South Cornwall
Looking like a cross between a lunar landing station and a James Bond villain's lair, the gigantic hemispherical greenhouses of the Eden Project have…
Must-see attractions in Devon & Cornwall
Exeter
Magnificent in warm, honey-coloured stone, Exeter's cathedral is one of Devon’s most impressive ecclesiastical sights. Dating largely from the 12th and…
St Ives
After an 18-month, multimillion-pound refit, St Ives' most illustrious gallery reopened its doors, complete with a monumental exhibition space that's been…
South Cornwall
This is Cornwall's real-life secret garden. Formerly the family estate of the Tremaynes, Heligan's magnificent 19th-century gardens fell into disrepair…
Plymouth
For a glimpse of ancient Plymouth, head down to this historic harbour area, where part-cobbled streets are lined with Tudor and Jacobean buildings, and…
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South Cornwall
Grandly located at the head of the Fal estuary, 4 miles south of Truro, Trelissick is one of Cornwall's most beautiful aristocratic estates, with a formal…
Exeter
A fixture on the city's cultural scene since Victorian times, this hulking red-brick museum recently received a £24 million revamp. It's a treasure trove…
Plymouth
This heavily beamed distillery has been concocting gin since 1793, making it the oldest working producer of the spirit in England. Four to six tours per…
Plymouth
The UK's biggest – and perhaps best – aquarium is lodged beside the Barbican harbour. There's a huge amount to see, but the highlight is the impressive…
Exeter
Prepare to crouch down, don a hard hat and possibly get spooked in what is the only publicly accessible system of its kind in England. These medieval…
Plymouth
Around 60,000 tonnes of fish pass through this market, making it the second biggest by volume in England after London's Billingsgate. It's an amazing…
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South Cornwall
A great bulk of rock topped by a picturesque clifftop chapel, Rame Head is another of Cornwall's most majestic coastal viewpoints, with a jaw-dropping 360…
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Charlestown Shipwreck & Heritage Centre
South Cornwall
Charlestown's seagoing heritage is explored at this fascinating museum, which houses a massive collection of objects and ephemera recovered from more than…
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South Cornwall
Strategically sited to command an uninterrupted field of fire over the entrance to Falmouth Bay in tandem with Pendennis Castle, on the opposite side of…
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Torquay
Expect stalactites to drip water on your head and temperatures to dip to 14°C in these atmospheric caves. Hour-long guided tours lead through a maze of…
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South Cornwall
Small coves dot the coastline of the Rame Peninsula, but for a proper stretch of sand, this huge – and undervisited – bay is the place. Pronounced…
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South Cornwall
It's a bit of a drive from Falmouth but this gorgeous kitchen garden near Constantine is well worth the detour. Rescued from dilapidation by its current…
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Dartmoor National Park
The enchanting blend of landscapes here make this garden one of the best in Devon. Its 3 hectares encompass wildflower meadows and South African planting,…
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Torquay
There are 413 tiny buildings, inhabited by 13,160 even tinier people, on display at this Lilliputian attraction, the epitome of English eccentricity…
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Torquay
This innovative, 32-hectare zoo is by far and away Paignton's top draw. Spacious enclosures recreate habitats from savannah and wetland to tropical forest…
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South Cornwall
The ‘ah’ factor goes into overdrive at this sea-life centre in Gweek, about 12 miles drive from Falmouth along the Helford River. It cares for sick and…
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Dartmoor National Park
Three miles northeast of Chagford, this outlandish architectural flight of fancy was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens for self-made food-millionaire Julius…
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St Ives
While other St Ives artists broke new ground in sculpture and abstract art, potter Bernard Leach was hard at work reinventing British ceramics in his…
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Dartmoor National Park
Founded as a Cistercian monastery and abbey-church in the 13th century, Buckland Abbey was one of Henry VIII’s ‘acquisitions’ during the Dissolution of…
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South Cornwall
It's been off-limits for many years to everyone except film crews, but since spring 2017 Charlestown's historic port has reopened to the public. You can…
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Plymouth
Francis Drake supposedly spied the Spanish fleet from this grassy headland overlooking Plymouth Sound (the city's wide bay); the bowling green on which he…
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Dartmoor National Park
This plunging gorge is the deepest in the southwest, and can be reached via a 1.5-mile rugged riverside hike past a series of bubbling whirlpools …
Exeter
On fine sunny days the people of Exeter head to the quay. Cobbled paths lead between former warehouses that have been converted into antique shops, quirky…
Dartmoor National Park
At first glance, Dartmoor can come as something of a shock to the senses. The largest stretch of open moorland in the southwest, Dartmoor covers an area…
Plymouth
The Mayflower Steps mark the approximate final UK departure point of the Pilgrim Fathers – the band of settlers who founded New England's first permanent…
South Cornwall
On the hills above the gentle crescent of Porthluney Beach, this crenellated country mansion was originally built for the Trevanions and later remodelled…
St Ives
Barbara Hepworth (1903–75) was one of the leading abstract sculptors of the 20th century and a key figure in the St Ives art scene. Her studio on Barnoon…
Plymouth
The red-and-white stripes of Smeaton's Tower rise from the middle of the Plymouth Hoe headland. For an insight into past lighthouse keepers' lives, head…
Exeter
The earliest parts of Exeter's Guildhall date from 1330, making it the oldest municipal building still in use in the country. An ornate barrel roof arches…
Exeter
The historic home of the Earl of Devon, Powderham is a stately but still friendly place built in 1391 and remodelled in the Victorian era. A visit takes…
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South Cornwall
A mile offshore from Hannafore Point is densely wooded Looe Island (officially known as St George's Island), a 9-hectare nature reserve and haven for…
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South Cornwall
While many of the coastal villages have become gentrified to the point of being unrecognised, these twin villages still genuinely feel like the fishing…
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South Cornwall
Trebah Garden was planted in 1840 by Charles Fox, younger brother of Alfred, who established nearby Glendurgan Garden. It's less formal, with gigantic…
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South Cornwall
Three miles from Truro near Tresillian is the feudal seat of the Boscawen family, whose heirs have inherited the title of Lord Falmouth for the last 600…
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South Cornwall
Designed in tandem with its sister castle in St Mawes across the estuary, this Tudor castle sits proudly on Pendennis Point, and was built as part of…
