St Ives

St Ives has to offer.....

Beaches

St Ives has five fantastic beaches to choose from, these range from Porthmeor, with its almost constant surf, to the family friendly Porthminster nestled below the railway station. In-between you have Town Beach, always busy and with every facility near by, and the two east facing beaches, Porthgwidden and the tiny Bamaluz, reached by steep steps below the museum.

All are within easy reach of the heart of the town and all its facilities. So, whether it’s sandcastles, sandwiches or a swell that you are looking for, St Ives has a beach for you. The problem is deciding which one to choose?

And if it’s out of season, nothing beats a bracing walk along a windswept beach, followed by a warming drink in a St Ives pub, or a visit to a gallery.

In 2022 both Porthmeor and Porthminster were awarded a Blue Flag, as was nearby Carbis Bay.

Art

These days St Ives is well known across the world for its art. Tate St Ives, overlooking Porthmeor Beach, is home both to exhibitions of work by contemporary artists and those who made the area their home over the years. Close by the studio and gardens of the sculptor Barbara Hepworth can be visited, whilst on the western edge of the town the Bernard Leach Pottery offers classes for budding potters and a chance to view the work..

There are also plenty of other galleries dotted around the town including the Penwith Gallery, who have ever changing exhibitions, or you could just pick up some paints and have a go yourself?

People claim St Ives has a light like nowhere else. It has certainly inspired many over the years, from the naïve art of Alfred Wallis to the bold colourful work of Terry Frost, both of whom feature in the exhibitions at Tate St Ives.