If you’re looking for a Greek island getaway this summer without having to get out your passport, this UK seaside town might be the one for you. With pristine beaches, stunning waters and a bustling town centre packed full of independent shops and restaurants, this much-loved destination is popular for good reason.
St Ives is one of Cornwall’s most famous and adored holiday hotspots. The picturesque town is picture-perfect almost everywhere you look. Its buzzing fishing harbour is the ideal spot for tucking into some fish and chips (watch out for the seagulls!), while you also can spend plenty of time getting lost in the town’s narrow winding cobbled streets.
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However, it is St Ives’ four main golden beaches which really makes it stand out.
Each stunning beach offers something different — Porthmeor Beach, for example, is perfect for surfers, while Porthminster Beach is ideal for families and Harbour Beach in the town centre offers a unique view of fishing boats and quaint architecture.
It's this rich coastline, combined with the whitewashed walls of some surrounding buildings, that has seen St Ives compared to Mykonos.
The comparison was made in a piece by a travel writer for the Daily Mail, with St Ives’ thriving seafood scene also named as a similarity with the popular Greek island in the Aegean Sea.
St Ives is a great destination for foodies, with a wide array of restaurants and pubs. There are also local breweries for those who enjoy a holiday tipple.
St Ives has previously been voted best family holiday destination by Coast magazine and has featured in one of TripAdvisor’s top 10 European beaches. For all of its outstanding aspects, one draw back about St Ives is the prices.
Research by the UK Seaside Affordability Index compared several of the UK's favourite summer hotspots, calculating the cost of hiring a deckchair, buying a '99' ice cream, and enjoying a fish and chips meal.
It found visitors to St Ives face an average daily expenditure of £25.30. People can expect to pay approximately £10 for all-day parking, £12.50 for a large portion of fish and chips, and just over £2.50 for an ice cream.
Despite the price, St Ives is truly a jewel in Cornwall’s crown and one worth considering for your summer getaway.