Ideally located in close proximity to the Yorkshire Moors National Park, Whitby is dominated by the magnificent ruins of its Norman Abbey. The spectacular gothic remains of the abbey date back to their Saxon founding in 657AD and offer breathtaking panoramic views of the coastline and town below.

To make the most of the view from the East Cliff, you must first climb its exhausting 199 steps. You won't regret the work-out once you reach Caedmon's memorial cross and the weathered tombstones of St Mary's.

From here, it's possible to see across the harbour and along the coast towards Sandsend or get your breath back inside the church. Containing one of the most complete sets of pre-Victorian furnishings in England, the church's nave is filled with original box pews.

Back at the bottom of the Abbey steps, an old cobbled street stretches back towards the West Cliff and the town's centre. A six foot bronze statue of Captain James Cook stands next to a whale bone arch commemorating the town's whaling history. An inscribed bench also marks the spot where Bram Stoker surely got his inspiration for Dracula from during his stay on the Royal Crescent in the late 1890s.

Further in the town's centre, the market place dates back to 1640 and is a lively place to visit with markets held once a week and at weekends. The nearby town hall was built by Nathaniel Cholmley in 1788 and the 17th century Captain Cook Memorial Museum is where the young James Cook (1768-1779) lodged as an apprentice. The museum contains many artefacts illustrating Cook's link with Whitby and his voyages. 

Aside from Cook, as a harbour town Whitby is predictably synonymous with fishing. Fishing trips of varying length are easily bookable, accommodating all types of sea fishing. At certain times in the year, it's also possible to book whale watching boat trips.

The shores of Whitby's coast are rich with raw jet, once made fashionable by Queen Victoria and now displayed in The Whitby Jet Heritage Centre at the end of Church Street. If jet is what you're after, it can also to be found in Pannett Park, a historic ornamental garden housing The Archaeology Collection that displays Bronze Age weaponry and Robert Pannett's art collection.

As day turns to night, the Victorian Spa Pavilion wakes up, alive with dances, pantomimes, amateur dramatics and seaside variety shows. In the Crystal Lounge café, floor to ceiling glass windows provide the perfect opportunity to soak in Whitby's charms, framing spectacular sea and cliff views. 

Getting around:

The Yorkshire Coastliner bus runs from Whitby to Leeds via Malton and York while the Moorsbus NetWork makes it possible to explore the Yorkshire Moors National Park.

Where to stay:

• Bats and Broomsticks, a gothic and Dracula themed guesthouse with a Dracula statue outside the front door (http://freespace.virgin.net/batsand.broomsticks/) has rooms from £70
• From £75 for a room, breakfast and dinner in haunted Bagdale Hall, an old tudor manor house dating back to 1516 with panelled walls, chandeliers and four poster beds (http://www.bagdale.co.uk/)

Food and drink:

• Sample a local catch at Hadleys Fish Restaurant on Bridge Street (http://www.hadleysfishrestaurant.com/)
• Approximately £7 for mains at the Duke of York on Church Street (http://www.dukeofyork.co.uk)
• Mains average at £15 at Greens Restaurant Bistro on Bridge Street where local Yorkshire produce is used and the menu is changed daily (http://www.greensofwhitby.com/restaurant/)
• At The Moon and Sixpence Bar and Brasserie on Marine Parade (www.moon-and-sixpence.co.uk) mains range from £9-12

To do around Whitby:

• Join a Heartbeat tour on a vintage bus
• Ride the twenty mile Whitby to Scarborough Coastal Cycle Trail
• Catch a North Yorkshire Moor's steam train from Whitby to Pickering along the Esk Valley
• Visit the National Trust protected Old Coastguard Station at the dock in Robin Hoods Bay
• As the sun sets, take a three-hour cruise along the Yorkshire coast to the equally pretty fishing village of Staithes
• Independently visit Goathland, better known as the village of "Aidensfield" in the popular ITV series Heartbeat and also used as “Hogsmeade Station” in the Harry Potter films 

What's on and when:

• April/October – The Whitby Goth Festival, held the last weekend of each month
• May - Moor and Coasts Festival, celebrating traditional music, song and dance
• June – Whitby Live 60s' Festival
• August - The Whitby Regatta, dating back to the early 19th century
• August - Whitby Folk Week
• October - Music Port Festival
• October - The Bram Stoker International Film Festival, specialising in horror films