Take the 199 steps to the gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey

As well as an interactive visitor centre, English Heritage regularly hosts events at the Abbey. In February there's Time Travellers go Gruesome, a week-long event taking a look at how crime was dealt with in Georgian times, so plenty of highwaymen and hanging.

Other heritage hotspots

Captain Cook Memorial Museum - The 17th century house on the harbour where the James Cook lodged during his training as a seaman
St Mary's Church - Home of the Caedmon Memorial, with the first nine lines of the poet's Hymn of the Creation
Dracula Experience A hammy homage to Stoker's famous creation using animated scenes, electronic special effects and live actors on a tour through the Dracula story

As the spiritual home of Dracula, Whitby is a mecca for goths - so much so that they bring an additional £1.1 million to the town's economy every year.

Destination guide: Whitby