My Cornwall trip started and ended in Plymouth, picking up a hire car and travelling clockwise around the peninsula. While Cornwall may not have the dramatic nature you’ll find in Scotland or the Lakes, its quaint towns and villages, alongside rich cultural attractions, make up for the lack of mountains.
The mix of coastal nature and dense culture makes this remote part of England well worth a visit. And, unlike say the Highlands, Cornwall has pretty decent bus and train connections, so you can easily visit using public transport. However, it will take a bit longer, and you’ll be at the whim of timetables and delays.
I have nine standout highlights that are not to be missed. You might already be familiar with some and, if you are, take this as your sign to visit as soon as possible!
Looe & Fowey
This list is already falling apart, as Looe and Fowey are two separate places, but they gave me such similar vibes. They are essentially small towns built around working harbours and the fishing industry. I don’t know why, but driving into them feels like stepping onto the Game of Thrones set, like you’re an extra in a minor scene. Perhaps it’s the narrow, curving cobbled high streets lined with fishermen at work. It feels immersive with the only cameras belonging to the flocking tourists. While the crowds break the illusion somewhat, I completely understand why you’d want to visit Looe and Fowey. There aren’t many towns like these left in Europe.
Cadgwith
Thatched buildings! Finally, you can see a dozen unique straw-covered buildings in one small village. Cadgwith is relatively close to Lizard Point, and if you have a full day, you can walk to Lizard Point and even continue towards Kynance Cove and beyond. The National Trust has a guide to the Lizard coastal path. If you really enjoy walking, you can carry on towards my next two underrated highlights, Mullion Harbour and Porthleven, but it will take several hours. Otherwise, hop back in the car (and be willing to pay more parking fees to Cornwall Council or the NT).
Mullion Harbour
Now, Mullion Harbour really is tiny. There is not much at all to do. But it is just so pretty. It’s worth the short detour while making your way around the peninsula. It’ll be a lot more difficult to access if you don’t have a car.
Minack Theatre
Minack is an open-air, cliff-edge theatre built by Derbyshire-born Rowena Cade. You can visit to see a show (available most days at very reasonable prices) or to simply walk around the theatre and nearby beaches and cliff trails. It is pretty incredible. I’ve never seen another theatre like it and think the entrance fee is well worth it at about a tenner. There’s also a live video feed so you can check out the weather and busyness at any point.
In summer, you must book tickets in advance. I visited in September and there were tickets available on the day, but it still gets very busy. If you want to visit with the smallest crowds, early mornings are your best friend. It’s definitely worth getting there early, touring the small theatre, then having breakfast in the seaview cafe while others crowd in.
Mousehole
I was nervous about driving around narrow, hedged, single-track country lanes when I was planning my Cornwall trip. Everyone, including all the AI tools, kept telling me that Cornwall is much more difficult to drive in than other remote areas like Donegal. However, visiting in September when most tourists had gone home, I didn’t find that to be the case at all. It was actually pretty peaceful, with plenty of passing places.
Except for Mousehole! The traffic is dreadful, the slopes are steep and the pedestrians love a dander in the middle of the road. It was the only time driving in Cornwall I felt stressed, though the village is tiny so it only lasted about ten minutes. In any case, it is such a beautiful place and well worth a visit. The very things that make Mousehole difficult to drive in are what make it so wonderful to walk around. A pint by the harbour, a bucket list item.
Geevor Mine
I visited Geevor Tin Mine on a pretty miserable day, which felt fitting for the museum’s narrative. Tin mining has been central to Cornwall’s identity since at least medieval times, ending less than four decades ago. Geevor closed as a working tin mine in 1990 but its legacy lives on. You can enter one of the early surface-level mines and see the original equipment used to refine tin from waste products.
Most impressive was the intact workers’ dry, the locker room for the 1980s miners. Left largely in its original condition, it showcases the changing rooms and showers the miners used before heading to work. It offers a genuine insight into working-class history, something that has been largely lost across most of post-industrial England.
You can feel the loss and grief in the song Cousin Jack. It tells the story of the Cornish tin miners who were forced to leave to find work at international mines.”In my dreams, I see the English living in our houses. I see the Spanish, fishing in our seas. Where there’s a mine or a hole in the ground. That’s where I’m headed for, that’s where I’m bound.”
Port Isaac
Another wee fishing village that can’t be missed, not least as it’s home to Doc Martin, British naughties classic. There isn’t much to do, but it is incredibly pretty and has a handful of very old buildings dating back to the 1500s. Park at the top of the village and walk down (but be prepared to get back up again). Like most of Cornwall, there are some lovely coastal paths you can take.
Trebarwith
Food… I’ve hardly mentioned it, but this is the stop for food. My favourite: a roast dinner. I visited Trebarwith on a Sunday to have the roast at The Port William. Decently priced and tasty, they even sourced me some mint sauce (pun!), which is a staple for roasts in my home region. (Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about Cornish pasties, but you can get these in almost every town.) This small village is great for experienced surfers and those looking to swim, or like me, a relaxing roast on a Sunday. It is the most secluded feeling village I visited.
Boscastle
Boscastle was one of the final stops on my clockwise trip around the Cornish peninsula. I visited for sunset and hiked up to the Willapark Lookout Tower, about 20 minutes from the harbour. It was very quiet and scenic, with high cliffs and two lazy ponies living in the field. As I walked back into town, the pubs came to life with karaoke for the end-of-season tourists. What a great way to end a trip to Cornwall.Tyller tek!
Where else?
These are just my favourites, and there are many more must-visit sites, including the Eden Project, Lost Gardens of Heligan, Penzance, Porthleven, St Michael’s Mount, St Ives, Land’s End and Tintagel Castle. In a rush, you can see a lot of the highlights of the peninsula in about four days, but to get a real sense of the county and its heritage, I’d recommend a week or so. Like anything, you set the pace, but it is a place best enjoyed relaxed.
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