Explore magical Cornwall

Cornwall is a historic county of England with its own language and identity, which reaches out towards the Atlantic Ocean at the far south western tip of the country. It is a romantic land of myth and legend, with its ancient castles and seafaring roots, its turbulent past and its unique culture. Cornwall has inspired writers and artists for centuries and is famed for its stunningly beautiful coastline.

The harbour at St Ives

Cornwall is perhaps one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK, as people from all over the world flock to enjoy its magnificent coastal scenery, golden sands and watersports. However, Cornwall is also a must-see destination for history lovers, garden enthusiasts and foodie tours too.

The atmospheric ruins of a Cornish tin mine

Despite being almost 300 miles from London to the tip of Cornwall, there is a regular train service from the capital and Cornwall can be reached in just over five hours, allowing travellers plenty of time to relax and enjoy the scenery along the way. There is even the Night Riviera sleeper train – the perfect way to save time by travelling overnight, and a great way to start your adventure!

Pretty seaside towns and villages

Cornwall is most famous for its pretty little seaside towns and villages. It is a delight to explore fishing villages such as Mousehole, Polperro and Coverack, with their quaint cobbled streets and attractive harbours.

Timeless Charlestown on St Austell Bay is familiar to many as it featured in the recent Poldark TV series. You can enjoy a location tour with us of places linked to the Poldark books and TV series, and even visit the Poldark Mine Experience. As the location for many other novels, films and TV series, there are lots of recognisable places to explore, whether you enjoy TV's Doc Martin, for example, or if you're a fan of Cornish novelist Rosamunde Pilcher.

In the 19th century, the historic town of Penzance near the western tip of Cornwall, inspired the ever-popular comic opera The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan.

The fishing village of Coverack

St Ives, a picture postcard harbourside town on the north coast, is one of the most popular Cornish tourist destinations, famed for its artists’ colony in the 1950s and 60s, and now boasting the wonderful Tate St Ives art gallery. Renowned sculptor Barbara Hepworth lived in St Ives for over 25 years and her home is now a museum and sculpture garden. The St Ives Food and Drink Festival takes place each May and, in 2021, the eyes of the world were on Cornwall when the luxury Carbis Bay Hotel and Estate in St Ives played host to the G7 summit.

St Ives

Padstow, another beautiful north coast harbour town, is well-known these days thanks to its connections to British TV chef Rick Stein, who owns a restaurant and fish and chip shop in the town. There are also several other good seafood restaurants in Padstow. Nearby Tintagel Castle is thought by many to be the mythical birthplace of King Arthur, and is well worth a visit if only to witness the castle ruins in their precipitous cliffside location. Newquay, to the south of Padstow, is a surfer’s paradise with sandy beaches and huge waves crashing in from the Atlantic. It is also the perfect base for a family vacation, with lots to do for all ages.

Tintagel Castle © Tintagel Castle / English Heritage

Perhaps one of the most popular places on the south coast of Cornwall is Fowey (pronounced ‘Foy’!), with its colourful harbour and sensational views. Once the home of acclaimed 20th century writer Daphne du Maurier, Ferryside where she lived can be seen to this day. Many of du Maurier’s novels – including Rebecca, Jamaica Inn and Frenchman’s Creek – were set in Cornwall.

Falmouth

Falmouth, in the south west of Cornwall, is a great place to visit for shopaholics and foodies alike, with is quirky shops and waterside restaurants. Falmouth boasts the third largest deep water harbour in the world and the views of the Fal Estuary and Pendennis Castle are superb. The town is home to the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.

Falmouth Harbour

Truro is the capital of Cornwall and the county’s only city. Its most distinctive landmark is the imposing Gothic revival cathedral, built towards the end of the 19th Century.

Incredible gardens

Cornwall has long been known for its incredible gardens, and attractions such as The Lost Gardens of Heligan and The Eden Project are fascinating destinations for gardeners and non-gardeners alike. Some of Cornwall’s other great gardens include Caerhays Castle and Gardens, Trebah – one of the top gardens in the world – and Trewithen Gardens near Truro - perfect for a tailor-made garden tour!

The Eden Project

The Isles of Scilly – the UK’s most southerly point – are also a magnet for garden lovers, with incredible Tresco Abbey Garden home to sub-tropical plants from all over the world. The islands are incredibly beautiful and unspoilt, and can be reached from the Cornish mainland by plane or boat.

Delicious food and drink

Cornwall is famous for its clotted cream teas - a form of afternoon tea consisting of tea served with a combination of scones, clotted cream, jam and sometimes butter. In a Cornish cream tea, the jam is spread on the scone, with the cream on top of that. This differs from a Devon cream tea, where the cream comes first and then the jam. Which way is best is a source of much controversy in this part of England!

A delicious Cornish cream tea!

You can't beat the satisfying taste of a homemade Cornish pasty, especially if you're eating it beside the sea on a warm summer's day! These savoury parcels are bursting with diced beef, potato and swede, and were traditionally eaten by local miners and farm workers.

Cornwall is also famous for outstanding fish and seafood, caught fresh each day, refreshing locally brewed beer, distinctive cheeses and an ever-growing number of excellent regionally produced wines. With no less than 40 Michelin Guide restaurants, including three with a prestigious Michelin star, there is no shortage of options for fine dining in the county on one of our food and drink tours.

So much to see and do

There is so much to see and do in Cornwall, that it is almost impossible to fit in a mention of all the wonderful places, but some of our favourites also include St Michael’s Mount, a small island near the tip of Cornwall, topped with a church and castle, which can be reached by causeway at low tide and The Lizard, the most southerly point on the UK mainland, which is less commercialised than Land’s End – England’s most westerly point.

View from The Lizard

Enjoy a performance at the incredible Minack outdoor theatre, overlooking the sea high up on the cliffs near Penzance, follow in the footsteps of one of Britain’s greatest poets, Sir John Betjeman, on the banks of the Camel Estuary, or spend a night at the real life ‘Jamaica Inn’, Cornwall’s most famous smuggling inn!

If you or your group would like to enjoy a tailor-made tour of Cornwall, please do contact our friendly team and we will be happy to put together the perfect itinerary for you!