It’s the California of Britain: a western peninsula of breakers foaming on surf beaches, stellar food and drink rustled up by celebrity chefs, and arm-out-the-window, sensory-overload road tripping. Pull on your boots for soul-soaring coastal walks along rugged cliffs and cream teas in cottage gardens (jam before cream, please — you’re in Cornwall not Devon). Then there’s the unsung joy of tucking into fish and chips with your legs dangling over a harbour quay.
Cornwall, known by locals as Kernow, has a lingering identity as a distinct Celtic nation, and you’ll see more black-and-white flags of St Piran than Union Jacks. You could cross it in two hours, but explore it for months, or even years — the county is full of people who have relocated and remain bewitched.
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What to do
There’s plenty of things to do in Cornwall. A pipsqueak fishing harbour, top-notch restaurants, white-sand beaches: gentrified Padstow is the perfect introduction to a Cornish holiday. Nearby is Tintagel Castle. The Atlantic views are tremendous, even if archaeologists can’t be sure the site was home to the mythical King Arthur. Bring your walking boots to yomp along the cliffs to Bossiney Haven, an area of outstanding natural beauty, before sinking your teeth into a Cornish pasty from Pengenna Pasties in Tintagel.
Heading south, fill your lungs with sea air on a walk to Bedruthan Steps (visit at low tide) before taking surfing lessons* on Fistral Beach or Watergate Bay near the surf capital Newquay. Godrevy and Gwithian are two other beautiful beaches you’ll reach before getting to St Ives. The vibe is more tourist resort than traditional fishing town, but there’s still plenty of the picture-postcard appeal that inspired the St Ives School of artists.
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What Cornwall’s south coast lacks in ocean dramas it more than makes up for in romance. You’ll get the gist around Penzance at Mousehole (pronounced “Mou-zull”), arguably the county’s prettiest harbour, and St Michael’s Mount, an island castle plucked straight from the pages of a fairytale. Stop at Falmouth and Mevagissey’s working fishing harbour on your way to the Lost Gardens of Heligan — the perfect counterpoint to the Eden Project biospheres. The latter are a short drive from boaty Fowey (pronounced “Foy”), which lies tiered above the river like a Cornish Amalfi Coast. For more Mediterranean-style coastline, the Isles of Scilly can be reached by ferry or flight.
Where to stay
The golden ticket of Cornish accommodation is a sleek seaside stay. The county has bought into boutique in a big way and if you have the cash, there are plush pads that look less like hotels than photoshoots for glossy interior-design magazines. Honourable mentions go to The Pig at Harlyn Bay, the latest outpost of the boho-chic franchise, installed in a listed mansion near Padstow. The Watergate Bay Hotel should also be considered, for crisp, coastal rooms by the beach, as should The Headland hotel* in Newquay, recently spruced up to suit its prime position above Fistral Beach (surfers will love both). Check out, too, the elegant Hotel Tresanton* — all Riviera-style playfulness in St Mawes, across the bay from Falmouth. And finally, Mullion Cove*, whose coastal views may be the best in the county.
The surprise, though, is that you’ll have a fabulous stay in smaller places too. The Sandy Duck* may bill itself as a B&B in Falmouth, but it’s more of an outpost of soft Scandi design and is just one of a number of B&Bs that operate like small, relaxed hotels. Similarly, the Gurnard’s Head southwest of St Ives advertises simple pub rooms. Stay for a night and you’ll discover a romantic bolt hole at the edge of the world.
Wherever you end up, it’s vital that you book early — demand is always high, especially from June to mid-September. The same goes for anyone hoping to camp — beachside sites such as Gwithian Farm can sell out for the school holidays long in advance.
Food and drink
Europe’s richest fishing waters lap the county’s shores, flooding Cornwall with top-quality fish and seafood options. Rick Stein blazed a trail for high-end eateries led by talented chefs and you can dine at his famous Seafood Restaurant in Padstow. Nathan Outlaw has been the county’s “big tuna” for years, with two outposts in pretty Port Isaac. Ben Tunnicliffe’s Tolcarne Inn, beside Newlyn fishing harbour, near Penzance, is another name to seek out.
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Elsewhere you’ll find tempting beach cafés in St Ives — Porthminster Café is the big-name one — and an emerging gastro scene in Porthleven.
That said, a fish-and-chips takeaway eaten outdoors is the stuff Cornish holidays are made of. Buy haddock, the locals’ choice, and beware of seagulls testing their luck and swooping down for a chip or two. Organic beef and pork is as satisfying as you’d hope for in rich farming country, along with Cornwall’s overflowing platter of artisan cheeses.
Chefs have also embraced foraged foods: sloe berries, samphire and wild garlic. A new generation of gastropubs has upped the game of pub-grub to restaurant-quality menus that celebrate seasonality and provenance — you’ll find the Gurnard’s Head and St Tudy Inn are both worth booking.
A final word about the Cornish pasty. The erstwhile lunch of tin-miners can range from the snack of dreams to lukewarm mush. Research the winners of the world pasty championship beforehand and be warned: they’re filling.
Don’t miss
Cornwall has its quiet spots. Penwith, at the tip of England, west of Penzance, feels somehow wilder and older than elsewhere, with neolithic stone circles on hills and a dazzling coastline. Porthcurno has water the colour of kingfishers, granite cliffs like castle turrets and the outdoor Minack Theatre, with a backcloth of open ocean. Keep going and you’ll reach Sennen Cove, where the next stop west is America. The Lizard, Britain’s most southerly point, is crisscrossed by narrow lanes and is a world away from the tourism hotspots. If there’s traffic it’ll be for Kynance Cove: nuggety islets, white beach, sapphire shallows.
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The Helford River, to its north, takes you into another century. Kayak along its wooded creeks and you’ll feel as if you’re in the British Amazon; rent a kayak for the day at Helford River Boats or catch the ferry at Helford Passage and treat yourself to a cream tea at Down by the River Café in Helford village.
You can really get away from it all at Bodmin Moor: blustery walks to spectacular granite tors (Stowe’s Hill is best); ancient standing stones; an ice-cold pint in the Jamaica Inn. Minions is the easiest access point. If you’ve got your bike, pedal there from Padstow on the Camel Trail cycle path — you’ll be rewarded with 18 sublime miles of largely flat terrain.
Know before you go
Currency is pound sterling. The Cornish sea may look tropical, but its temperature is far from it — be wary of cold-water fatigue if you’re swimming in isolated bays and be prepared for strong tides and rips wherever you go. When it comes to parking, you’ll pay almost everywhere, usually by phone or card, occasionally with cash — so a stack of spare 50ps is handy. Traffic is heavy in high summer, especially on the arterial M5 and A30 routes, and narrow roads to hotspots such as St Ives and Kynance Cove often clog in season.
Take me there
Inspired to visit Cornwall but yet to book your trip? Here are the best hotels from Booking.com* and Hotels.com*. These are the best tours of Cornwall from our trusted partners*.
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