Every year my family and I make an annual trip down to Cornwall. With mornings spent swimming in hidden coves, afternoons wandering harbour towns, and evenings on the beach with a glass of wine and bag of chips, I've come to know the Cornish coastline very well. And one town that always gets a lot of attention from visitors (myself included) is St Ives.
Now, while there is something particularly magical about heading to St Ives and getting lost in its small streets, it has to be said the small town can get very busy, particularly in the summer months, and it becomes less a calm seaside trip and more a fight to get a parking space and lunch reservation.
So if you want a harbour town in Cornwall that has a similar vibe but with far less overcrowding, then may I suggest a trip to St Mawes.
Located on the south Cornish coast near Falmouth the pretty harbour town is full of stunning views, nice restaurants and plenty to keep you entertained. Here's how I'd spend a day or two there.
What to do in St Mawes
Take a boat trip
As a harbour village there are plenty of boat trip opportunities available. One option is to take the ferry from St Mawes to nearby Falmouth on a 2.8mile trip across the water, which saves you from doing the 29 mile drive. The boat trip takes you past the castles of St Mawes and Pendennis, and on occasion sharks and dolphins have been spotted on the journey too. The ferry runs every day apart from Christmas Day (weather dependent) and during the summer there's around two to three trips an hour.
Visit the St Mawes Castle
If seeing the castle from the boat isn't enough, it's well worth a trip inside too. Overlooking the sea, the clover-shaped castle was built by Henry VIII. You can explore the inner rooms of the castle as well as exploring its grounds.
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Explore the local shops and galleries
St Mawes' high street is by no means large, but there's a small stretch of independent stores and art galleries, full of local artists and treasures to explore.
Go to the Hidden Cinema
If you're in St Mawes for more than a day and want to catch a film, head to the Hidden Cinema at the St Mawes hotel. It's a small cinema with 25 seats and often has a really fun offer on where for £35 you have dinner at the restaurant, before heading into watch a classic movie, accompanied with a glass of wine and an ice cream.
Take a walk
Being based in St Mawes gives you plenty of options to explore the local countryside on foot. One of the best walks with unparalleled views of the coast is the St Mawes Headland Walk which as the name suggests will take you around the headland and past the castle in around three hours.
Visit the Lamoran House Gardens
Open Wednesday to Friday in the summer are the Lamoran House Gardens which are some of the county's most beautiful gardens, with stunning views over the sea too. Due to its unique location, the garden remains frost free for the majority of the year and so a wide range of plants are able to grow and thrive there.
Try out a water sport
If you prefer a more active pace to your trip, make sure to include an afternoon of stand-up kayaking. Kayaks are available for hire in the harbour.
Where to eat and drink in St Mawes
The Idle Rocks
Right on the water's edge is the gorgeous hotel and restaurant The Idle Rocks. Whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner you'll be treated to some local food and drink by executive chef Guy Owen. This summer their sea view terrace is running a partnership with Maison Mirabeau for Rosé on the Rocks sessions, where every Saturday it's a celebration of seafood and rosé and all dining guests are welcomed with a complimentary glass of Mirabeau.
Rising Sun
Another great spot overlooking the harbour is Rising Sun, a pub and hotel, that puts an elevated spin on classic dishes. On Friday and Saturday evenings they run their Fire & Feast Nights where food is cooked over hot goals.
The Beach Club at Hotel Tresanton
For day time dining head to the Hotel Tresanton, a former yacht club turned hotel that opens its beach club from 9am to 5pm every day. Expect oysters, posh fish finger sandwiches and sumptuous burgers, all while overlooking the sea and sipping on a crisp glass of white wine.
Lydia Venn is Cosmopolitan UK’s Senior Entertainment and Lifestyle Writer. She covers everything from TV and film, to the latest celebrity news. She also writes across our work/life section regularly creating quizzes, covering exciting new food releases and sharing the latest interior must-haves. In her role she’s interviewed everyone from Margot Robbie to Niall Horan, and her work has appeared on an episode of The Kardashians. After completing a degree in English at the University of Exeter, Lydia moved into fashion journalism, writing for the Daily Express, before working as Features Editor at The Tab, where she spoke on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Talk Radio. She has an encyclopedic knowledge of Gilmore Girls and 00s teen movies, and in her free time can be found with a margarita in hand watching the Real Housewives on repeat. Find her on LinkedIn.
