Cornwall is the far south-western tip of England, almost surrounded by sea: granite cliffs and surf beaches on the Atlantic north coast, sheltered coves and harbours on the south, and a mining landscape that is a World Heritage Site. Walking the coast path from Sennen Cove to Land's End is on the United Kingdom page; this page covers the islands, castles, gardens, surf, mining coast and food that fill the rest of a trip, including a performance at the Minack.
Distances are longer than they look, so pick a base in the west, around Penzance and St Ives, or on the north coast around Newquay and Padstow. First Kernow stopped running buses on 14 February 2026, and Go Cornwall Bus now runs the routes on this page under the Transport for Cornwall name, so older timetables no longer apply. Several sights follow the tide or the season: St Michael's Mount, Kynance Cove, the Scillonian and the Minack's plays.
Walk the causeway to St Michael's Mount at low tide
Marazion
Half a dayBook ahead
Walk a cobbled causeway uncovered at low tide to a castle that has been a family's home since around 1650.
What it is
St Michael's Mount is a tidal island off Marazion, crowned by a castle and chapel that have been the home of the St Aubyn family since around 1650; the National Trust manages it.
How to do it
Plan around the tide. At low water the cobbled causeway opens for about four hours a day and takes some 15 minutes to walk; when the sea covers it, small boats cross from Marazion, and from 1 May to 11 September a boat ticket is only sold with a castle, garden or afternoon tea ticket. Booking online by midnight the day before gets the cheaper rate. From Penzance, bus 2 reaches Marazion in about ten minutes.
Good to know
The island opens Sunday to Friday and the castle closes on Saturdays; in autumn the garden is shut. High winds can close the castle at short notice, and boats stop after 31 October.
See a play at the Minack, the theatre in the Porthcurno cliffs
Porthcurno
An afternoon or eveningBook ahead
Watch a play from granite terraces cut into the cliff, with the sea as the backdrop.
What it is
The Minack is an open-air theatre cut into the granite cliff at Porthcurno, about four miles from Land's End. Rowena Cade bought the land at Minack Point for £100, and in 1932 The Tempest was staged there with the sea as the backdrop; she kept building the terraces with helpers into her 80s. A performance is the way to see it.
How to do it
The season runs from around Easter into the autumn, with the Minack's own productions, visiting companies and concerts: in 2026 it ran from 3 April to 2 October, with Fisherman's Friends and Come From Away on the bill. Prices depend on the show, and booking ahead is wise, above all in school holidays. Transport for Cornwall's bus 1 from Penzance to Land's End stops at Porthcurno.
Good to know
It is open to the sky, so bring warm and waterproof layers.
Time needed
An afternoon or evening
Best time
The performance season, from around Easter into the autumn
Walk through the Eden Project's rainforest under its biomes
Bodelva, near St Austell
Half a day or more; 1.5 hours for the Rainforest BiomeTimed entry
Walk a canopy walkway above more than 1,000 varieties of tropical plants, inside a giant biome in a former clay pit.
What it is
The Eden Project opened in 2001 in a former china clay pit near St Austell, and its two giant biomes are the point of the visit. The Rainforest Biome holds over 1,000 varieties of tropical plants from South East Asia, West Africa and South America, with a canopy walkway above. The Mediterranean Biome and the outdoor gardens fill the rest of the day.
How to do it
Entry is by timed ticket and is not guaranteed without booking, so book online. In autumn it opens at 10:00 and closes at 16:00 or 17:00, with Christmas evenings to 20:30 on selected dates. Buses 28 and 31 run here, including from St Austell station, and arriving by public transport, bike or on foot earns a free guidebook.
Good to know
Allow an hour and a half for the Rainforest Biome and dress for 18 to 35°C.
Time needed
Half a day or more; 1.5 hours for the Rainforest Biome
See Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth's garden studio
St Ives
Half a day for bothBook ahead
See the artists who made St Ives famous, then Hepworth's garden studio, most bronzes still where she placed them.
What it is
St Ives has two art visits that belong together. Tate St Ives, opened in 1993 above Porthmeor Beach, shows the artists who made the town famous, among them Barbara Hepworth, Naum Gabo and Patrick Heron, next to changing exhibitions. Also in town, the Barbara Hepworth Museum is Trewyn Studio, where she lived and worked from 1949 until her death in 1975, with most of the bronzes in the garden still where she placed them.
How to do it
Each needs its own ticket, £14 and £10 in 2026 without a donation, and both open daily from 10:00 to 17:20; tickets are limited, so book ahead. Arrive on the St Ives Bay Line, 4.25 miles along the bay from St Erth, or on bus 17 from Penzance.
Good to know
From November 2026 the Tate's collection displays are being rehung, with galleries closing in turn until early 2027.
Cross the footbridge to Tintagel Castle and its island
Tintagel
2 to 3 hoursBook ahead
Cross a steel footbridge to the headland where Geoffrey of Monmouth placed King Arthur's conception.
What it is
Tintagel Castle stands half on the mainland and half on a rocky headland: the ruins of a castle built by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, in the 13th century, where Geoffrey of Monmouth placed King Arthur's conception. Since August 2019 a cantilevered steel footbridge has carried visitors across to the island and the life-size sculpture of Gallos.
How to do it
English Heritage runs timed access onto the bridge, so book online, by midnight the day before for the lower price; once across you can stay as long as you like. In late October 2026 it opened daily from 10:00 to 16:00, last entry 15:00; from November it opens on fewer days, so check the timetable for your date. Park in the village, 600 metres away; bus 95 between Bude and Newquay stops at the visitor centre, a mile from the entrance.
Good to know
At low tide, take the steep steps down to Tintagel Haven and Merlin's Cave.
Take a beginner surf lesson on Fistral Beach in Newquay
Fistral Beach, Newquay
2 hoursBook ahead
Walk from the changing rooms straight into consistent Atlantic waves on the beach billed as the home of British surfing.
What it is
Fistral, on the western edge of Newquay, is known for consistent Atlantic waves and billed as the home of British surfing. Fistral Beach Surf School is the only surf school and hire shop on the beach itself, so you walk from the changing rooms straight into the water.
How to do it
Its beginner group lessons last two hours and cover catching waves, standing up and positioning, with all equipment included, hot showers and secure storage on site, and discounted hire if you want to stay in afterwards. The school is open all year, rain or shine. Newquay is the end of the branch line from Par, on the main line to Penzance, and bus 56 links it with Padstow along the coast.
Good to know
Group lessons are for ages 8 and over, and you should be able to swim at least 25 metres; younger children can book a private lesson from age 5.
Cycle the Camel Trail from Padstow along the estuary
Padstow to Wadebridge
Half a day for Padstow to Wadebridge and backNo booking needed
Ride an almost level, free old railway line right beside the Camel estuary, with lunch in Wadebridge.
What it is
The Camel Trail follows old railway lines for about 18 miles from Padstow to Wenford Bridge on the edge of Bodmin Moor; it is almost level, largely traffic free and free to use. Further inland, the Bodmin and Wadebridge line, opened in 1834, was the first steam railway in Cornwall; it closed in 1966, and its old booking office survives in Wadebridge.
How to do it
The section to ride is the first: 5.5 miles (8.8 km) from Padstow to Wadebridge on the trackbed of the line opened in 1899, right beside the Camel estuary, crossing Little Petherick Creek on an old railway bridge just outside Padstow. Bus 56 runs to Padstow from Newquay, and from Bodmin Parkway station bus 11 reaches Wadebridge.
Good to know
Bikes can be hired in Padstow and Wadebridge, so a return ride with lunch in Wadebridge fills half a day.
Explore caves and islands at low tide in a cove of white sand, turquoise water and colourful serpentine stacks.
What it is
Kynance Cove, on the west of the Lizard, is a tidal beach of white sand and turquoise water between stacks of colourful serpentine rock. At low tide you can explore the caves and islands, and the café at the cove opens all year.
How to do it
The National Trust car park on the cliffs is small and fills in July, August and September, when road access closes once it is full; arrive early, and download the JustPark app first, as the signal is weak. From the car park it is a ten-minute walk, steep in places, with steps onto the beach. Without a car, take bus 34 from Redruth via Helston to Lizard village, about 2 miles away, or walk 2.5 miles along the coast path from Lizard Point, the southernmost point of mainland Britain.
Good to know
Watch the tide, which cuts people off, and remember there are no lifeguards.
Sail the Scillonian from Penzance for a day on the Isles of Scilly
Penzance to St Mary's, Isles of Scilly
A full dayBook ahead
Sail 28 miles out to the Isles of Scilly for the day, with dolphins, seabirds and occasionally basking sharks on the way.
What it is
The Isles of Scilly lie 28 miles off the Cornish coast, close enough for a day. On the crossing to St Mary's you may see dolphins, seabirds and occasionally basking sharks. From Hugh Town you can stay on St Mary's or take a boat to another island, such as Tresco.
How to do it
The Scillonian III generally leaves Penzance quay at 09:15 and takes about 2 hours 45 minutes to St Mary's; in 2026 a day-trip fare cost £35 for adults, and selected dates with early or double sailings give up to seven hours ashore. To fly instead, Skybus day trips leave from Land's End Airport, from £149, with more time on the islands. Park at Wharfside, next to Penzance station, where the Night Riviera sleeper arrives from London.
Good to know
The ship sails from spring to autumn only, and its successor, Scillonian IV, is due to enter service in March 2027.
Go underground at Geevor and walk the Tin Coast to Botallack
Pendeen and Botallack
Half a dayNo booking needed
Go underground in a tin mine little changed since 1990, then follow the coast to engine houses clinging to the foot of the cliffs.
What it is
The cliffs between Pendeen and Botallack, west of Penzance, are the Tin Coast, part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site. Geevor Tin Mine in Pendeen is a real mine little changed since it closed in 1990. At Botallack the National Trust looks after the Crowns, two 19th-century engine houses clinging to the foot of the cliffs, used as Wheal Leisure in the BBC's Poldark.
How to do it
Start at Geevor: hourly tours between 10:00 and 16:00 take you through the mill and underground into the 18th-century Wheal Mexico mine. It opens Sunday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:00, and needs no booking; parking is free. Then follow the South West Coast Path south past Levant to Botallack. Buses 4 and 4A from Penzance stop near Geevor.
Good to know
Geevor closes on Saturdays, and bus tickets earn 10% off entry.
Bite into the D-shaped miners' meal, crimped on one side and never on top, hot from a family bakery.
What it is
Since 2011 the Cornish pasty has had protected status: a genuine one is made in Cornwall, filled with beef, potato, swede and onion, and shaped like a D, crimped on one side and never on top. The Cornish Pasty Association says at least 120 million are made each year, crimped by hand in the vast majority of bakeries; the usual cut of beef is skirt, and a pasty crimped by a left-hander is called a 'cock', by a right-hander a 'hen'. It became the miners' meal in the 19th century, carried underground for the mid-morning croust.
How to do it
Ann's Pasties, for example, bakes with produce from suppliers within about 10 miles and has shops in Helston and in Lizard village, a short drive from Kynance Cove, so it pairs well with a day on the Lizard.
Good to know
Buy yours hot from a family bakery rather than a motorway chain.
Walk the coast path from Sennen Cove to Land's End
Land's End, Cornwall
2 hours for the Sennen loop, half a day to PorthcurnoFree
Walk the cliffs either side of Land's End, past coves and headlands to an open-air stage cut into the cliff.
What it is
Land's End itself is a car park and a visitor complex; the reason to come is the cliff path either side of it. Heading south and east, the path passes coves and headlands to the Minack Theatre, the open-air stage cut into the cliff above Porthcurno beach.
How to do it
The easy option is the South West Coast Path Association's Sennen Cove and Land's End loop, 3.3 miles (5.3 km) and rated moderate, with the stretch from the beach at Sennen to Land's End about a mile along the clifftop. For a half-day walk, carry on south and east: from the Land's End area to Porthcurno is about 5.8 miles (9.3 km).
Good to know
The path is rough granite in places and exposed to the Atlantic wind, so wear proper shoes and arrange a bus or lift back.
Time needed
2 hours for the Sennen loop, half a day to Porthcurno
Great Western Railway runs direct trains from London Paddington along the main line through Bodmin Parkway, Par, St Austell and Truro to St Erth and Penzance, and the Night Riviera sleeper makes the same run overnight six nights a week, with cabins and seats. Branch lines leave the main line for St Ives at St Erth and for Newquay at Par. Cornwall Airport Newquay is on bus 56 between Newquay and Padstow.
Getting around
Go Cornwall Bus runs the routes that matter for this page: the 1 from Penzance to Land's End via Porthcurno, the 2 to Marazion, the 17 to St Ives, the 4 and 4A to Pendeen, the 34 from Redruth through Helston to the Lizard, the 56 from Newquay to Padstow and the 95 from Newquay along the north coast to Tintagel and Bude. The St Ives Bay Line train is the best way into St Ives. A car makes the Lizard and Tintagel easier, but beach car parks such as Kynance fill early in summer.
How many days
In must30's view, five days: two in the west from Penzance for St Michael's Mount, the Minack and the Tin Coast, with St Ives on the branch line; one for the Lizard and Kynance Cove; one on the north coast for Padstow, the Camel Trail and Tintagel; and one for the Eden Project. A day trip to the Isles of Scilly makes six, and a surf lesson at Fistral fits any morning on the north coast.
When to go
Late spring to early autumn is the season for most of this page: the Minack's plays and musicals run from June to September, the Scillonian sails from spring to autumn, and in summer the boats to St Michael's Mount sell only with a castle or garden ticket. July, August and September bring the crowds, when Kynance's car park fills and its road access closes. The boats to the Mount stop after 31 October, and winter is quiet, with Eden open into the evening on selected Christmas dates and the Fistral surf school open all year.
Where to base yourself
Penzance is the practical base for the west, with the main line station, the sleeper, the Scillonian and buses to Land's End, Marazion, St Ives and Pendeen. St Ives puts you by its beaches and galleries, at the end of its own branch line. Helston is the nearest town to the Lizard, on bus 34. On the north coast, Newquay has the surf and a branch line, and Padstow the Camel Trail, with bus 95 running on to Tintagel.
Questions travellers ask
Can you get around Cornwall without a car?
Yes, for most of this page. Trains run to Penzance, with branch lines to St Ives and Newquay, and Go Cornwall Bus has run the county's main routes since First Kernow withdrew in February 2026. The Lizard, Tintagel and the Tin Coast are reachable by bus but take longer, so check the timetable before you set out.
When can you walk to St Michael's Mount?
The cobbled causeway from Marazion opens for around four hours a day around low tide and takes about 15 minutes to cross. When the tide covers it, boats run instead, until 31 October in 2026. The island is open Sunday to Friday, and the castle is closed on Saturdays.
Do you need to book the Eden Project in advance?
Yes, it is strongly advised. Entry is by timed ticket and is not guaranteed without a booking, and online tickets are cheaper. A general ticket also works as an annual pass for repeat visits.
How do you get to the Isles of Scilly?
By sea, the Scillonian III generally leaves Penzance at 09:15 and takes about 2 hours 45 minutes to St Mary's, from spring to autumn. By air, Skybus flies from Land's End Airport, Newquay and Exeter. Both offer day trips, and the plane leaves more time on the islands.
When is the Minack Theatre season?
In 2026 the performance season opened at Easter, with gigs in April and May and plays and musicals from June to September. Outside performances, the theatre opens for daytime visits from 10:00 all year, and tickets are cheaper booked in advance.
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