Places to Visit and Things to Do in Cornwall

If you’re in need of a laid-back beach day, look no further than the soft golden sands of Carbis Bay, with its blue flag water quality, seasonal lifeguards, low-tide rock-pooling and excellent beachside facilities.

Part of an array of beaches that make up St Ives Bay and listed as one of the world’s best by the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Organisation, the beach at Carbis Bay is surrounded by sub-tropical plants and lapped by turquoise waters which just might just have you thinking you were somewhere much further south!

One of the few English vineyards with a sea view, Polgoon is dedicated to producing a range of artisan Cornish wines, ciders and juices on the family-run vineyard and orchard in Penzance, Cornwall. You can visit Polgoon for a tour and tasting throughout the summer.

Explore the world of St Michael's Mount and discover legend, myth and over a thousand years of history. Enjoy the thrill of getting there by walking the cobbled causeway or when the tide is in, boat hop to the island. Discover a majestic castle, a sub-tropical garden paradise as well as a close-knit island community, home to the St Aubyn family and thirty islanders.

If you’re after the inside scoop on the best ice cream makers in Cornwall, look no further than Jelbert's. Located on the seafront in Newlyn (near Penzance) is a little piece of vanilla heaven. Masters of keeping things simple (there is only one flavour!), the recipe is a closely guarded secret. To this day, Jelberts still only produces enough ice-cream to last through the day. So once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Pack up a picnic and head to Cornwall’s far west for a taste of theatre under the stars. Carved out of the Cornish cliffs by one woman and her gardener, The Minack is Cornwall's world-famous open-air theatre, carved into the granite cliff and set in glorious gardens overlooking the spectacular panorama of Porthcurno Bay.

Kynance Cove is rightly referred to as a Cornish gem. Its white sands, turquoise water and dramatic rocks, smoothed by the sea, combine to make it one of the most photographed, filmed and painted beaches in Cornwall.

At low tide, you can explore the towering rocks stacks and the caves with names such as The Parlour and The Drawing Room. Located just above the beach is an eco-friendly café selling Cornish pasties, fresh sandwiches, baguettes, homemade cakes and cream teas along with beach goods. From Kynance there is a fantastic 2-mile scenic walk around the coast to Lizard Point, mainland UK’s most southerly point.

Trebah Garden is a beautiful sub-tropical paradise with a stunning coastal backdrop. The 25 acre garden descends to its own beach on the beautiful Helford River and houses a distinctive restaurant with a Mediterranean-style terrace.

Often called the eighth wonder of the world, Cornwall’s Eden Project is a series of bubble-like ‘Biomes’ nestled in a crater surrounded by breath-taking scenery. One of the UK’s most popular tourist attractions, explore all this dramatic global garden has to offer including rainforests, mangrove swamps and treetop gardens! More than just a huge, tropical garden, Eden is a gateway into the relationships between plants and people, and a fascinating insight into the story of mankind's dependence on plant life.