A travel guide to South Cornwall

South Cornwall is the stretch of Cornish coastline along the English Channel. It starts around Plymouth and the Rame Peninsula and carries on down to the Lizard. It's home well-known spots like:

• Fowey
• Charlestown
• Mevagissey
• St Mawes & the Roseland Peninsula
• Falmouth
• The Lizard
• Kynance Cove

South Cornwall is simply one of the most beautiful places in the UK (and probably the world). Here are the reasons we think it should be top of your travel list:

South Cornwall has a glorious Riviera climate. With around 1,600 to 1,800 hours of sunshine each year, South Cornwall is one of the sunniest stretches of coastline in the country. And it’s also wonderfully atmospheric in winter too, with wild days and stormy winds.

The South Cornwall coastline holds a trove of wide sandy bays and jewel-like coves, sheltered from Atlantic swells. Beach-life here is laid-back and ideal for swimming, rock-pooling and boating.

Picture-postcard Cornish villages and towns are everywhere you look. Fowey is the prettiest of historic harbour towns, St Mawes brings a chic upmarket vibe and low-key royal connections, while Falmouth offers arty independent shops and a buzzing food scene.

Despite its tucked-away feel, South Cornwall is surprisingly easy to reach, either by train or by car.

Mainline services run from:

• London Paddington
• Bristol
• Birmingham
• The North (with changes)

The main stations for South Cornwall include:

• St Austell – ideal for Mevagissey, Charlestown and the Roseland Peninsula
• Truro – good for Falmouth and central south coast areas
• Falmouth Town / Falmouth Docks – reached via a branch line from Truro
• Liskeard – useful for Polperro and the Rame Peninsula

Most routes follow:

• M4 or M3 then the A303 from the south
• M5 from the north
• before joining the A30 into Cornwall

Approximate drive times:

• London to Fowey: 5 or 6 hours
• London to Falmouth: 5.5 to 6.5 hours

You’re spoilt for choice here. This long stretch of coastline has a wealth of lovely places to visit, from smart harbour towns, to pretty coastal villages to little inland hamlets. Here are some of the best:

Best for: Historic car-free charm
What to do in Polperro: Wander the lanes, explore the harbour and stroll around the Museum of Smuggling and Fishing, located in an old pilchard factory.

Cornwall doesn’t get more picturesque than this quaint and much-photographed little village. Whitewashed cottages, narrow winding lanes - all car free - and a working fishing harbour make for an idyllic location.

Best for: Classic seaside resort vibes
What to do in Looe: Have a potter around the shops, watch the fishing boats in the harbour and eat fish and chips on the beach.

A quintessential Cornish seaside town, Looe is divided into east and west by the river, which meets the sea at a soft sandy beach. East Looe is the bustling shopping hub, with restaurants, the railway station and main beach, while West Looe has a quieter vibe and some great views.

Best for: Stylish harbour vibes and waterside dining
What to do in Fowey: A boat trip around the estuary is a great way to see the sights, and after that a nose around the independent shops and a seafood supper served with a glass of something cold finishes the afternoon nicely.

Charming Fowey (pronounced ‘Foy’) is one of Cornwall’s loveliest towns. The wide harbour dotted with restaurants, the pretty streets filled with boutique-y shops and the literary associations - Daphne du Maurier used to live here - give Fowey a smart, refined feel.

Best for: Chic coastal living
What to do in St Mawes: St Mawes is a great place to stroll around slowly - visit the castle, work up an appetite with a walk along the coastal path, then settle by the water for fresh seafood and drinks as the sun goes down.

Calm turquoise waters, pastel houses, a collection of polished restaurants, bars and galleries - St Mawes is an undeniably chic destination. It feels relaxed but quietly upmarket, with lovely views over the deep-water bay towards Falmouth.

Best for: Lively culture
What to do in Falmouth: There are plenty of galleries and independent shops to explore here, plus the National Maritime Museum Cornwall is a must-visit, perhaps followed by an hour or two on the beach and a tour of some of the foodie spots along the harbour.

Falmouth is one of Cornwall’s liveliest coastal towns, with a creative and cosmopolitan buzz thanks to the university arts campus. It’s well populated with wine bars, pubs and harbourfront eateries and has a strong independent food scene, plus great beaches within easy reach.

Best for: Traditional Cornish character
What to do in Mevagissey: Walk along the harbour and see the second largest fishing fleet in Cornwall, pop into the museum set in an 18th-century building built into the rock face, for info on smuggling and village life, then top the day off with a proper Cornish ice cream from the Kelly's shop.

Mevagissey is a classic Cornish village centred around the bustling harbour, where fishing boats regularly come and go. As you’d expect, it’s a great spot for fresh seafood, with relaxed harbourside dining and a friendly and down-to-earth vibe.

Clear blue waters, sheltered bays, golden sands - South Cornwall is pretty much the ultimate UK beach spot. Here are some of our favourites:

Best for: Idyllic beauty
One of Cornwall’s most stunning beaches, Kynance is a cove of inviting turquoise water and sugary sand. At low tide the sea reveals hidden caves, rocks and a natural pool which, legend has it, can turn you into a mermaid.

Best for: Family fun
A lovely Blue Flag beach, easily accessed from Falmouth town and blessed with soft sands and calm, clear waters. There are well-maintained toilets and outdoor showers, plus a stylish beachfront cafe, perfect for a post-swim glass of rose and a bowl of chips.

Best for: Secluded swims
Lantic Bay is an absolute gem - a beautiful Mediterranean curve of sand tucked beneath steep cliffs. It’s wild, unspoilt and feels secret, even though it’s pretty well known, as the vertiginous footpath means it’s often much quieter than other beaches.

Best for: Beach cafe vibes
Porthcurnick is famous for the Hidden Hut cafe, perched above the beach and serving outdoor feasts at communal tables. The beach itself is pretty as a picture, unspoilt but not too remote, and great for sea swims and afternoons with your toes in the sand.

South Cornwall has a perfect mix of famous big-name sites (hello, Eden Project) beautiful hidden gardens, ruined castles and gentle coastal walks - all ideal for an outing. Just add sun cream and a picnic and you're good to go.

Cornwall’s most famous attraction - the Eden Project is part environmental project, part botanical garden and part architectural landmark. Located near St Austell, it’s built inside a former clay pit and is home to spectacular biomes filled with tropical rainforest and Mediterranean planting.

A magical, beautiful estate, once derelict and overgrown (hence the ‘lost’) and now restored and filled with lush gardens, winding paths and woodlands. Spend the whole day exploring and stop to refuel at the café or one of the picnic sites.

If Charlestown Harbour looks familiar, it’s because you’ve probably seen it as the background on costume dramas like Poldark. Charlestown’s classic good looks, essentially unchanged since Georgian times, and the tall sailing ships bobbing in the dock make you feel as if you’ve stepped back into the eighteenth century.

Built by Henry VIII as part of a string of seafront defences, Pendennis Castle has survived sieges, two world wars and hundreds of years of bracing coastal weather. And with its sea views and springy green lawns it’s a nice place for a picnic too.

Not limited to South Cornwall, obviously, but there are some particularly lovely stretches here. We love the walk around Lizard Point to Kynance Cove and also the gentle woods and creeks of the Helford River area.

While you can’t exactly call anywhere along the South Cornish coast ‘secret’, there are lots of quiet places to be found - hidden coves, less-trodden beaches and off the beaten track villages. Here are a few of our favourites:

One of the best little coves in South Cornwall - and often not too busy. The short walk from Fowey means it’s a little off the radar, but those in the know come for the sheltered location, friendly feel and the lovely beach shop.

Tucked away near Plymouth and a little of the beaten track, the Rame Peninsula gives you classic Cornish beauty without all the crowds. The seaside villages of Kingsand and Cawsand are the stars here, with colourful cottages, narrow lanes and pubs by the water.

Tiny and tucked away on the Roseland Peninsula, Portloe is a peaceful fishing village clustered around the harbour, with white cottages, steep lanes and hardly any through traffic. It feels like proper ‘old Cornwall’ and much less busy than places like Mevagissey or Polperro.

A tranquil creek surrounded by woodland, boats and winding country lanes, Mawgan is one of the quietest spots on the Helford Estuary. It’s located on the far upper reaches of the river, with limited road access keeping visitor numbers low - you’re more likely to see herons and egrets than flocks of tourists.

South Cornwall has one of the most exciting foodie scenes in the UK - particularly if you love seasonal Cornish produce and freshly-caught seafood. You can take your pick from friendly beachfront cafes, classic pubs for a pint of local brew, or one of the region’s lovely laid-back fine-dining restaurants serving up the best Cornish ingredients. Here are just a few of South Cornwall's best pubs, restaurants and cafes:

Best for: intimate dinners and modern Cornish cooking
Narla, run by young Cornish chef Charlie Waters, is a stylish little restaurant serving creative, locally-sourced dishes. It’s fairly new to Fowey, but has quickly built a strong reputation for inventive, produce-led cooking.

Best for: unforgettable beach feasts
Perched above Porthcurnick Beach on the Roseland Peninsula, the Hidden Hut is one of South Cornwall’s most loved foodie spots. A simple wooden beach café that’s become famous for its open-air feasts, sea views and relaxed atmosphere.

Best for: sunny lunches by the water
One of the great waterfront pubs, the historic Pandora Inn is an ancient building full of nooks and crannies. It sits directly beside the waters of Restronguet Creek and is famous for its floating pontoon beer garden, which rises and falls with the tide.

Best for: Speciality coffee and and low-key cool
Tucked away on Falmouth’s High Street, Beacon is a small, minimalist café with a big reputation for seriously good coffee. It’s a local favourite known for its expertly brewed coffee, rotating guest roasters and relaxed vibes.

Best for: Farm-made ice cream and relaxed afternoons
Roskilly’s is more than an ice cream parlour, it’s a family-run organic farm on the Lizard Peninsula that has become one of Cornwall’s best-known food destinations. Their ice cream is made using milk from their own Jersey cows, which gives it the rich, super-creamy texture they’re famous for. You can spend a few hours strolling around the farm, visiting the farm shop, the gallery, then choose one (or more) of 30 delicious flavours of ice cream.