Minack Theatre

Top choice in West Cornwall


In terms of theatrical settings, the Minack takes top billing. Carved into the crags overlooking Porthcurno and the azure-blue Atlantic, this amazing clifftop amphitheatre was the lifelong passion of theatre-lover Rowena Cade, who dreamt up the idea in the 1930s. It's now a hugely popular place for al fresco theatre, with plays staged from mid-May to mid-September.

Experienced theatre-goers bring wine, picnic supplies, wet-weather gear and – most importantly, considering the seats are carved out of granite – a comfy cushion.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby West Cornwall attractions

2. Porthcurno Telegraph Museum

0.23 MILES

This fascinating museum charts the unlikely tale of Porthcurno's role in transatlantic telecommunications. In 1870 an underwater cable was laid here,…

3. Porth Chapel

0.3 MILES

A beach for the active: this attractive rocky cove is backed by high cliffs and sits in a remote spot along the coast path in the far west of Penwith,…

4. Logan Rock

0.68 MILES

Perched on the end of the headland above Porthcurno, this massive boulder once famously rocked back and forth on its own natural pivot with only the…

5. Porthgwarra

0.95 MILES

This idyllic cove ticks pretty much all the boxes you can think of: sand, slipway, translucent blue water and tall cliffs – not to mention that all…

6. Penberth Cove

1.1 MILES

Cut into the cliffside, this steep cove looks inescapably romantic, with its little cluster of stone-walled cottages and a steep slipway sliding down into…

7. Nanjizal

2.04 MILES

It's a bit of a walk from Land's End, but this remote, rocky cove is an old favourite if you fancy a bit of seclusion away from the crowds (or most of…

8. Merry Maidens

3.28 MILES

Among the best-preserved of Penwith's stone circles, this group of 19 stones supposedly mark the petrified remains of a group of girls who were turned to…