The Local Area

Set on the North West coast of Cornwall and boasting one of the warmest climates in the UK thanks to the Atlantic Gulf Stream, it's easy to see why St Ives won both Best Seaside Holiday Destination and UK’s Top Beach Resort in 2011, coming 6th overall in Europe!

Originally a fishing village, St Ives has become famous in more recent times as a haven for artists attracted to the area by the incredible light and rugged coastal landscape. St Ives subsequently flourished, becoming a cultural hotspot that is today awash with boutique galleries, local art studios and several internationally renowned institutions, including the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Tate St Ives, which is one of only four branches of the Tate Gallery. As you’d imagine with a town popular with artists, St Ives also has a reputation for top-notch food offering everything from delicious home-made meals to award-winning fine dining and everything in between. A casual stroll around town reveals a multitude of local restaurants, harbour side cafés, cosy pubs and stylish bars. St Ives also boasts one of the oldest Inns in Cornwall, The Sloop Inn being dated circa 1312.

St Ives itself has no fewer than 5 fantastic beaches including Porthmeor, Porthgwidden and Porthminster beaches, which for a town that you can walk across in less than 20 minutes is something in itself. Pale sands, turquoise water and some of the best surf around ensure that St Ives is consistently considered one of the most beautiful (and in the winter fabulously raw) destinations in the UK. For those of you keen to get out and explore more of the surrounding countryside, the local area has some great walking and hiking trails that range both in difficulty and length.

For more information on St Ives and the surrounding area please visit the St Ives Tourism Association website.