Cornwall Travel Guide (including tips, itinerary + map)

Our Cornwall Travel Guide includes recommended places to visit and things to do, accommodation options, tips and more for this beautiful English county. Everything you need to plan your visit and essential reading for any visitor to Cornwall!

Plan your visit to Cornwall

With its stunning coastline, beautiful beaches, castles, historical treasures and quaint towns and villages no wonder Cornwall in England’s south west is one of the top destinations for British holidaymakers.

Cornwall has something to appeal to every age group and is the perfect destination for families, couples, solo travellers.

For walkers, surfers, foodies, beach lovers, history enthusiasts and nature lovers Cornwall is the place to be!

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Map of Cornwall

When is the best time to visit Cornwall?

The best time to visit Cornwall is in June or September before and after the UK school holiday season.

During July and August the weather is generally at its best (it is the English summer period and can be notoriously unpredictable) but this is also high season and the roads are busy with visitors heading to the pretty Cornish seaside towns and beaches. This is the most expensive time of year to visit.

Temperatures during the winter months can fluctuate so expect to wrap up to keep warm and dry!

Places to visit & things to do in Cornwall

Top attractions in Cornwall

Cornwall Travel Guide – Accommodation

There are accommodation options to suit all budgets and travel styles in Cornwall. Click the links below for the best hotel and airbnb options for your trip.

Tip – Book in advance particularly during the summer months or you may find accommodation is full.

BEST AIRBNB ACCOMMODATION IN CORNWALL

Find more special stays in my Accommodation Guide for England.

Practical tips for visiting Cornwall

How to get to Cornwall from London

By car

Drive to Cornwall in less than 5 hours from London via the M4.

Click here for directions via google maps.

Tip – Please note that in the summer months the roads can be very congested so travel overnight or outside peak rush hours to avoid long delays.

By train

There are a number of train routes to take to get to Cornwall from London including the sleeper train service the Night Riviera.

The most popular train route is from London Paddington to Newquay which takes around 5 hours.

Alternatively take a direct train from Bath (why not stay in Bath for a few days) or Bristol. The London – Bath – Cornwall route is one of our 10 favourite UK train journeys.

Find out more information including train timetables and fares at on the trainline.com

By bus

National Express coaches travel from London to Truro in Cornwall and take around 7 hours. This is the cheapest method of transport but also the slowest!

By air

Fly to Newquay airport from airports around the UK including London Gatwick, Belfast, Aberdeen, and Manchester amongst others.

Take a tour

Devon and Cornwall: 5-Day Tour from London – Enjoy 5 days exploring Devon and Cornwall. Home to the legends of King Arthur, Celtic Kingdoms and Roman towns, stop at beautiful beaches and wild moorlands. Visit Norman cathedrals and extraordinary coastlines as you see this beautiful pocket of England.

Read more – Complete guide to transportation in the UK (including planes, trains and automobiles)

Recommended day trips and experiences in Cornwall

Day trips and tours

• Doc Martin Tour – Take a guided walking tour of filming locations from the hit show Doc Martin in the picturesque village of Port Isaac in Cornwall.

• From Cornwall: Private Poldark Tour with Pickup – Day tour of filming locations featured in the BBC drama Poldark, adapted from the Winston Graham series visiting sites throughout Cornwall.

• Cornwall 2-Day King Arthur Tintagel and Boscastle Tour – Explore Cornwall through the legend of King Arthur on a 2-day sightseeing tour of Tintagel Castle, Boscastle, and Dartmoor. Follow in the footsteps of the warrior king and his wife Guinevere. Take part in a mystical meditation, and more.

Experiences

• Coast Hike & Rustic Picnic Adventure – Walk a beautiful 5/6-mile loop of the South West Coast Path starting at Holywell, gently rising over the stunning dunes and cliff tops overlooking the beautiful Holywell Bay. Visit Holywell Beach, Poly Joke Beach, Crantock Beach, the village of Crantock and Cubert Common and explore the caves of Crantock Beach, old smugglers spots! Find out more

• Explore North Cornwall on Electric Bikes – Explore the remote coastal parishes of North Cornwall and Devon which boast some of the country’s most wild and spectacular scenery. Find out more

• Gin & Tea in the Tree House for Two – Experience a Gin Masterclass for 2 in a private distillery followed by afternoon Gin and Tea in a stunning Tree House. Find out more

Click here for more fantastic experiences in Cornwall

Tips for visitors to Cornwall

Read more – 10 best things to do (and places to visit) in England’s South West

Traditional English dishes from Cornwall

Traditional foods of Cornwall include the Cornish pasty, Cornish clotted cream served with a scone and jam to make a cream tea, Stargazy Pie, saffron cake, and Cornish yarg (cheese).

Books to read about Cornwall

Enjoy your visit to Cornwall

Check out my travel guides for more travel inspiration around England:

• Dorset Jurassic Coast Travel Guide

• Bath Travel Guide

• Cotswolds Travel Guide

• Top 10 things to do in South East England

• Devon Travel Guide

• 12 pretty towns and villages to visit in England

Looking for more inspiration for your travels in England? Check out my England Travel Planning Guide which has loads of ideas, tips and resources to plan your itinerary.

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