St. Ives Cornwall – an amazing place to visit

St. Ives in Cornwall, one of the famous family holiday destinations, locates in the West Cornwall Peninsula. There are several cafes, gift shops and pretty holiday cottages, which are situated in a group around a fantastic harbor. If you want to visit the West Country, you need to have time to gain experience of the pleasures of St. Ives – a marvelous and fantastic west coast holiday resort. 

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Image credit St. Ives Island

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There are several beaches in St. Ives where families come and enjoy their holidays by relaxing or swimming. These beaches include:

• Porthminster Beach
• Porthmeor Beach
• Harbour Beach
• Porthgwidden Beach

St. Ives is an attractive place which contains all kinds of important ingredients that make it a really superb holiday spot.

It is built around the small drying fishing harbor and headland. Local people knew it as the Island. Narrow lanes and streets situated in the region of the harbor create a maze. The beaches look like the crescent shape. 

In the months of the spring and summer brightly colored flowers are used to decorate the streets and lanes of St. Ives. It appears that the floral display indicate you to walk through them and find their unseen pleasures and hidden places. 

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Image credit St. Ives Cornwall

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The oldest part of St. Ives is known as the “Downalong”. It has fishermen’s cottages and narrow lanes which form a maze. It is originally made of a sandbank that connected “The Island” to the Cornish Mainland. Several cafes, galleries, restaurants and shops are built on the streets and quayside. 

The Island is filled with grass and it disconnects the main harbor from the Portmeor beach. Once a time it was known as an Iron Age Promontory Hill Fort which is a raised region of headland from where you can still have panoramic views of across the bay towards Hayle and along the beach toward Newquay. St. Ives is a great place where you can relax and sit and have the stunning views of this area. You can also catch a marvelous view around the small granite St. Nicholas’s Chapel.

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Image credit St Ives Bay in West Cornwall

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St. Ives provides the travelers everything which should be in a seaside resort. When you reach in the town, you will get surprised by the panoramic vistas and on every turn it appears that it is greeting you. It is a great place to celebrate family holiday and has marvelous beaches that really provide something special to everyone. There is golden sand around the resort where families spend several hours or simply they take a relaxing dip in the warm sea.

St. Ives Beach Guide

There are four main holiday beaches in the St. Ives and each has a clearly different character. 

Porthmeor Beach

Porthmeor Beach is known as the main beach in St. Ives. This level sandy beach is perfect for family holiday. It is a famous place with surfers because of the Atlantic Swell. 

• Parking facility is available in the main St. Ives
• There are several refreshments and restaurants on the beach
• Toilets are available there
• Lifeguard is available to support tourists during summer months
• In between Easter and October dogs are prohibited to get in the beach

In the months of summer, life guards are available on the beach to support the travelers. There are a restaurant situated on the beach, including cafes and gift shops in the narrow lanes that shine from it. The Tate gallery is attached to Porthmeor beach. 

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Image credit Porthmeor Beach

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People who are interested in surfing can follow that deceptive wave along Porthmeor Beach, while those who are looking for more mental happiness can discover the history of town or see art work in the galleries of St. Ives. 

Porthgwidden Beach

Porthgwidden Beach locates in a small sheltered cove, and it is folded between the harbor and the Island. 

• There is a parking space in the main St. Ives town 
• There are refreshments and cafes located near the gateway of the beach
• Toilets are available there
• Dogs are not permitted to be on beach between Easter and October

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Image credit Porthgwidden Beach

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Porthgwidden with a beautiful café is a very famous beach. It is a small but outstanding place for families to celebrate their holidays. Bathrooms are available on the beach which is very safe. 

Harbor Beach

Harbor Beach is affected by tides.

• Parking space is built in the town and also provides ride services
• Toilets are attached to the beach
• There are refreshments, bars, cafes, restaurants and shops situated on the main quay
• Dogs are prevented from being on the beach Easter to October

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Image credit Harbor Beach

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It is ideal location for families which provides the extra benefit of all the facilities cafes, and so on that you require along with its western border.

St. Ives Harbor  

There is a small fishing industry on the beach which is still maintained by St. Ives. Once it was popular for pilchard. The town was made in such a way that it can fulfill the demands of the local fishing, mining and farming industries. 

The harbor is too bigger to fulfill the demands of today’s sailors. Seeing the size of St. Ives, you can understand the past importance of the towns as a fishing port. 

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Image credit St. Ives Harbor

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In the 19th century, St. Ives was known as the home dock to more than 400 pilchard fishing yachts. It also became a major industrial seaport to export stone, copper and tin from the mines situated in the region of the Lands End Peninsula. 

Coal and other minerals were also imported through this harbor. These things were utilized to convey the materials to the harbor and to provide electrical energy the large beam engines and pumps of the local mines. 

Porthminster Beach

Porthminster Beach is known as the second largest beach in St. Ives Island. Being the famous holiday beach, it lies to the south end of the harbor and contains a north eastern feature. 

• Parking space in the main town
• Toilets are available 
• Refreshments and cafes are also situated there
• Lifeguard support during the main season
• Dogs are not allowed Easter to October

Porthminster beach is ideal and safe for families. You can experience superb bathing and wonderful views along the beach towards Hayle and the Godreavy Lighthouse. 

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Image credit Porthminster Beach

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Porthminster beach contains all kinds of amenities such as toilets, a café, beach huts and mini golf. In the main season, lifeguard support is provided to make sure your protection while bathing. 

Porthminster café is an award winning seafood restaurant located on the border of the beach. The café provides a wonderful view towards sea including a comfortable and friendly atmosphere. 

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