The Barbican is the historic heart of Plymouth, a dense cluster of cobbled streets, timber-framed Tudor buildings, and old warehouses that survived both the 17th-century plague and the 1941 Blitz. It occupies the inner harbour area around Sutton Pool, which was Plymouth's working port for centuries, and the contrast with the bland postwar city centre above is immediate.
The fish market still operates on the quay. The streets around it hold an eclectic mix of galleries, independent shops, pubs, and restaurants in buildings that range from the 15th to 18th centuries. The Mayflower Steps are here, along with several museums. On summer evenings the Barbican fills up — it's the liveliest part of the city by some margin. Allow at least a couple of hours to wander properly; the lanes off the main quay repay exploration.