About Blackpool

Blackpool is a curious mix of old and new: whilst it is home to many pieces of iconic architecture that hail from the town's days as a swiftly growing tourist resort during the industrial revolution, it also plays host to all the trappings of a modern holiday destination, such as theme parks and popular nightclubs.

As with many of the country's seaside resorts that became popular during the nineteenth century, Blackpool is home to several piers constructed during this period, each of which offers its own attractions, from shopping arcades to theatres to fairground rides.

Alongside the town's South Pier is the famous Pleasure Beach amusement park, home to many thrill-rides not least of which is the imposing sight of The Big One - a giant continuous rollercoaster that was, for a time, both the fastest and tallest of its type in the world and is still not for the faint-hearted to this day.

Aside from the bright lights and bustle of the seafront, Blackpool also offers such cultural highlights as the complex known as The Winter Gardens, which comprises a number of entertainment and conference facilities.

The most striking of these is the Opera House - the UK's largest theatre - but the building also plays host to arts venues the Pavilion Theatre and the Empress Ballroom, as well as the giant exhibition space Olympia.

The town also offers some spectacular parkland, the most popular being the historic Stanley Park, home to sporting facilities including eighteen hole golf course, a model village, manicured gardens and a picturesque lake.