With white sands, the clearest waters and no need to leave the UK, Cornwall is the ideal (and affordable) summer break. Its rugged, historic coastline is entirely walkable and takes in some of the country's most picturesque beaches. On top of its natural good looks, the county has established itself as a real creative hub, packed with artistry – from galleries to festivals to culinary wonders, and everything in between.
Cornwall isn't just about Newquay, Padstow and St Ives, though: there are hidden gems aplenty, where you can avoid the hordes of tourists and enjoy this unspoilt, proudly independent county.
Penzance
Best for: Chilled-out art lovers who want to avoid the crowds. Penzance is at the end of the railway line and therefore easy to get to, with direct trains from London, Bristol, Manchester and even Glasgow.
Wake up: Artist Residence is a boutique hotel tucked away on the historic Chapel Street. The rooms (pictured) are decorated with original artwork and the hotel comes complete with a (very good) smokehouse restaurant, The Cornish Barn.
Artist Residence, 20 Chapel Street , Penzance, TR18 4AW. Rooms from £90/night, breakfast included for direct bookings.
Eat: Take a stroll along the seafront to The Tolcarne Inn at Newlyn, where chef Ben Tunnicliffe has made waves with his modern take on fish from the famous Newlyn Fish Market. Expect dishes like roasted hake with saffron, asparagus and crab risotto... we're drooling already.
The Tolcarne Inn, Tolcarne Place, Newlyn, Penzance TR18 5PR
Drink: The Cornish Barn at Artist Residence has a huge beer garden and terrace, great for those long summer evenings sipping on a Cornish Bramble.
The Cornish Barn, 20 Chapel Street , Penzance, TR18 4AW
Do: Spend a day at the art deco, Cubist-inspired Jubilee Pool, one of Europe's last saltwater lidos. The triangular pool (pictured) is enclosed in pristine white walls, making for the perfect tanning spot while you cool off.
Jubilee Pool, Battery Road, Penzance, TR18 4FF. Open daily from 3rd June to end of September, from 10.30am-6pm (8pm on Tuesdays).
Explore: The Victorian Penlee House is set in semi-tropical gardens, with a gallery specialising in the work of the Newlyn School of art. See works by painters including Walter Langley, Norman Garstin and Elizabeth Forbes.
Penlee House Gallery and Museum, Morrab Road, Penzance, TR18 4HE
Top tip: Try and catch Golowan, Penzance's celebration of midsummer around the summer solstice, where the town comes alive with silk flags and handmade sculptures parade the streets.
Photos: Courtesy of Artist Residence, via @richiet687.
Porthcurno
Best for: Beach bums who want to spend all day in the ocean. The crystal-clear sea here is the ideal bathing spot – you'll struggle to drag yourself out.
Wake up: This cosy Airbnb sleeps five, and you're just a hop and a skip away from the beach.
Escape , Porthcurno. £119/night.
Eat: Picnic at the beach, then for an afternoon treat head to Porthcurno Beach Cafe for a cream tea. Remember, when in Cornwall, it's jam then cream.
Porthcurno Beach Cafe, Porthcurno, TR19 6JX
Drink: Take a walk up the coast path to Treen, where you'll find the cosy Logan Rock pub. Go for a local ale and hang out in the beer garden.
The Logan Rock, Treen, St. Levan, TR19 6LG
Do: Porthcurno is perhaps most famous for the Minack – an open-air theatre dug out of the cliffs above the bay. It was created in the 1930s by Rowena Cade, older sister of the feminist novelist Katharine Burdekin. She built the theatre with two aides, cutting out the steps by hand and building the seating and stage with granite from the cliffs. After the first showing of The Tempest in the summer of 1932, over the next 50 years the theatre was expanded up the cliffs by Cade herself. On a good day expect to see basking sharks and dolphins circling the bay behind the stage. Performances this summer include Pride & Prejudice, Treasure Island and Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, TR19 6JU
Explore: The South West Coast Path stretches 630 miles, around the whole of Cornwall and beyond. One of the most beautiful spots to walk is along the Porthcurno coast – for a manageable distance start at Porthgwarra and work your way eastbound, for a pint of local beer at The Logan Rock.
Top tip: Keep an eye on the tide on Porthcurno beach – when it's low you can walk across the open sand to Pedn Vounder. But don't get stuck there when the tide comes in; the only way out is to swim!
Photos: Education Images/Getty Images, Ashley Cooper/Getty Images.
St Ives
Best for: A bit of everything – this arty town is full of galleries, high end eateries and, of course, ice cream, fudge and the usual seaside haunts.
Wake up: St Ives is expensive, especially if you want to stay centrally. If you're looking for a bolthole right in the heart of the town try The Keep, a converted 16th-century Pilchard Palace just between Tate St Ives and the main beach.
The Keep, 6 Hicks Ct, St Ives, TR26 1HS. From £85/night, season-dependent.
Eat: There are too many to name but a favourite is the Porthgwidden Beach Café. Tucked away from the main beach and tourist traps sits this relaxed restaurant serving up Cornish classics such as crab linguine. For an evening treat try The Black Rock, a family-run intimate restaurant serving the best local ingredients on its short, seasonal menu.
Porthgwidden Beach Café, The Island, St Ives, TR26 1PL
The Black Rock, Market Place, St Ives, TR26 1RZ
Drink: After a day weaving through the tiny streets and dipping into galleries, sit on the harbour front with a craft beer, cocktail or coffee at Hub. It's open late, so bring your dancing shoes...
Hub, The Wharf, St Ives, TR26 1LF
Do: Explore the magical home of Barbara Hepworth, an influential British artist and sculptor who escaped to St Ives in the 1930s and remained until her death in 1975. The house has been converted to a museum and garden where her sculptures sit proudly, just as she placed them, and the working studio is left untouched.
Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, Barnoon Hill, St Ives, TR26 1AD. Adult entry £6.60.
Explore: The coast surrounding St Ives is stunning. Drive west around the coastal road to The Gurnard's Head for lunch (booking essential) and take a walk across the landscape made famous by Poldark. If you don't have a car, catch the open-top bus in the direction of Land's End.
Top tip: Avoid July and August – the best times of year to swerve the crowds are June and September.
Falmouth
Best for: Cosmopolitan trendies with an interest in history. Falmouth harbour is the third largest natural port in the world (behind Rio and Sydney), famous for landing the news of Britain's victory at Trafalgar and welcoming back Charles Darwin following his voyage around the world. Now a university town with a focus on the arts, it's become a diverse and creative corner, well worth a visit.
Wake up: This little apartment has views for days and is right next to the beach, only a short walk from the town. Stumble out of bed and to the Gylly Beach Café for breakfast.
Sea View Apartment, Falmouth. £79/night.
Eat: You can't visit the seaside without tucking into a portion of fish and chips, and Falmouth happens to be home to the best independent fish and chip restaurant in the UK. Harbour Lights opts for local Cornish fish from Newlyn, as opposed to the intensive pre-frozen fish most places use – and you can taste the difference.
Harbour Lights, Arwenack Street, Falmouth, TR11 3LH
Drink: If you take great enjoyment in a lengthy wine list, head to La Cave where they have a huge selection. There's plenty available by the glass, too, so no need to argue.
La Cave Wine Bar & Brasserie, 29 High Street, Falmouth, TR11 2AD
Do: The Maritime Museum in Falmouth is well worth a visit, and it doesn't just begin and end with boats. Don't miss the current exhibition Tattoo: British Tattoo Art Revealed, which explores the rich history of tattooing in Britain, open until January 2018.
National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Discovery Quay, Falmouth, TR11 3QY
Explore: Take a trip up to Pendennis Castle – it might not sound like the most fun but this castle from the 1500s is packed with history. Built by Henry III, it has defended British shores for over 400 years. If castles aren't your thing, get lost in the artsy shops nestled along Falmouth's lanes.
Pendennis Castle, Pendennis Point, Falmouth TR11 4LP
Top tip: Foodies flock to Falmouth for the annual Oyster Festival, celebrating the start of the season. So if you fancy trading your Oyster card for a dozen of the slippery delicacies, book in a visit between 12th-15th October.
Isles Of Scilly
Best for: Those who want a big tick on the bucket list. The stunning beaches and exotic sea life, just 27 miles from Land's End, can easily be mistaken for the Caribbean. It's not the easiest or cheapest to get to but the quickest way is to fly, either from Land's End, Newquay or Exeter, from £140 return. You can also arrive by boat from Penzance, returns from £90.
Wake up: Make the most of staying in one of the UK's remotest destinations by sleeping under the stars on St Agnes (population 73). Camping pitches, bell tents and self-catering are available at Troytown, the islands' only dairy farm, which serves up ice cream to die for (from just nine cows!). The site is right next to the beach, facing the Atlantic Ocean. Be warned: it gets booked up very far in advance, so start planning for 2018...
Troytown Farm, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, TR22 0PL. Camping from £9.75/night, bell tent from £50/night, self-catering from £55/night.
Eat: There are just three choices on the menu at the rustic Crab Shack on Bryher (pictured): scallops, mussels and crab. But when you're getting some of the best seafood available in the UK, what else do you need? Don your apron (provided) and prepare to get messy.
Crab Shack at Hell Bay, Bryher, Isles of Scilly, TR23 0PR. Booking essential.
Drink: Get lost in the eccentric local artefacts all over the walls at The Mermaid Inn, an ancient pub which welcomes you at the quay of St Mary's.
The Mermaid Inn, The Bank, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, TR21 0HY
Do: If I had to pick one island to spend the day on, it would be Tresco, where the sea is teaming with starfish and colourful sea life. Hire bikes at the start of your trip and get the first boat over, topping off the day with dinner at Crab Shack on neighbouring Bryher. Tresco is also home to Abbey Gardens – the sub-tropical climate here results in what they describe as "perennial Kew without the glass ".
St Mary's Bike Hire, 24 Porthmellon Business Park, St Mary's, TR21 0JY
Abbey Gardens, Tresco, Isles of Scilly TR24 0QQ
Explore: The islands, of course! The best way to spend a week in the Scillies is to hop between – there are ports on each of the five inhabited islands: St Agnes, St Mary's, Tresco, Bryher and St Martins. Calypso Boat Company offers flexible trips, from seeing three in a day to single trips.
Top tip: If you have a weak stomach, avoid the Scillonian ferry from Penzance. If the weather is anything other than perfect, it's a rocky ride.
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