Newquay

A surf town on Cornwall's north coast, famous for the waves at Fistral Beach, with the Eden Project, Tintagel Castle, foodie Padstow and the clifftop Bedruthan Steps nearby.

Newquay is on the north coast of Cornwall in southwest England and is widely regarded as the UK's surf capital and a popular summer seaside resort. The town faces the Atlantic, and within about 10 km (6 miles) of it there are more than a dozen beaches — including Fistral, Towan, Lusty Glaze, Watergate Bay, Crantock and Holywell Bay — each with surf schools, beach restaurants and lifeguard patrols.

The best time to visit is the Jun–Sep beach season, with the Boardmasters surf and music festival in August; May and September are quieter and still mild enough for coastal walks, while autumn and winter bring the best surf but strong winds. Classic experiences: take a beginner surf lesson, hike the South West Coast Path to see sea stacks (Bedruthan Steps), and head to Padstow for seafood and a ride along the Camel Trail.

Day trips: to the north, Padstow, Port Isaac, Tintagel Castle and Boscastle (about 30–55 km/20–35 miles); to the south, the Eden Project, Charlestown harbor, the Lost Gardens of Heligan, Mevagissey and Fowey (about 25–40 km/15–25 miles); to the southwest, Perranporth and the St Agnes tin-mining coast. St Ives, St Michael's Mount and Land's End farther west belong to a separate destination.

Getting there: Newquay Airport has flights from London and elsewhere; by train from London Paddington it's about 5 hours with a change at Par, and there are direct trains in summer. The town itself is walkable, but nearby sights are spread out and country lanes are narrow, so driving is strongly recommended — book parking in advance. Plan on 3–5 days, and book summer accommodation early.

Top sights

• Fistral Beach – The flagship beach of Britain's surfing capital, with reliable Atlantic swells. Surf schools and international competitions are concentrate…
• Bedruthan Steps – Giant sea stacks that legend says a giant strode across the bay to reach, making them one of the most spectacular clifftop viewpoints on th…
• Padstow – A fishing port on the Camel Estuary, home to celebrity chef Rick Stein's seafood restaurants, which have made it a food hub in Britain. Fer…
• Port Isaac – The village used as the filming location for the long-running British series Doc Martin. Whitewashed fishermen's cottages cluster along ste…
• Tintagel Castle – The legendary birthplace of King Arthur. The medieval castle ruins on a headland are linked by a suspension footbridge built in 2019, and t…
• Eden Project – A giant honeycomb-domed greenhouse complex built in a disused china clay pit. It houses the world's largest indoor rainforest and is Cornwa…
• The Lost Gardens of Heligan – A Victorian estate garden rediscovered after lying dormant for more than 70 years, with a subtropical jungle valley, the 'Mud Maid' sculptu…
• Watergate Bay – A wide, three-kilometre beach just north of Newquay, with kitesurfing, surf lessons and cliffside restaurants, and home to a surf and music…
• Towan Beach & Newquay Harbour – The beach and fishing harbour closest to the town centre, where a private footbridge leads to the island cottage 'Sky House' and boat trips…
• Lusty Glaze – A small, privately managed bay surrounded by high cliffs, reached by 133 steps, with a beach restaurant and an outdoor adventure centre.
• Crantock Beach – A dune beach on the opposite bank of the Gannel estuary from Newquay's southwest side, reached on foot by a tidal footbridge or by wading a…
• Holywell Bay – A broad beach framed by dunes, with the twin-peaked Gull Rock offshore as its landmark. Scenes from Poldark and the James Bond film 'Die An…
• Huer's Hut – A white stone lookout hut on the headland above Newquay Harbour, where 'huers' once spotted pilchard shoals and signalled fishing boats.
• Blue Reef Aquarium Newquay – A small aquarium beside Towan Beach with sea turtles, sharks, tropical corals and Cornish marine life, a good rainy-day option for families.
• Newquay Zoo – A subtropical zoo in Trenance Gardens, home to over a hundred species including red pandas, lemurs and penguins, with a strong focus on con…
• Trerice – An Elizabethan manor run by the National Trust, with well-preserved Dutch gables and ornate plasterwork ceilings, and traditional Cornish '…
• Mawgan Porth – A peaceful bay north of Watergate Bay with golden sand, good for family swimming and surfing, and the starting point for a walk to Bedrutha…
• Trevose Head – A lighthouse headland west of Padstow, with a clifftop loop path offering views over several beaches including Bude Bay and Constantine Bay.
• Camel Trail – A flat cycle path built on a former railway line. The stretch from Padstow to Wadebridge follows the Camel Estuary and is one of Britain's…
• Prideaux Place – An Elizabethan manor on the hill behind Padstow, with a deer park and richly decorated rooms, and the setting for several TV dramas.
• Polzeath – A surf beach on the east bank of the Camel Estuary with gentle, consistent waves suited to beginners, and a spectacular coast path to Penti…
• Boscastle – A small stone harbour in a deep valley, home to Britain's best-known witchcraft and magic museum, and the setting of Hardy's 'Valency Valle…
• Mevagissey – A lively twin-harbour fishing village on the south coast, with seafood shops and craft stores lining narrow lanes, just 2 km from the Lost…
• Charlestown – A well-preserved Georgian harbour where replica tall ships are moored. It has served as a filming location for Poldark and other period dra…
• Fowey – An elegant harbour town at the mouth of the Fowey River, long home to writer Daphne du Maurier, with a small ferry across to Polruan.
• Lanhydrock – One of the National Trust's most popular Victorian country houses, with more than 50 rooms that recreate the lives of upper-class families…
• Perranporth Beach – A nearly 5-kilometre-long expanse of sand with natural rock pools at low tide, and a beach bar right on the sand.
• Wheal Coates & St Agnes Coast – A tin mine engine house standing on the cliff edge, the most iconic image of the Cornwall mining landscape World Heritage Site.

Where to eat

• The Fish House Fistral – A seafood restaurant at the International Surf Centre on Fistral Beach. The chef worked with Rick Stein for 14 years, a…
• Ugly Butterfly – Adam Handling's restaurant at the Headland Hotel, which earned Newquay's first Michelin star in February 2026.
• Lewinnick Lodge – A clifftop restaurant and bar on Pentire Headland overlooking the Atlantic, great for breakfast, Sunday roasts and watc…
• The Boathouse Street Food Market – A beachside street food market at Newquay Harbour, where the seafood stall's Cornish crab sandwich was named among Corn…
• Sushea Sushi – An Australian-style sushi and Asian fusion spot on Fore Street in the town centre, with freshly made dishes and plenty…
• The Beach Hut, Watergate Bay – A casual restaurant built right on the sand at Watergate Bay, known for its Extreme burger, creamy white wine mussels a…

Itineraries

• Devon & Cornwall Coastal Loop – Departing from Exeter, loop through Dartmoor, the South and North Cornwall coasts, and Land's End.