The Yorkshire town of Whitby is one of the most interesting seaside resorts in England. It is a good place to stay if you want to explore the North York Moors.

Records show that a settlement already existed at the location of Whitby in the year 656 and that a monastery was destroyed there by Vikings in 867. A new monastery was founded in 1078. Since the Middle Ages, Whitby has been a fishing village. During the 18th century Whitby's economy focused on ship-building and whaling. Tourism started in Whitby during the Georgian period and rapid development started with the arrival of the railroad in 1839.

There are several interesting landmarks in Whitby, the most prominent of which is the ancient Whitby abbey ruin at the top of the East Cliff. You can summit the cliff via stone stairs. St. Mary's Church dominates the rest of Whitby's eastern part. At the top of the West Cliff is an arch made of whale bones, as well as a statue of Captain James Cook. The swing bridge crosses the River Esk and Whitby's harbour and joins the eastern and western parts of town. There has always been a crossing at Whitby and in 1351 permission was granted to raise tolls for the crossing's maintenance. In 1628, a wooden drawbridge was built and in 1766 its posts were rebuilt in stone. In 1835 that structure was replaced by a four-arched bridge, one of which swivelled to let ships pass. The current electric swing bridge dates from 1909.

Whitby's harbour is sheltered by two piers, each of which has a 19th-century lighthouse. On the western outskirts of Whitby is Sneaton Castle, which dates from the 19th century. It was once used as a school and nowadays houses a hotel.

There are numerous hotels, cafés and restaurants in town. Whitby is 325 km north of London.