a decade – has been a spacious and beautiful place to live and raise our three children. The panoramic view of the entire bay is a constant joy, whether watching sunsets with friends on the terrace, watching storms roll in over Brixham, or enjoying the best seats in the house for the air show. We have loved the large reception rooms here, especially at Christmas, giving us plenty of room for family and friends – and allowing a table tennis table to be permanently set up in the hall!’ Find the details.
3-Bed Apartment, Warberries, Torquay, £625,000
John Lake
Another beauty on the wooded slopes of Torquay's Warberries, this ground-floor apartment offers the kind of effortless seaside living that so many of us dream about – complete with sparkling sea views across Tor Bay. The spacious living areas are bathed in natural light, while proportions are a deeply elegant joy.
But most of all, we adore the enclosed balcony that invites you to sit. relax and enjoy the coastal panorama – ideally with a glass of something very crisp and cold in hand. The kitchen could do with a little updating but it’s nothing a lick of paint wouldn’t lift. Outside, landscaped communal gardens provide a peaceful setting, while a private garage and visitor parking tick the convenience boxes. With easy access to Torquay's bustling harbour and the charming village atmosphere of Wellswood, it’s a big resounding yes from us. Find the details.
2-Bed Apartment, Torquay Harbour, £180,000
John Lake
And now for something a little less painful on the pocket. This two-bed apartment overlooks the yachts bobbing picturesquely in the harbour, has a balcony for the dreamiest of sundowners, and residents’ laundry, guest suite and house managers. It could do with a facelift inside, but the work would be light and decorative. Riviera life at its best. Find the details.
