Guidebook for Cornwall
Food Scene
The Atlantic Cafe Bar
Sea FrontGodrevy Cafe
Godrevy TowansCaffe Pasta
The WharfPorthmeor Beach
Porthmeor HillRosemergy Cream Tea
Polpeor Cafe
Lewis
2 StrandFish & Chips take-away including gluten-free
Nauti But Ice
Commercial RdRick Stein, Porthleven
Mount Pleasant RoadLocal Pubs
Basset Arms Portreath
Tregea HillPortreath Arms Hotel
The SquareBeaches & Nature
Superb stretch of National Trust coastline with views of the lighthouse island and across to St. Ives bay. Stunning coast path walks run uninterrupted from Godrevy to Portreath. Massive sandy beach when the tide is out and plenty of rock-scrambling when it's not! Seal-spotting opportunities at Mutton Cove. Often an ice-cream van in the car park but for meals visit the cafe.
19 locals recommend
Godrevy Beach
Superb stretch of National Trust coastline with views of the lighthouse island and across to St. Ives bay. Stunning coast path walks run uninterrupted from Godrevy to Portreath. Massive sandy beach when the tide is out and plenty of rock-scrambling when it's not! Seal-spotting opportunities at Mutton Cove. Often an ice-cream van in the car park but for meals visit the cafe.
Pretty village with Church and Pub. Main attraction is the huge sandy beach which shares surf hire and surf schools with Godrevy.
142 locals recommend
Gwithian Beach
Pretty village with Church and Pub. Main attraction is the huge sandy beach which shares surf hire and surf schools with Godrevy.
Holywell Bay
Fabulous sandy beach with dunes. Large National Trust car park.
Stunning National Trust cove. Park in the car park at the top and walk down into the cove itself; quite a steep descent. The cove itself is fabulous as are the clifftop walks. The beach is small when the tide is in. Café/beach shop in the cove itself.
9 locals recommend
Kynance Cove National Trust Car Park
Stunning National Trust cove. Park in the car park at the top and walk down into the cove itself; quite a steep descent. The cove itself is fabulous as are the clifftop walks. The beach is small when the tide is in. Café/beach shop in the cove itself.
Small harbour with nice café. Pleasant clifftop walks particularly if you head to the right as you look seaward. You will need stout shoes and a keen willingness to scramble (not ideal for elderly or young children - the path is at times, right on the cliff-edge). Keep walking and you’ll come to a lighthouse view and the home of author, Derek Tangye.
29 locals recommend
Lamorna Cove Beach
Lamorna Cove Small harbour with nice café. Pleasant clifftop walks particularly if you head to the right as you look seaward. You will need stout shoes and a keen willingness to scramble (not ideal for elderly or young children - the path is at times, right on the cliff-edge). Keep walking and you’ll come to a lighthouse view and the home of author, Derek Tangye.
Lovely sandy beach. Fascinating Telegraph Museum with café. See also Minack Theatre below.
99 locals recommend
Porthcurno Beach
Lovely sandy beach. Fascinating Telegraph Museum with café. See also Minack Theatre below.
National Trust cove. Beautiful setting with excellent sandy beach particularly when the tide is out and you can explore the sea caves (with caution - the tide comes in fast!). Lovely cliff-top walks amongst the ruins of the tin mines (used for Poldark filming). Beach cafe offers an interesting selection of hot and cold food and try the ‘Hedgehog Ice Cream’ for a real treat.
9 locals recommend
National Trust Chapel Porth
National Trust cove. Beautiful setting with excellent sandy beach particularly when the tide is out and you can explore the sea caves (with caution - the tide comes in fast!). Lovely cliff-top walks amongst the ruins of the tin mines (used for Poldark filming). Beach cafe offers an interesting selection of hot and cold food and try the ‘Hedgehog Ice Cream’ for a real treat.
Sightseeing
Super resort town that gets extremely busy in high season and at weekends. Lovely harbour, superb beach at Porthmeor just beneath the Tate Gallery. For those with an artistic leaning there are many galleries; we particularly like the Barbara Hepworth Museum. The food at Caffé Pasta is excellent but ring to book (cards in the apartment). Many great options including the ancient Sloop Inn and Porthmeor Beach Café. St. Ives also offers boat tours, boat hire, fishing trips, surf schools, shopping and occasional seal and dolphin-spotting.
33 locals recommend
St Ives (Cornwall)
Super resort town that gets extremely busy in high season and at weekends. Lovely harbour, superb beach at Porthmeor just beneath the Tate Gallery. For those with an artistic leaning there are many galleries; we particularly like the Barbara Hepworth Museum. The food at Caffé Pasta is excellent but ring to book (cards in the apartment). Many great options including the ancient Sloop Inn and Porthmeor Beach Café. St. Ives also offers boat tours, boat hire, fishing trips, surf schools, shopping and occasional seal and dolphin-spotting.
Lovely little fishing community. Park in the car park at the top of the village and walk down the path.
38 locals recommend
Cadgwith Cove
Lovely little fishing community. Park in the car park at the top of the village and walk down the path.
From Marazion, a causeway leads to St. Michael's Mount. The island and the castle on the Mount are National Trust and has cafes and a gift shop. Access to the island is free but there is an entrance fee to climb the Mount and visit the castle (unless NT members). Cross to the island via the causeway when the tide is out; ferry runs for most of the year when the tide is in.
60 locals recommend
Marazion Beach
South West Coast Path From Marazion, a causeway leads to St. Michael's Mount. The island and the castle on the Mount are National Trust and has cafes and a gift shop. Access to the island is free but there is an entrance fee to climb the Mount and visit the castle (unless NT members). Cross to the island via the causeway when the tide is out; ferry runs for most of the year when the tide is in.
Chysauster Car Park
Fascinating remains of an ancient village (English Heritage).
Fishing community with interesting harbour and lovely old village with narrow streets with various cafes, gift shops and galleries.
154 locals recommend
Mousehole
Fishing community with interesting harbour and lovely old village with narrow streets with various cafes, gift shops and galleries.
Highly recommended, very popular. Visit the biospheres and other exhibits.
1111 locals recommend
Eden Project
Highly recommended, very popular. Visit the biospheres and other exhibits.
Charlestown
18th century village, harbour and boats (used for Poldark filming!)
Entertainment & Activities
Seals and sea-lions rescued and nursed backed to health before being returned to the wild. A super place to visit and great for kids of all ages. Gift shop and café. Open all year round.
187 locals recommend
Cornish Seal Sanctuary
Seals and sea-lions rescued and nursed backed to health before being returned to the wild. A super place to visit and great for kids of all ages. Gift shop and café. Open all year round.
"Victorian Village" and "Britain In The Blitz" exhibitions which recreate all the sights, sounds and smells of days gone by. Outside, lots of rides for kids! Other exhibitions, shops, refreshment options in pleasant garden settings.
207 locals recommend
Flambards Theme Park
Clodgey Lane "Victorian Village" and "Britain In The Blitz" exhibitions which recreate all the sights, sounds and smells of days gone by. Outside, lots of rides for kids! Other exhibitions, shops, refreshment options in pleasant garden settings.
Working satellite station. Good for older children and adults and a good wet day outing - virtually everything is under cover. Coach tour of complex, interactive exhibits, café. Continue towards St. Keverne to the home of ‘Roskillys’ ice cream!
9 locals recommend
Goonhilly Earth Station
Working satellite station. Good for older children and adults and a good wet day outing - virtually everything is under cover. Coach tour of complex, interactive exhibits, café. Continue towards St. Keverne to the home of ‘Roskillys’ ice cream!
Visit the original tin mine workings descending to varying levels depending on how brave you are feeling. Tours available. Other attractions and café.
46 locals recommend
Poldark Mine & The Cornish Heritage Collection
Visit the original tin mine workings descending to varying levels depending on how brave you are feeling. Tours available. Other attractions and café.
Children's farm, walks around Lands End (or Land Train if you prefer), lifeboat and other exhibitions, play areas for children of all ages, refreshment options and corny photographs - the ones with a signpost noting the mileage from other landmarks.
249 locals recommend
Land's End Landmark Attraction
Land's End Children's farm, walks around Lands End (or Land Train if you prefer), lifeboat and other exhibitions, play areas for children of all ages, refreshment options and corny photographs - the ones with a signpost noting the mileage from other landmarks.
Milking parlour, country-life museum and other children’s attractions.
65 locals recommend
Dairyland Farm World
Milking parlour, country-life museum and other children’s attractions.
Working Cider Farm with tractor-drawn ride around the impressive orchards and demonstrations of the production processes. Farmyard animals including shire horses. Shop / restaurant offers free samples of the many varieties of produce you may purchase.
90 locals recommend
Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm
Working Cider Farm with tractor-drawn ride around the impressive orchards and demonstrations of the production processes. Farmyard animals including shire horses. Shop / restaurant offers free samples of the many varieties of produce you may purchase.
Miniature, sit-on trains. The track of the first is laid upon the bed of an original tin-mining railway and takes you from the car park to East Wheal Rose where a tin-mine has been preserved - there is an audio-visual programme which recounts its history. Two other miniature railways, kiddies play area, a brick path maze, crazy golf and soft ball golf, two lakes - one with canoes, the other with pedal boats, a café, a shop.
63 locals recommend
Lappa Valley
Miniature, sit-on trains. The track of the first is laid upon the bed of an original tin-mining railway and takes you from the car park to East Wheal Rose where a tin-mine has been preserved - there is an audio-visual programme which recounts its history. Two other miniature railways, kiddies play area, a brick path maze, crazy golf and soft ball golf, two lakes - one with canoes, the other with pedal boats, a café, a shop.
Pony centre and children’s farm, extensive indoor and outdoor play areas including a boating moat, Café.
10 locals recommend
Springfields Fun Park
Pony centre and children’s farm, extensive indoor and outdoor play areas including a boating moat, Café.
Arts & Culture
Whether you take in a performance or not, the site (open all year) is well worth a visit - an outdoor theatre is carved out of the cliff face! Performances are from May until September and are largely by amateur dramatic companies. Performances offer the most dramatic backdrop - the sea and the sunset! Café and shop.
545 locals recommend
The Minack Theatre
Whether you take in a performance or not, the site (open all year) is well worth a visit - an outdoor theatre is carved out of the cliff face! Performances are from May until September and are largely by amateur dramatic companies. Performances offer the most dramatic backdrop - the sea and the sunset! Café and shop.