Ilfracombe has been a popular seaside resort since Victorian times and many of the Victorian and Edwardian buildings remain intact particularly within the Harbour Conservation area. 
The ancient harbour boasts the largest tidal rise & fall in the UK and at high tide particularly is a lovely place to sit and while away the time with a drink or ice cream. The many restaurants, pubs and small shops that surround the harbour give it a village feel. There are several small beaches and all the amenities you would expect of a modern day British resort. The pace of life is slow and relaxed and a world away from the stresses of daily life in the city. You could wish for no better place to unwind.
More active visitors are well catered for with local golf courses at Ilfracombe, Woolacombe and a championship standard course at Saunton. The town is also in the centre of some spectacular walking country with the coastal Torrs Path running from Woolacombe via Ilfracombe to Lynmouth, the Tarka Trail running to Barnstaple and beyond and Exmoor with its breathtaking scenery about 5 miles inland. There are local clay shoots, quad bike rides and riding stables. Fishing is a popular activity both from the rocks around Capstone Point, from the pier and also from one of many boats specialising in sea fishing trips. The surf beaches of Woolacombe and Croyde are nearby.
Ilfracombe is set on the rugged North Devon coastline where the Bristol Channel meets the Atlantic and is surrounded by open countryside, much of it within the Exmoor National Park. 
It has been recorded as the second warmest town in England (after Penzance) and has its own microclimate - the floral displays that stretch along the promenade are often in flower when the rest of the country is still in the grip of winter. If you visit out of season then sometimes winter storms can be spectacular with waves crashing against the front and spray hitting the roofs of 3 storey buildings!