Families and comedy fans in Torquay, Devon, can join daily walking tours inspired by the classic sitcom Fawlty Towers during the upcoming school holidays. English Riviera Walking Tours says it will run the experience, which lasts about two hours, every day from March 27, 2026, to April 12, 2026, offering a new outdoor activity for the spring break.
The walks, led by local guide Graham Kerr, start at the English Riviera Visitor Information Centre on Torquay harbour. Participants visit Torquay landmarks that inspired the show, including the site where the Gleneagles Hotel once stood before it was demolished.
Although the television series’ external shots were filmed in the Home Counties (not Torquay) — notably at Wooburn Grange Country Club in Buckinghamshire — the character of Basil Fawlty was inspired by a real-life Torquay hotel owner, Donald Sinclair. The Guardian reported that the original Gleneagles Hotel was demolished in 2016 and the site was redeveloped as retirement apartments (Sachs Lodge), a stop that remains popular with fans on the tour route.
During the walk, guests hear stories about the comedy and can take part in short re-enactments using props; reviews on TripAdvisor describe the experience as interactive and a fun way to celebrate the town’s comedy history.
Tickets cost £15 for adults (the operator’s site also lists concessions for younger visitors) and can be booked online via English Riviera Walking Tours or by contacting the Visitor Information Centre. Organisers say the move to run the tours daily in 2026 follows strong interest after the show’s 50th anniversary in 2025.
