East Devon is no stranger to recognition when it comes to its dramatic landscapes and picturesque seaside towns.

Here are five places in East Devon that were named among the UK's best in 2023.

Branscombe

Branscombe is a village located in the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is home to only a few hundred people.

In July this year, it was listed among the UK’s best places to live by the sea by the Sunday Times.

The Sunday Times said this about Branscombe: “You’ll never feel short of space in Branscombe.

“The village street is reputedly the longest in England and there’s always room to swing cats, kites and fishing lines on a beach that nestles between the fossil-rich cliffs of the Jurassic Coast.”

Despite its beauty, Branscombe is never really overrun by tourists each year.

The Sunday Times article said: “The lack of sand does keep boozy daytrippers at bay.”

Exmouth

Exmouth is the largest town in East Devon, which sees plenty of tourism in the summer.

In March it was named the best place to live in England by Muddy Stilettos.

This is what Muddy Stilettos had to say about Exmouth: “What’s not to love about a coastal town nestled where the Exe Estuary meets the sea, with two miles of golden sand, a 200-berth marina and great road and rail connections to Devon’s capital city?

"Exmouth has much for outdoorsy types with its long, easy-to-access beachfront, Jurassic Coast clifftop walks and the Exe Estuary Trail, but it’s the town’s increasingly swanky hospitality that’s putting it on the map."

East Budleigh

East Budleigh is a small but scenic village in between Exmouth and Sidmouth. In August it was mentioned in a seven-strong list of the prettiest UK villages to travel to.

The list, compiled by StressFreeCarRental.com, featured Inkberrow in Worcester as number one, closely followed by East Budleigh.

This is what they had to say about the village: “Just a few miles from the sea, this quaint village in Devon is an unspoilt beauty.

“With a rich history and thatched cottages nestled in the rolling hills of the countryside, East Budleigh certainly offers a sense of tranquillity to visitors." 

Sidmouth

Sidmouth is a town rife with activities and dominated by tourists in the summer, due to its idyllic scenery.

In March is was in the placed in top ten for best places to live in Devon list by Muddy Stilettos.

They had this to say about the seaside town: "Where so many seaside towns have faded, Sidmouth on the Southeast Devon coast has retained its Regency lustre with an unspoilt beachfront and busy labyrinth of indie galleries, boutiques and cafes at its centre.

"But it’s the very desirable range of period property, from thatched and Gothic to detached Victorian and Georgian family homes which has scooped it a spot in Muddy’s Best Places to Live 2023.”

East Devon!

East Devon itself was tipped to be the very best when it came to one area the past year.   

In October, the district was ranked as the best place to own a shop that won’t be stolen from.

Research carried out by money.co.uk found East Devon to be the local authority where the least shop lifting crimes take place.

New figures from show, among its population of 152,120, shoplifting crimes per 1,000 per annum is just 0.74.