24 Hours in Totnes - Romantic Getaway at The Bull Inn

There’s something about Totnes that makes it perfect for a date-night escape. Just a couple of hours down the road from Bristol, this colourful South Devon is packed full of brilliant independent shops, speciality coffee, vintage treasure, art galleries, an ancient castle and some seriously good places to eat and drink.

From personal experience we suggest, Friday into Saturday is the sweet spot. Totnes’ weekly market runs on Fridays and Saturdays, the independent shops are open. A lot of things are closed on Sunday aside from the beach (which is a great reason to stay another night!) so just something to consider before you book.

Day One: Bristol to Totnes, coffee, shopping and cocktails

Leave Bristol early enough to arrive in Totnes by late morning. Once you’ve parked ditch the car and do the rest on foot. The centre is compact and so much fun to wander slowly up Fore Street and High Street having a proper explore.

Start at Totnes Market in the Civic Square. The traditional weekly market takes place every Friday and Saturday from 9am–3pm, with stalls covering local produce, street food, clothing, plants, antiques, gifts and plenty of miscellaneous treasures you want but don't need.

From here, coffee is essential. Head uphill to The Hairy Barista at 82 High Street. It specialises in interesting coffees from UK roasters alongside smoothies, teas and plant-based desserts, it also has an unexpectedly magical Moroccan style garden, so it's a particularly good place to recharge before tackling the shops,

If coffee isn't calling quite as loudly as cake, pop into Picnic by the Civic Hall instead.

An afternoon wandering Totnes' independent shops

Work your way slowly uphill, allowing plenty of time for window shopping and spontaneous purchases.

One place firmly on the list should be ME AND EAST, an independent lifestyle and gift shop filled with lovely handmade pieces and beautifully chosen things for the home.

A little further along, make time for Butterworth’s Vintage Co. Owners Colin and Holly Butterworth specialise in hand-picked vintage clothing, particularly French and American workwear, outdoor pieces and military finds. It's one of those shops where a "quick look" can become 45 minutes alarmingly easily.

Don't treat those as the only stops though, the whole stretch of High Street and Fore Street rewards browsing, so leave gaps in the itinerary for bookshops, homeware, records, food shops and whichever independent store happens to tempt you inside.

Check into The Bull

By mid-afternoon, head to the top of town and check into The Bull Inn.

This is exactly where you want to stay for a 24-hour Totnes trip. The Bull describes itself as an organic, ethical pub and hotel, with nine individually styled rooms above a restaurant and bar overlooking Rotherfold Square. Its whole approach centres around seasonal food, organic ingredients and carefully considered sourcing and it shows through everything they do.

Drop the shopping bags upstairs in one of their cosy rooms, freshen up and then come straight back down for date night cocktails.

The Bull's drinks list follows the same ethos as its kitchen, with organic cocktails, draught beer and organic wines so too much to choose from. Even the margaritas make use of whole citrus fruit, and seasonal cocktails are on offer depending on when you visit, we had the rhubarb cocktails which were delicious.

If you're more of a wine lover Rosso is just across the road but make the most of the dinner at The Bull. Supper is served from 6–9pm, with an ever-changing menu and the ambience is pure date night, loud enough to be fun but dark enough to be intimate. Indulge on the veg-first plates alongside carefully sourced meat and fish, followed by another drink or two, why not, and the luxury of knowing your bed is only upstairs.

Day Two: A brilliant Bull Breakfast, Totnes Castle and an Arty Afternoon

There is absolutely no reason to rush out of bed.

Breakfast at The Bull is part of the stay rather than something to skip in favour of getting an early start. Served 8–10.30am, its organic breakfast menu can include everything from porridge and waffles to frittata, rösti and poached eggs, always changing with the seasons it's honestly its delicious to sit and savour.

Coffee, breakfast, another coffee, then check out and head a few minutes down the road to the castle.

Walk up to Totnes Castle

Totnes Castle sits above the town and makes an ideal first stop of the morning.

Climb the steep motte to the stone shell keep, walk around the battlements and see the sweeping views across Totnes towards the River Dart and Dartmoor beyond.

It's compact enough that you don't need to dedicate much time to it either. An unhurried wander gives you both a history fix while still leaving plenty of time for another stroll through town and hopefully to a riverside pub for a waterside pub.

One last wander through Totnes' galleries

Come back down into town for a slower second lap of the High Street, this time concentrating on its art galleries and creative spaces.

At 75 High Street you'll find Yvonne Coomber Art, a colourful gallery if exuberant wildflower paintings, prints and canvases is your thing. The Bowie Gallery for abstract portraits, still life, and etherial seascapes.

Or, wander downhill to White Space Art on Fore Street. Established in Totnes in 2003, the gallery shows a changing collection of contemporary painting, prints, ceramics, jewellery and sculpture, with a particular emphasis on British artists and artists from the South West.

There are plenty of other studios and galleries scattered through the centre to see.

Final stop: pizza at Albatross

There's only one appropriate way to end the trip.

Head back towards the top of High Street for pizza at The Albatross before getting back in the car for Bristol.

It's a tiny, casual pizza shop on the High Street. It currently opens Tuesday–Saturday from 5–9pm or until sold out, doesn't take table bookings and operates on a first-come-first-served basis.

Order a pizza, squeeze in one final drink if you're not driving, and congratulate yourself on fitting an impressive amount of eating, drinking and browsing into barely more than a day.

Then it's back up the road to Bristol – ideally with the boot containing considerably more vintage clothes, ceramics, art and market tut than it did on the way.