Best places to go when visiting Cornwall
Cornwall, you have my heart. What a bloody wonderful part of the UK. I’d never really experienced its beauty before this year. In fact, I Never thought I’d been until Theo reminded me about our first holiday.
We didn’t have much money so we decided to go camping in Newquay. So off we went with a tent we’d borrowed from a friend. It literally took us about 2 hours to set it up, I mean who knew tents could be so complicated! To celebrate our success we went to the campsite social club for a beer and some bingo! Classic. As we left a few hours later, the sky seemed very moody. We went to bed on our slightly deflated airbed only to be woken up, 2 hours later, by what can only be described as a a puddle of water touching our faces. That moody sky had turned into a fully fledged storm, our tent was now saturated with water and half of it had lifted completely up Into the air. Imagine the Cornwall version of the film ‘Twister’ without the twister! Ha! So we screwed up the tent, slept in the car and had to drive home the next day! So yes, that was my first experience of Cornwall.
Luckily for me, my following experiences have been just brilliant. And it turns out that I’m not the only one who loves this part of the World. Thank you so much for all of your brilliant reviews. They make me want to go back immediately. Here’s my favourite spots.
This is my number one. My god the food was incredible and Boscastle is just beautiful. It is in a valley strewn with flowers and is just breath taking. The Rocket store is a tiny restaurant with the most stunning food. It’s a tapas sharing style. We actually ordered one of everything off the menu because we couldn’t choose. The menu changes daily depending on the catch of the day. It was my favourite meal I’d had in ages. Make sure you pre-book as it’s popular. But the limited size makes it feel very intimate. It was a sunny day when we visited, so we were lucky enough to sit outside. I kinda wanted to keep this place a secret, but just couldn’t do it to you! Go, go, go!
Daymer beach
This is a stunning, dog friendly beach. We found that most beaches were dog friendly. However, we went the end of June so do check this during peak season. Daymer is where we swam every day. The water was chilly but so clear. And ultimately, once you’re in, you’re in right?! We had the most gorgeous picnic there on the last evening. The sunset is stunning on a clear night. I highly recommend it.
My favourite walk
We were staying in polzeath which is a small seaside town which the surfers love. The beach is huge and the surrounding shops are lovely and quaint. One of the days we walked from Polzeath to Rock which was stunning. We made sure the tide was out (you can google tide times). And this meant we could walk from Polzeath, through Daymer and down to Rock. When the tide is out you can walk bare feet, on the sand, most of the way which is just amazing. If the tide is in on the way back, you can climb over the hill. When you reach Rock, there is a lovely ice cream shop just up the ramp from where the Padstow ferry leaves from. You obvs deserve a treat after your walk right?! Polzeath-Rock return is approx 7 miles. Even if you don’t usually enjoy a long walk, you will love this.
Tarquin’s Gin masterclass [2hrs for £85]
Oooo we loved this! Tarquin’s is a delicious Cornish gin. You can visit the distillery, but I would recommend their gin making class in their shop in Padstow. This was hosted by the gorgeous Sophie who was just fantastic. Basically, you learn about the history of the brand which is so interesting. Then you get to make your own gin whilst sipping on some of the brand’s classic flavours. You go home, slightly tipsy, with a full bottle of the gin you made which is pretty cool. If you’re a gin lover I would highly recommend this.
This is a lovely pub in Rock. Its actually got a Michelin star which is pretty mega!!! So it's a pub atmosphere with a twist which we really liked. The food was tasty and the staff were fantastic. Try and sit on the balcony if you can. They have an awesome gluten free menu too. Def worth a visit.
So they are my top picks, and here are yours. Don’t forget to tell me any other secret spots in the comments below. Love Lis xx
The best places in Cornwall to visit, eat, drink & stay as voted by you.
You'll discover lovers of Looe, secret beaches, must visit open air theatres and some cocktail hotspots, thank you to everyone that contributed and made this a true Cornwall collab.
Cornwall must visit places: ST IVES [The OG Cornwall hotspot]
ST Ives as told by Jay Walford including some foodie musts!
St Ives looks like a holiday destination only seen in glossy travel agent books.. it was genuinely breath taking! Scenery everywhere and a lovely harbour with lots of restaurants and wine bars lining the streets.
We found a lot of crabs in the rockpools there… & loooved a Hubbox meal overlooking the harbour! …
Port Isaac was something else too - a lover of Doc Martin meant I was in my element! Haha. It had such a lovely community vibe too. I found lots of seaglass on the beach & there were lots of walking routes… a lot of hills too which weren’t easy on the old calves but the views were worth it! :) There was also squeezy belly alley …. Google it! Haha it’s a tiny alley in Port Isaac that was quite a squeeze to get through!!! [See pictures]
@jaysloveofchristmas - finding christmas shops in cornwall was AMAZING! Haha. Here’s some photos from a shop in Padstow!!!
St Ives as told by Kirstie ft @quinnstagramlab's fave dog friendly places to eat in Cornwall
I LOVE it there! We used to go to St Ives every year until I was about 12, initially with my grandparents when I was really young and then my parents and sister. We recently went back for a few years with my sister, her husband and their 2 children and it was amazing to make some memories together like we had as children.
I love how dog friendly everywhere is and there’s always something to do or see no matter the weather.
Fave places are -
1. St Ives (the OG) - Porthminster & Porthmeor beaches
2. Padstow - Harlyn Bay, Treyarnon beach, Daymer Bay
3. Mevagissey
4. Mousehole
5. Perranporth
5. Newquay - Fistral beach
Aside from the normal great restaurants, Burger & Fish and Caffe Rojano in Padstow and The Sharksfin in Mevagissey (all dog friendly!)
The Camel Trail is always good for walking and cycling too!
Favourite places in Cornwall by Amy, plus eloping to get married in St Ives: My favourite places are St Ives & Kynance Cove.
My husband and I got engaged & married in St Ives. We eloped and had a double wedding with my best friends Danny & Dexter (I would put a picture of us all but they’re camera shy) 😊 It’s a beautiful place xx
Cornwall must visit places: Looe & Polperro
Georgie recommends visiting Looe & Polperro, Cornwall
My fav place in Cornwall has to be Looe it’s super cute and has lots of activities to do.
Emma recommends visiting Polperro, Cornwall
Fav place is Polperro! It’s a little piece of heaven. We love it and return every year for our relaxing break away from crazy lives!
Katie recommends visiting Looe & Polperro, Cornwall
We love Looe and Polperro - we go every Easter and stop right in between both of them. Love it!!!!
Cornwall must visit places & things to do: Everywhere else
Must visit places in Cornwall by Rachel ft the must visit, Ladies Window!
Must visit the Ladies Window at sunset, between Tintagel and Bocastle on the South West Coast Path.
Also St Michael's Mount is a must with a visit to the Rosario Tea Garden in Marazion for a Cornish Cream Tea!
Must visit places in Cornwall by Rachel Polzeath beach beach try surfing with George’s surf school. 😊 it’s a yearly pilgrimage for my family on May bank hol.
Must visit places in Cornwall by Gemma We go to Cornwall every year, some times twice a year as we we go in June and then at Christmas for the Padstow Christmas Market.
We love Boscastle and Crackington Haven. Beach at Crackington (panoramic photo attached) is really lovely and popular with surfers. We love just walking up to the top of the cliff in both places and watching the sunset too (attached photo of sunset at Boscastle).
We also love Padstow! Brilliant restaurants such as Paul Ainsworth at No 6, Caffe Rojano (which you can take dogs too and sit outside on the heated patio), and Rick Steins Fish and Chips on the harbour is great too! Prawn on the Lawn is brilliant but small so have to get in early! We love the Christmas Market in Padstow which happens every year in December, loads of local food and drink producers and local crafts. Lovely atmosphere and run up to Christmas!!
There are so many places to mention but think my other favourite is Kynance Cove on the south coast (collage picture attached). It’s just stunning and you could think you're in the south of France from the colour of the water.
Must visit places in Charlestown, Cornwall as told by Lucy.
I live in Cornwall and bloody love it. I live in a gorgeous place called CHARLESTOWN which is near St Austell near the Eden project
It’s a lovely historic harbour with amazing restaurants and cafes plus coastal walks and places to swim, paddle board etc
I would recommend Short & Strong Cafe for coffee and The Longstore Charlestown for seafood and steaks!
Must visit places in Porthcurno, Cornwall by Lizzie.
One of the most beautiful places I've visited in Cornwall is the Minack Theatre in Porthcurno, Penzance. We saw Beauty & The Beast and watched it as the sun was setting! Extraordinary! The Minack is a unique open air theatre perched on the cliffs high above the Atlantic ocean. Built by one extraordinary woman...
Must visit places in Cornwall by Jen ft Eddie the labradoodle
I went to Cornwall the week before you and had the BEST time. I'd never visited and now I can't wait to go back! We were really lucky with the weather too, felt like Ibiza at times!
Anyway, I've attached some pics of our trip. My labradoodle rescue Eddie was absolutely living his best life throughout!
One of our fave places was the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek which cares for and rehabilitates injured seals found washed up or injured across the Cornish coast. There's a 20 year old seal there called Ray who stole our hearts, he's got a brain injury and was found by them when he was 3 weeks old. He's just the happiest fella! They do lots of amazing work and their set up is incredible. It's dog friendly and they've got a lovely nature walk around the perimeter too.
Our favourite beach was Porthcurno, which felt like Formentera, a great option if stopping Lands End as it's dead close.
Must visit places in Cornwall & where to eat by fabulous foodie Shannon
I’ve been visiting Cornwall since I was a kid and my parents have actually retired there 2 years ago, so it’s a regular destination for me to visit now! In no particular order (mostly food related😅).
• Polzeath Beach, a gorgeous dog friendly beach with great surf! The place to eat is the Cracking Crab which is also dog friendly
• Port Isaac, a lovely fishing town, now mainly known for being the location for TV show Doc Martin. It’s got some gorgeous views and lovely little cafes! The carrot cake at Lazy Days is a must!!
• St Ives, an obvious choice for most, but it is truly beautiful! Lots of dog friendly restaurants and cafe which is a must for me!
• Trebah Gardens, just down from Falmouth, an absolutely beautiful gardens waiting to be explored, which has its own beach! And it’s dog friendly (kept on leads). And if travelling from the north of Cornwall a stop off on the way back from the gardens at the Callestick Ice Cream Parlour is a must!
Hope you’re able to share some of these lovely places to visit and can visit some yourself! Cornwall truly is a beautiful place to visit where ever you go.
Must visit places in Nanjizel, Cornwall told by resident Tara
Im lucky enough to call Cornwall my home. I live in Penzance right down the far end near Lands End.
I’d really recommend you head down to Nanjizel, it’s right down near Lands End, it’s stunningly beautiful and not to touristy (please don’t be offended by that, I just mean it’s nice and quiet)
Anyway, you can only get there via a stunning coast path [see pics below]. When the tide starts to go out it leaves the most amazing aqua blue lagoon style pools perfect for swimming, it’s rugged and stunning and really shows Cornwall off, it’s like something from a film? You’d not be surprised to see one eyed willys boat from The Goonies come sailing around the corner.
PS my Husband blames you (Lisa Potter-Dixon) for my candle and all things gorgeous obsession, love a Delboy Potter Code ❤️
Must visit places in Cornwall by Nadia
If you're looking for places to visit on your trip to Cornwall I highly recommend Kynance Cove, it's basically paradise in Cornwall.
Also pay Porthcurno a visit, it's truly beautiful and you can also pop to the Minack Theatre while you're there.
Where to stay in Cawsand, Cornwall by Michelle.
How can you not love this place! We have just left after a week in the “forgotten corner” of Cornwall. We stayed in a small village in the south west corner called Cawsand. It was a beautiful corner of the world and we stayed in the most brilliant apartment called 5 The Bay Cawsand.
Where to stay in Falmouth, Cornwall by Michelle.
I wanted to contribute to this because we are heading to Cornwall in August and can’t wait to see some of your recommendations.
I have to shout out the best Sunday Roast in the UK at Star & Garter, Falmouth. They have the most incredible views across Falmouth (if you can get a window seat) the cocktails are incredible and the service is just mega!! My second mention has to be The Sandy Duck Boutique Bed & Breakfast also in Falmouth. The rooms are gorgeous and the breakfast is outstanding. We didn’t get to spend our first wedding anniversary together as my husband was deployed abroad with the army for the first 6 months of the pandemic so we jumped at the opportunity to travel in October last year and we visited the Sandy Duck which is the best B&B EVER. We would love to visit again but they just seem to be fully booked all the time!
Where to swim in Cornwall by Kelly (aka Me and the sea)
I am Kelly Mather. These are my favourite swim spots in Cornwall. I swim all year round. It keeps me sane!
- Crantock beach (far left on low tide) - Porth beach (hightide, sunset)
- Newquay Harbour (off the steps under the Harbour Hotel at hightide)
- The old lifeboat slip, Little Fistral (hightide, off the slip itself. (Watch out for mussel shells when getting out) - Whipsiderry cave (far left at very low tide)
My beautiful friend Lorraine who is originally from Cornwall, and who was the one who told me all the best spots, has written a brilliant article here if you want even more tips.
p.s if you want to know more about getting into sea swimming, you can read my blog post 'getting into the swim of things'. I was a beginner myself a few years ago and now I can't go a week without swimming whether it's in a pool, a lake or the sea!!
Don't forget to comment & share your faves below! Love Lis xx