Things to do in Southwest Cornwall
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Café Cinnamon Girl
Look no further for lunch than this cute little organic café, locally famous for its bumper-sized sandwiches, homemade soups and trademark roasted veg. The free wi-fi's a bonus.
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Pendennis Castle
Perched on the promontory of Pendennis Point, Pendennis Castle was constructed from 1540 to 1545 by Henry VIII as one of a chain of fortresses designed to defend the British mainland from Spanish and French invasion. Falmouth's deepwater harbour made the town a key strategic asset, and Pendennis was built, along with its sister fortress of St Mawes, to defend the harbour and the entrance to the Carrick Roads.
During the Civil War, the castle was engaged in a five-month siege under the command of Captain John Arundell of Trerice, and later became a defensive gun battery during WWII. These days the guns have fallen silent, but you can still experience a taste of Tudor warfa…
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Pandora Inn
Prepare to fall in love with the Pandora, one of Cornwall's oldest and best-loved waterside pubs, ensconced in a heart-melting spot by Restronguet Creek. Foot-thick walls, scuffed-wood tables, ship's lanterns and a huge abandoned anchor outside conjure up the smugglers'-den vibe, and you can sink your drinks on the pontoon to the sound of clanking yacht masts.
Hardy souls can even sample some of the Pandora's fabled smuggler's rum: at 80% proof, though, you might need to arrange for a taxi home. Or an ambulance. The Pandora sits on the edge of Restronguet Creek, about 1km northeast of the village of Mylor Bridge. Heading south on the main A39 road from Truro to Falmouth, …
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Enterprise Boats
Offers boat trips around Falmouth Bay and the Fal Estuary. It operates three wooden-hulled boats along the picturesque River Fal, calling at Trelissick Gardens and Smuggler's Cottage at Tolverne en route to Truro. Depending on the tides, the boats sometimes stop at Malpas, 3 miles downriver from Truro; free double-deckers connect with the harbourmaster's office near the city centre.
There are also trips from Truro to St Mawes. Boat trips run every two hours or so in both directions depending on the time of year. Cruises include an onboard commentary detailing local wildlife and points of interest such as Pill Creek (setting of the film Treasure Island), Tregothnan (the Se…
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Statue of Humphry Davy
At the top of Market Jew St is a statue to Penzance's most famous son, Humphry Davy (1778-1829), the pioneering 'chemical philosopher', amateur poet and fanatical trout fisherman. Davy was responsible for an astonishing number of scientific advances: the discovery of six new elements (including potassium, sodium and strontium), the invention of the miner's safety lamp, and the use of nitrous oxide (or laughing gas) as a medical anaesthetic.
He also penned reams of amateur poetry and befriended some of the 19th century's best-known Romantic writers, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge, although whether it was Davy's amateur verse or his ready supply of chemical narcotics tha…
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National Maritime Museum Cornwall
Falmouth's illustrious seafaring takes centre stage at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, situated on the town's heavily redeveloped dockside. The museum houses one of the largest maritime collections in the UK, second only to its sister museum in Greenwich in London. At the heart of the complex is the huge Flotilla Gallery, where boats dangle from the ceiling by slender steel wires, while suspended walkways wind their way around the collection of yachts, schooners, punts and canoes.
Other highlights include the Set Sail exhibit, which tells the story of nine groundbreaking boats, and the Lookout, with a 360-degree panorama of Falmouth Bay. The museum even has its own…
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Egyptian House
As with Truro and Falmouth further east, Penzance's wealth was founded on the import-export trade, and most of the town's Georgian and Regency town houses were built for the merchants and sea captains who once plied their trade out of the harbour. The best examples can be seen along Chapel St and Queen St; look out for the extraordinary Egyptian House.
The Egyptian House looks like a bizarre cross between a Georgian town house and an Egyptian sarcophagus and was originally built for a wealthy mineralogist, John Lavin, as a geological museum.
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Twinstar Cruises
Offers boat trips around Falmouth Bay and the Fal Estuary. It is the only company with its own catamaran, and also offers cruises along the River Helford and Frenchman's Creek.
Cruises include an onboard commentary detailing local wildlife and points of interest such as Pill Creek (setting of the film Treasure Island), Tregothnan (the Seat of Lord Falmouth and the site of Cornwall's only tea plantation), and embarkation points for US troops during the D-Day invasions.
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Abbey Restaurant
This cutting-edge British bistro has been garnering serious praise, not least from the boffins at the AA and Michelin guides. Underpinned by top-quality produce, the Abbey turns out consistently fabulous food in the light-filled dining room, and nibbles, cocktails and aperitifs in the crimson-walled bar downstairs. It's not cheap, but tucking into your roast monkfish or hot chocolate soufflé, you'll feel it's money well spent.
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Newman's Cruises
Offers boat trips around Falmouth Bay and the Fal Estuary as far as Trelissick and Tolverne.
Cruises include an onboard commentary detailing local wildlife and points of interest such as Pill Creek (setting of the film Treasure Island), Tregothnan (the Seat of Lord Falmouth and the site of Cornwall's only tea plantation), and embarkation points for US troops during the D-Day invasions.
reviewed
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K&S Cruises
Offers boat trips around Falmouth Bay and the Fal Estuary as far as Trelissick and Tolverne.
Cruises include an onboard commentary detailing local wildlife and points of interest such as Pill Creek (setting of the film Treasure Island), Tregothnan (the Seat of Lord Falmouth and the site of Cornwall's only tea plantation), and embarkation points for US troops during the D-Day invasions.
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Maenporth Beach
A couple of miles further along from Swanpool Beach is Maenporth Beach, trammelled by cliffs and a fine spot for some sheltered swimming. There's also a small beach café selling drinks, snacks and ice-creams. All of Falmouth's beaches are accessible from the coast path, or you can catch the X89 bus from town. There are car parks at Swanpool and Maenporth, but they fill up quickly in summer.
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Swanpool Beach
A pleasant half-hour stroll along the headland is Swanpool Beach, backed by a small inland lagoon and nature reserve, populated by grebes, coots, kingfishers and mute swans. All of Falmouth's beaches are accessible from the coast path, or you can catch the X89 bus from town. There are car parks at Swanpool and Maenporth, but they fill up quickly in summer.
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Lime Tree
With a relaxed town-house setting and cosy front-room atmosphere, dining at the Lime Tree feels like having supper at a friend's house - assuming your friend is a gourmet chef with a passion for global cuisine. Cornish duck breast, sea bass and John Dory fillet for mains, chased down by homemade bread and vanilla crème brûlée.
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Jubilee Pool
At the eastern end of Penzance's 19th-century promenade, the glorious 1930s lido is a fantastic place for a summer dip. Since falling into disrepair in the 1980s, it's been thoroughly spruced up and is now open to al fresco bathers throughout the summer – just don't expect the water to be warm. Entry is half-price after 3.30pm.
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Hunky Dory
Local seafood takes top billing at this laid-back restaurant, split over two floors of a listed building near the old Customs House. The menu is bang up-to-date, blending European and Asian flavours with top-notch Cornish produce, and the setting is nicely minimal, mixing Mediterranean tones with pale wood and rough whitewashed walls.
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Gyllyngvase Beach
Falmouth is blessed with a trio of town beaches. Most popular is Gyllyngvase Beach, a flat sandy beach backed by the funky Gylly Beach Café. All of Falmouth's beaches are accessible from the coast path, or you can catch the X89 bus from town. There are car parks at Swanpool and Maenporth, but they fill up quickly in summer.
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Penlee House Gallery & Museum
Penzance's historic art gallery displays a fine range of paintings by artists of the Newlyn School (including Stanhope Forbes) and hosts regular exhibitions on Cornwall's art history. Admission is free on Saturday.
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Gylly Beach Café
The decked patio over Gyllyngvase is the main draw at this lively beach restaurant. It covers all bases: fry-ups and pancakes for brekkie, platters of antipasti for lunch, quality steak, seafood and pasta after dark. It's open late for drinks, too, but gets very busy.
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Bistro de la Mer
An old fave with Falmouth foodies, this snug little bistro brings a soupçon of Gallic flair to Arwenack St. The tables are packed in tight and you'll be elbow-to-elbow with your neighbours, but the menu's authentically French and makes good use of fresh Cornish fish and seafood.
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Renaissance Café
Light streams in through floor-to-ceiling windows at this contemporary café, hidden away in the Wharfside Shopping Centre overlooking Mount's Bay. Club sandwiches, ciabattas and salads feature, with more-substantial mains by night and late-night music at weekends.
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Turk's Head
Penzance isn't short of a boozer or two, but the old Turk's Head - purportedly the town's oldest pub - is a personal favourite. Tobacco-stained walls, patchy carpets and a battered bar just add to the atmosphere of a well-used (and much-loved) watering hole.
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Archie Brown's
A cosier wholefood caff you couldn't hope to find. Archie Brown's has been serving Penzance's earth-mothers and artsy crowd for years and shows no signs of flagging, with stocked-up counters full of crispy salads, veggie quiches and carrot cake.
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Three Mackerel
Not exactly handy for town, but a fine choice for beachside dining if you're down Swanpool way. Sophisticated Med-style dishes and barbecue-grilled tapas are served on the beach-view sundeck in summer, or in the sparkly dining room on inclement days.
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Harris' Restaurant
Penzance's original fine-dining restaurant is still going strong after 30-odd years. Times have moved on but the menu at Harris' is still mostly classic French, serving up local game and fish dishes in the scarlet-tinted. napkin-laced dining room.
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