on 12/09/2025
St Ives was once a small town used for fishing and mining. These days however, it’s a bustling hub for tourists and beach goers on their Cornish getaway! St Ives is one of the more popular Cornish destinations and it’s no guess as to why once you walk through the rambling streets and along the sandy beaches!
With so much to do it’s hard to even know where to start- that’s why we have decided to give you the run down on what to do, where to eat, where to stay, and most importantly which beaches need to be on your bucket-list!
Serving up flame-grilled steaks, gourmet burgers, and of course some local seafood- they even offer a kids menu!
A cosy lowly-lit bar with specialty rum cocktails all made to order by trained mixologist! Visit Wednesday through till Friday for their live jazz performances.
Introducing authentic Greek street food to the waters of Cornwall! You can find a little bit of everything from fresh gyros and souvlaki wraps (with vegetarian and vegan options available) to traditional Greek cakes and sweets, all served alongside a selection of Greek wines!
Yallah are famous across Cornwall for their roasted single-origin, specialty coffee. You can try out a new blend or taste a freshly baked sweet treat from their St. Ives café or kiosk!
Focussing on fresh local and ethically sourced ingredients, everything at Silco is made from scratch! ‘’Think G&T’s, katsu chicken, frozen cocktails and flatbreads, all served up on one of St Ives finest beaches."
Definitely one of the most popular beaches in this area, Porthmeor is a blue flag awarded beach boasting a long sandy beach lined with shops and cafes. Porthmeor is particularly popular among surfers looking for some consistent waves- why not try out one of the local surf schools!
Sitting on the infamous South West Coast Path, Carbis Bay (another blue flag beach) is a small crescent shaped beach tucked away from the larger ocean swells making it the perfect spot for swimming and paddleboarding!
Yet another blue flag beach (you will find yourself spoilt for choice for these in Cornwall), Porthminster is your classic white sand and bright blue waters kind of beach making it particularly popular amongst local artists!
On the edge of a beautiful estuary leading to St Ives bay, Hayle Towans Beach is the beginning of Hayle’s ‘Three Mile Beach’ and it most certainly lives up to this name! Miles upon miles of picturesque golden sands backed by rolling dunes (‘Towans’ is Cornish for ‘dunes’!)
At the far end of the Three Mile Beach (connected at low tide) lies Godrevy, a sandy cove with breathtaking views over to St Ives. Take a stroll along the cliffs for views out to Godrevy Lighthouse and keep an eye out for seals which can often be spotted taking a nap in one of the coves!
This luxury holiday home used to belong to a former sea captain boasting panoramic views across the bay- it now sleeps up to 8 people in it’s 4 beautifully decorated bedrooms. This gorgeous townhouse is in a prime location just moments away from St Ives town and Porthminster beach but if you don’t fancy going out you could always sit back and relax in your private hot-tub!
