St Ives

St Ives is a world-renowned coastal town on Cornwall’s north coast, celebrated for its extraordinary clarity of light and its crescent-shaped harbour of turquoise water.

Originally a busy pilchard fishing port, the town underwent a dramatic transformation in the late 19th century when the arrival of the railway brought an influx of influential artists, including Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson. This creative legacy is still palpable today, with the iconic Tate St Ives gallery overlooking Porthmeor Beach and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden nestled among the town’s winding, cobbled backstreets.

Historically, the town was a maze of fishermen’s lofts and “downalong” cottages, many of which have been preserved within a labyrinth of narrow granite lanes that lead down to four distinct sandy beaches. Today, St Ives remains a premier destination for surfing, fine dining, and cultural exploration, perfectly balancing its heritage as a working maritime community with its status as a sophisticated international centre for the arts.

St Ives Guides

• St Ives to Zennor: The Scramble and the Siren
• A winter walk around St Ives
• Winter in St Ives
• Autumn in St Ives
• Summer in St Ives
• Spring in St Ives
• The best accessible places in St Ives
• The best places to park in St Ives
• The best things to do in St Ives
• The best places to stay in St Ives
• The best places to eat in St Ives
• 10 fascinating facts about St Ives
• Where can you see Whales & Dolphins in Cornwall?
• Dolphin watching in St Ives