When I was in Swanage in July, another hotel guest told me about her day trip to Weymouth. She painted such a glowing picture of Weymouth that I wanted to find out for myself. Although Weymouth is within the distance (50 miles) for a day trip, I’m glad I decided to stay for a couple of nights in the last week of September. A day trip would not have done it justice!

Jubilee Hotel 

I chose the hotel as our base because of its location just across the beach. It’s part of a row of Georgian townhouses on The Esplanade. Although there’s a busy road across to the beach, there’s a set of traffic lights almost outside the front door. 

Behind the rather handsome Georgian façade, the hotel can best be described as functional and “no-frills” but not less comfortable for it, especially for a Grade II listed building. The Three Chimneys Restaurant in the basement makes a feature of the enormous fireplaces! It’s a convenient base for exploring Weymouth on foot. 

Oliveto Restaurant Weymouth

I was taken by this interesting art deco building opposite the hotel on the other side of the road as soon as I saw it. It was the former Pier Bandstand and a landmark in itself! The location and opening hours of this Italian restaurant – from 17.30 to 20.30 – meant that it’s very busy even on weekdays.

I am glad we managed to book a table on our second night in Weymouth. Our time slot at 18.00 meant that we were amongst the first customers of the evening and we were delighted to be seated by the window with panoramic views all around. The food was great, too. The popularity is merited!

Weymouth

As far as an English seaside town goes Weymouth is as traditional as fish and chips! 

Situated on the south west coast of England, Weymouth was popularised as one of the Britain’s first pleasure resorts by King George III.  He visited Weymouth 14 times in 15 years for his health.

Weymouth itself has a lot going for it: the fine sandy beach sheltered by sweeping Weymouth bay, rows of handsome Georgian townhouses on the seafront, the marina etc. For me the main attraction of Weymouth is its picturesque historic fishing harbour 

Weymouth Beach

Let me start with Weymouth beach which is famous for its soft sugar-fine sand. It’s the winner of 2023’s Great British Beach Guide. Although I am not one for lying on the beach, there’s no denying its appeal – the expansive litter-free beach in a sheltered bay with clear water!

Weymouth seafront

Weymouth’s royal connections are everywhere seen on the seafront. Apart from the charming Georgian buildings that line the Esplanade, King George III’s statue occupies the prominent spot in the middle of a traffic island, together a shed on wheels – a replica of the bathing machine that he would have used. Further along on the beach there’s Jubilee Clock Tower, which was erected in 1888 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s 50 years of reign the year before

Weymouth Town Bridge

Weymouth Town Bridge was on my to-see list in Weymouth. This 93 years old bridge is a popular tourist attraction because it opens every 2 hours for the passage of vessels from the Inner Harbour. However, as luck would have it, it was closed for 2 months for repairs from 25 September, the day of our arrival! It’s such a pity as it would have been quite a sight to behold!

Weymouth Harbour
This 17th century historic harbour was the star attraction for me. it’s as unique and picturesque as Burano in Italy.

Weymouth Harbour is reached through the quaint streets lined with shops and eateries along the sea front. It immediately provides a feast for the eyes on the other side of the bridge – a vista of the cottages with ice cream coloured frontage – vanilla, strawberry, mint, caramel, blueberry, raspberry…

On that early afternoon, the sky was like a blue canvas dotted with a few wispy clouds under which houses and boats admired their own reflections on the equally blue water. People were relaxing at eateries and waterfront benches basking in the warmth of the sun.

The harbour was like a pretty young girl flaunting her vivacity and preening her flawless beauty….

By the late afternoon, the slanting ray of the setting sun bathed everything in its golden glow, enhancing the kaleidoscopic colours, highlighting the sunlit beauty of the harbour which was transformed into an alluring beauty in a glossy gown ….

By nightfall, the harbour donned hues of blue, pink and gold intermingled with twinkling lights, and became a glamorous knockout

Weymouth Marina

Greenhill Park and Gardens

There’s one more gem in Weymouth before I sign off.

This pretty garden is on the edge of the town looking out on Weymouth Bay, the beach and promenade. The winding paths are flanked by colourful beds of flowers. It’s great place to admire the scenery from one of the benches or take a pit stop at the cafe for a drink or an ice cream 

The visit to Weymouth was like the discovery of a good restaurant – one that demands a future revisit! For now, I have colourful memories of the enjoyable days.