St Ives

Travel Guide

St Ives which includes boating, a bay or harbour and a sandy beach
St Ives featuring rocky coastline, a coastal town and boating
Porthmeor Beach which includes a coastal town and a sandy beach as well as a large group of people
Porthminster Beach featuring a sandy beach and swimming
St Ives showing a coastal town, general coastal views and boating

With its white-washed cottages and white-sand beaches, this seaside village is as pretty as a painting and a magnet for artists and artistic happenings.

The town of St. Ives curves around a harbor overlooking the clear waters of its eponymous bay. Beyond the shoreline lie a cluster of fishermen’s cottages and narrow cobbled lanes where galleries, cafés and craft shops proliferate. Splash around in the surf and explore the impressive artistic offerings in town.

Though once just a regular fishing village, St. Ives has attracted many prominent artists since the early 19th century, including J.M.W. Turner and James McNeill Whistler. The town’s reputation as an artistic hub still remains and many renowned galleries are now based here.

Stop by the Tate St. Ives near the popular swimming spot of Porthmeor Beach. See works from modern British artists, including painter Ben Nicholson. Another important figure in the art scene of St. Ives is modernist sculptor Barbara Hepworth. She is honored at the Tate-owned Barbara HepworthMuseum and Sculpture Garden. Continue your artistic explorations at the Leach Pottery museum, where displays are devoted to the work of the master British potter Bernard Leach.

For relaxation during the warmer months, hit the golden sands of Porthminster Beach. From here, admire views of the Godrevy Lighthouse, the inspiration for Virginia Woolf’s famous 1927 novelTo the Lighthouse. Adventurers surf, kayak and paddleboard here too.

Explore the labyrinthine streets in the old heart of the town, known locally as Downalong. To learn more about the town’s history, visit the St. Ives Museum. Exhibits focus on its mining, fishing and boatbuilding industries.

When dining, seafood is the obvious choice. Eat beer-battered fish and chips at a cozy gastro pub or try some other delicious Cornish seafood. In between meals, snack on traditional Cornish pasties, savory baked pastries filled with minced meat and vegetables.

There is lots to keep you excited and amused in St. Ives, but consider a boat excursion out to Seal Island, where a colony of seals reside.

St. Ives is located in Cornwall on England’s southwest coast. Make the 3-hour drive from Bristol or use rail or coach services instead. Enjoy simple seaside pleasures and artistic delights at this picturesque harbor town.

Tregenna Castle Resort

Tregenna Castle Resort

3 out of 5
Tregenna Castle Estate, Treloyon Avenue, St Ives, England
The price is €157 per night from 8 Sept to 9 Sept
€157
8 Sept - 9 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 3-star spa hotel in St Ives. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and an outdoor pool. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in our ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (1,003 reviews)
"Beautiful place, nice to walk around and breakfast was good. Nice view from room. Overall good stay. would stay again if we saw a good deal (price with breakfast incl). Room should have had a fridge for the price paid and heated towel rack didn't heat up, only negative."

Reviewed on 6 Aug 2025

Tregenna Castle Resort
The St Ives Bay Hotel

The St Ives Bay Hotel

3.5 out of 5
The Terrace, Cornwall, St Ives, England
The price is €92 per night from 31 Aug to 1 Sept
€92
31 Aug - 1 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 3.5-star hotel in St Ives. Enjoy breakfast (surcharge), a 24-hour front desk, and daily housekeeping. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the ...
6.4/10 (598 reviews)
"Big room, comfy beds, decent bathroom a fan. Free WiFi. Short walk to carpark but steep hill or lots of steps. Ten minute walk into town. Didn't try any food or have our room serviced. Reception staff were pleasant on check in and check out."

Reviewed on 28 Jul 2025

The St Ives Bay Hotel
Harbour Hotel St Ives

Harbour Hotel St Ives

4 out of 5
The Terrace, St Ives, England
The price is €266 per night from 11 Aug to 12 Aug
€266
11 Aug - 12 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star beach hotel in St Ives. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the property condition ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (630 reviews)
"Very pretty hotel with beautiful views and a particularly goos breakfast. Windows were a bit tricky to use and rooms got very hot in the night. Rooms were not made up well (bet made but rubbish not removed and dirty glasses not replaced)."

Reviewed on 5 Aug 2025

Harbour Hotel St Ives
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
WOODLAND RETREAT - Summer school holiday dates still available.

WOODLAND RETREAT - Summer school holiday dates still available.

Lelant
Book a stay at this family-friendly vacation home in St Ives. Enjoy free WiFi, patios, and air conditioning. Popular attractions Carbis Bay Beach and St Ives ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (38 reviews)
"Lovely space with a cute seaside theme, perfect for our little family weekend in Cornwall. The surrounding woodland area is peaceful and secluded too. Our host was very communicative and welcoming, very kindly leaving a little treat for our children and dog. We would definitely love to stay ..."

Reviewed on 13 Jul 2025

WOODLAND RETREAT - Summer school holiday dates still available.
3 Bedroom 2 Bathroom Apartment,  Panoramic Views of St Ives, 2 parking spaces

3 Bedroom 2 Bathroom Apartment, Panoramic Views of St Ives, 2 parking spaces

St. Ives
Stay at this apartment in St Ives. Enjoy free WiFi, a garden, and laundry facilities. Popular attractions St Ives Harbour and Carbis Bay Beach are located ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (63 reviews)
"We enjoyed the convenient location within walking distance to town, beaches and the beautiful coastal paths. We walked to Lelant and took the train back and then to Zennor and caught the bus back. Just far enough away from town to not hear the noise, but still close enough to walk into town. Beautiful ..."

Reviewed on 28 Jul 2025

3 Bedroom 2 Bathroom Apartment, Panoramic Views of St Ives, 2 parking spaces
Newly renovated 4 en-suite bedrooms, panoramic sea views, Hot Tub, EV charger

Newly renovated 4 en-suite bedrooms, panoramic sea views, Hot Tub, EV charger

Carbis Bay
Book a stay at this family-friendly vacation home in St Ives. Enjoy free WiFi, a garden, and laundry facilities. Popular attractions Carbis Bay Beach and St ...
10/10 Exceptional! (13 reviews)
"Property was exactly as described, well presented and spotlessly clean. The downstairs layout was well thought through and comfortable with large dining table and great kitchen facilities. Large well appointed bedrooms and bathrooms and the bed in the master suite was so comfortable I had to seek ..."

Reviewed on 7 Aug 2025

Newly renovated 4 en-suite bedrooms, panoramic sea views, Hot Tub, EV charger
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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