St Ives

Travel Guide

St Ives showing a beach, a coastal town and boating
St Ives featuring rugged coastline, a coastal town and boating
Porthmeor Beach showing a coastal town and a sandy beach as well as a large group of people
Porthminster Beach showing a sandy beach and swimming
St Ives which includes general coastal views, a coastal town 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 harbour 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 Hepworth Museum 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 novel To 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 cosy gastro pub or try some other delicious Cornish seafood. In between meals, snack on traditional Cornish pasties, savoury 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 harbour town.

Tregenna Castle Resort

Tregenna Castle Resort

3 out of 5
Tregenna Castle Estate, Treloyon Avenue, St Ives, England
The price is RM756 per night from 6 Aug to 7 Aug
RM756
RM907 total
6 Aug - 7 Aug
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! (1,007 reviews)
"A lovely resort in a beautiful location. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We would have liked to be able to have breakfast earlier ( they only start at 7.45am) and the gym facilities don’t open til 9am."

Reviewed on 18 Jul 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 RM472 per night from 10 Aug to 11 Aug
RM472
RM567 total
10 Aug - 11 Aug
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 (584 reviews)
"Great location by both stations. Town 5 mins away beach mins away"

Reviewed on 15 Jul 2025

The St Ives Bay Hotel
Treloyhan Manor

Treloyhan Manor

2.5 out of 5
Treloyhan Avenue, St Ives, England
The price is RM1,534 per night from 28 Jul to 29 Jul
RM1,534
RM1,841 total
28 Jul - 29 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this spa hotel in St Ives. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a full-service spa. Popular attractions Carbis Bay Beach and St Ives Harbour are ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (8 reviews)
"It was an amazing place with amazing views and facilities. The only negative was that it was a stifling hot night and no air conditioning"

Reviewed on 22 Jun 2025

Treloyhan Manor
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.
Beautiful and Cosy Pod Saintives

Beautiful and Cosy Pod Saintives

3 out of 5
St Ives
Stay at this 3-star cabin in St Ives. Enjoy free WiFi and a garden. Popular attractions Carbis Bay Beach and St Ives Harbour are located nearby.
9.4/10 Exceptional! (3 reviews)
"The property was very well maintained clean and comfortable. Parking was just up the road where there was plenty of room at the side of the road. The owners were very friendly and welcoming. The POD was great for a couple of nights but wouldn't have been suitable for a longer stay due to its size. ..."

Reviewed on 27 May 2025

Beautiful and Cosy Pod Saintives
5 Lyonesse Apartments

5 Lyonesse Apartments

3 out of 5
5 Lyonesse Apartments Talland Road, St Ives, England
Stay at this 3-star golf cottage in St Ives. Enjoy free WiFi and free parking. Popular attractions St Ives Harbour and Carbis Bay Beach are located nearby.
10/10 Exceptional! (3 reviews)
"Property was perfect. Absolutely no complaints."

Reviewed on 20 Jul 2025

5 Lyonesse Apartments
Heron

Heron

2 out of 5
Flat 2, Tate Reach Barn A Woon Barnoon, St Ives, England
Book a stay at this golf cottage in St Ives. Enjoy free WiFi and free parking. Popular attractions St Ives Harbour and Carbis Bay Beach are located nearby.
Heron
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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