St Ives: Beaches, Galleries & Things to Do
St Ives has it all: four golden town beaches, a harbour full of boats, world-class art and a light that has drawn painters for more than a century. It's also one of Cornwall's busiest towns, so a bit of planning goes a long way.
The beaches of St Ives
- Porthminster: a long sweep of soft sand below the railway station, with calm water, lifeguards in season and the much-loved Porthminster Beach Café.
- Porthmeor: the surf beach, on the north side of town below Tate St Ives.
- Porthgwidden: a small, sheltered cove tucked beside the Island.
- Harbour beach: right in town, perfect for little ones at low tide.
Art in St Ives
- Tate St Ives, overlooking Porthmeor, shows modern and contemporary art with a focus on the artists who worked in St Ives.
- Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, run by Tate, is the sculptor's former studio and garden, and one of the most peaceful places in town.
- Leach Pottery, founded by Bernard Leach in 1920, is a working pottery with a museum, on the edge of town.
More things to do
- Walk out to the Island, the grassy headland with the little St Nicholas Chapel on top. It's a good spot for dolphin watching.
- Stroll Smeaton's Pier, the old harbour pier, and take a boat trip to see the seals on Seal Island.
- Walk the coast path to Zennor: about six miles of wild, rugged coastline. It's a tough walk; take the bus back.
Places in this guide
Where to eat and drink
- The Sloop Inn, The Wharf, St Ives
- Porthminster Beach Café, Porthminster Beach, St Ives
- The Gurnard's Head, Treen, near Zennor
Getting there and parking
- Take the train. The branch line from St Erth to St Ives runs along the coast past Carbis Bay, and it's one of the prettiest short train rides in Britain. In summer, park at Lelant Saltings or St Erth and ride in.
- Parking in town fills up early in summer, and the streets near the harbour are very narrow. Use the big car parks at the top of town.
- Watch out for gulls. They're bold and will steal pasties and ice creams, so eat indoors or keep food covered.
Short on time? Follow our perfect day in St Ives plan.
Plan your trip
Save places from this guide into our free trip planner. It sorts them into days, tracks your budget and works on your phone, even offline.
Open the trip planner More Cornwall towns