Discovering St. Ives¶

If you are already a seasoned veteran of St. Ives then you won’t need any help from us in finding wonderful things to do during your stay. If you are visiting St. Ives for the first time then congratulations: you have made a great choice of holiday destination. Here are just a few things you might want to consider during your holiday:

Arrive in breathtaking style by taking the twenty-minute train ride on the popular branch line from St Erth to St Ives and be the first to spot the colourful fishing boats coming into harbour as the branch line snakes around the golden bays to the town
Kick off your shoes and stroll along the white sand at Porthminster Beach where, out in the bay, you’ll see the dreamy view of Godrevy Lighthouse, inspiration for Virginia Woolf’s famous novel “To the Lighthouse”
Visit the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden in St Ives where sensual sculptures by one of the country’s leading 20th century artists are exhibited in tranquil gardens. Wander along pathways through trees and shrubs and discover some of her most celebrated works in bronze and limestone
Behind the 14th century Sloop Inn on the Wharf and the Harbour beach there is a maze of narrow cobbled streets and fisherman’s cottages. This is the heart of old St Ives, known to the locals as ‘Downlong’. Spend an hour or so delving into the life and times of bygone St Ives at the local museum. The large space is packed with memorabilia and artefacts that reflect St Ives’s long and varied history including fishing, boatbuilding, art and agriculture
There are only four Tate galleries in the world and one of them is Tate St Ives. Opened in 1993 in recognition of the international importance of art in Cornwall and St. Ives in particular, the impressive gallery holds hundreds of works produced by the St. Ives School from the late 1800’s through to the 21st century
Since the 1930s visitors have been taking the boat trip from the harbour out sea to watch the local colony of seals frolicking in the sea and sunbathe on the rocks. Located 3½ miles (6km) to the West of St Ives, the aptly named Seal Island is home to more than 40 seals who inquisitively like to say ‘hello’
Enjoy a family day at the beach building sand castles, playing in the rock pools or if you’re feeling adventurous grab a surfing lesson from the local surf school
Visit Porthmeor, Porthgwidden, Porthminster and the Harbour beach.

Beaches¶

None of the four beaches in St. Ives is more than a few minutes walk from Trelas.

Porthmeor Beach¶

Marine Conservation Society Good Beach Guide Recommended 2014 - excellent water quality.

Situated in the shadow of the iconic Tate St Ives building, Porthmeor is sandy, safe beach popular with surfers and swimmers alike in an ideal location just a stone’s throw from the centre of St Ives where you’ll find ancient pubs, trendy cafes and lots of art galleries the town is famous for. A perfect place for a beach picnic - you can easily get all you need from the town, the beach is busy in summer with families who enjoy the easy access and in winter the surf brigade from the town have all those rollers right on their doorstep. Porthmeor is one of only five beaches in Cornwall that hold the prestigious Blue Flag Award 2013, given in recognition of water quality, safety, environmental management and education.

Please note: Dogs are welcome on this beach except between the Sunday before Easter and 30 September when a seasonal dog ban is in place.

Porthgwidden Beach¶

Marine Conservation Society Good Beach Guide Recommended 2014 - excellent water quality.

The smallest beach of soft golden sand in St Ives, near to the Island, and very popular with families as it is very sheltered and quite an east-facing sun trap.

Please note: Dogs are welcome on this beach except from the first Sunday before Easter and 30 September when a seasonal dog ban is in place.

Porthminster Beach¶

Marine Conservation Society Good Beach Guide Recommended 2014 - excellent water quality.

This crescent of golden sand, framed by a glittering bay, has glorious views across to Godrevy Lighthouse, inspiration for Virginia Woolf’s famous novel ‘To the Lighthouse’. With the benefit of the mildest climate in the UK along with waving palm trees and translucent waters, there is a definite tropical feel to the place.

Located just a short walk from the centre of St Ives, the award-winning Blue Flag beach at Porthminster is a family favourite for safe swimming while onshore you can simply relax in a deck chair or try your skill at the mini 18 hole golf course where you can also order up freshly made juices and smoothies. If you’re feeling peckish the beach is also home to the Porthminster Beach café. Serving up great local food, some of which is grown in their adjoining vegetable garden, the café has won many prestigious awards such as Coast magazine’s Best Coastal Café and The Times’ Best Coastal Restaurant.

Please note: Dogs are welcome on this beach except between the first Sunday before Easter and 30 September when a seasonal dog ban is in place.

Harbour Beach¶

Located in the town’s harbour sheltered by thick harbour walls a soft sandy beach is revealed when the tide’s out which is a perfect sun trap even on less balmy days. An ideal safe spot for swimming and building sand castles, the beach has easy access and is surrounded by the hustle and bustle of this popular resort, so you won’t go short of ice creams and hot pasties and there are many shops, galleries, cafes and pubs along the street that runs parallel to the sea.

St Ives is still very much a working port and from the beach you can watch local fishermen landing their daily catches of fresh seafood like mackerel and bass and the town’s Lifeboat Station, situated on the harbour for over 100 years, is open to the visitors during the summer season.

Please note: Dogs are welcome on this beach except between the first Sunday before Easter and 30 September (08:00am - 07:00pm) when a seasonal dog ban is in place. Toilets: Sloop car park (disabled) and behind the Lifeboat station on West Pier.

Things to do in and around St. Ives¶

Explore the Chapel of St. Nicholas¶

This small chapel is perched on ‘The Island’ of St Ives. No one knows when it was built but records indicate it had repairs in the 15th Century. St. Nicholas is known as the patron saint of children and sailors, making this chapel dedication appropriate. Throughout the years, the chapel has served as a place of worship, a look-out for revenue officers in the 18th Century, and a store for the War Office who partially demolished it in 1904. It was restored in 1911 to commemorate the Coronation of King George V.

This place is perfect for bird watchers. Discover benches around the chapel for a moment of peace and quiet. Watch the crashing waves fall onto the rocks below.

Grab a pint at The Sloop Inn Pub¶

If you like drinking ale and indulging in fresh seafood, The Sloop Inn is the perfect place. This very old inn (believed to be dated back to 1312) has tons of character and cosy sitting area. The pub is known for serving up local ale like Doom Bar and dishes like seafood tagliatelle. Have lunch or dinner from their bar menu or seafood restaurant. Meals are reasonably prices (averaging around £10 a dish).

Or some fish at The Seafood Cafe¶

The Seafood Cafe offers a selection of fresh local seafood, Cornish meats and a range of poultry. These mains are accompanied by fresh salads, potatoes and servings of chips. The best part about this place is that you get to choose your own seafood before eating it! This restaurant is nice for an evening out. Expect to pay around £20 a person for dinner and drinks.

Play in the sand at Carbis Bay¶

This beach has beautiful sand and gorgeous views of St Ives harbour. It is a popular place for families to relax during the day and for children to play in the calm water. This is also a tranquil location by night to come and watch the sun come down.