If you want to get away for a few days and escape the hustle and bustle of the city, a short break in Cornwall is the perfect choice. With it’s beautiful scenery, quaint villages, renowned beaches and vibrant towns Cornwall is a great destination whatever type of break you are looking for. Well known for its fantastic weather and almost continental approach to tourism, a break in Cornwall is a real alternative to traveling abroad, you can avoid the hassle of flights and passports but within a couple of hours still be a world away from the stress of work and home.
Cornwall is split into three distinct areas which you should consider when deciding on accommodation. Firstly there is the ‘Riviera Coast’ which covers the South East of Cornwall and, with it’s coastline sheltered from the Atlantic, enjoys some of the warmest weather in the UK. This area is home to sleepy fishing villages, picturesque harbours and is the ideal part of Cornwall to visit for a quiet family holiday. To the North West is the livelier Atlantic Coast which is popular with younger visitors, surfers in particular. Finally there is the Far West, home to the Southern most point in the country, the Lizard Peninsula as well as Penzance and the lively town of St Ives.
Wherever you decide to stay, Cornwall is not particularly large and whether traveling by car or public transport, you can easily visit any of the towns or attractions you fancy during the a short break. The biggest towns and most popular tourist destinations are Newquay and Falmouth. Newquay is home to the Fistral probably the best surfing beach in the UK and also provides great night life. Falmouth is less tourist focused but is still a great place to stay with its famous harbour, maritime history, Georgian architecture and being in Cornwall naturally has a selection of nice beaches to choose from! There is also St Ives, providing a more cultural slant thanks to its fantastic range of festivals and its popularity amongst artists. If absolute relaxation is the aim of your short break in Cornwall then Polperro, a quaint fishing village of whitewashed buildings surrounding a peaceful harbour might prove to be your ideal place to visit.
Traveling by car to Cornwall is not a particular hassle, being largely rural it doesn’t suffer quite as badly as major cities from congestion although things can get a big clogged up in the peak summer months. Due to its location it is inevitably quite a long drive from wherever you are traveling from though, so rail travel is a good alternative with Cornwall being well served as a popular tourist destination. Cheap flights are also becoming an increasingly viable alternative with Newquay Cornwall Airport seeing rapid expansion to cater for visitors. Accommodation is difficult simply because there are so many options. You’ll be spoilt for choice with a range of large hotels and hundreds of guest houses and B&B’s to choose from whichever area of Cornwall you decide to stay in during your short break.