Penzance: A Visit to Cornwall’s Down-to-Earth Seaside Town

August 9, 2024November 18, 2024 Koen 0 Comments

This destination guide covers the sights I visited during my trip to the city of Penzance in the English county of Cornwall.

A trip to Penzance

After taking the Night Riviera sleeper train from London to Cornwall, I had finally arrived in Penzance, the south-western terminus of the British rail network.

Although Penzance typically isn’t considered one of Cornwall’s most prestigious destinations, it serves as an important regional hub and, with its good transport links, shops, pubs, and restaurants, it makes a convenient place to stay.

I would be staying for two nights in Penzance, using the seaside city as my base to explore some of the biggest tourist attractions in the western tip of Cornwall.

Before heading out to nearby places such as St Michael’s Mount and St Ives, I would first explore the sights in the city of Penzance itself.

sleeper compartment night riviera london penzance cornwall — *My sleeper compartment on the Night Riviera for the ride from London to Penzance. ©Paliparan*

night riviera sleeper train penzance station cornwall — *Penzance station and the Nigh Riviera sleeper train. ©Paliparan*

A walk along the waterfront

After arriving at the relatively small Penzance railway station, I headed straight for a walk along the waterfront down Wharf Road and The Quay to stretch my legs after many hours on the train.

Although the weather initially looked a bit gloomy when I arrived, with some dark clouds overhead, the temperature was still pleasant on this summer day, and patches of blue sky soon began to emerge.

If you walk along the waterfront at low tide, you will see large patches of the seafloor in the harbour dried up, as the tidal differences are big in the English Channel.

A particularly scenic spot along the Penzance waterfront is Abbey Basin, which is connected to the main harbour by a small channel running beneath the road.

Here, you can enjoy some beautiful views over the water, with the brick houses of Penzance and the city’s St Mary’s Church providing a fine backdrop.

In the small harbour of Penzance, you’ll mostly find yachts and fishing boats, although the port is also used by the Scillonian III, the ferry that connects Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly.

penzance harbour — *Walking along the harbour of Penzance. ©Paliparan*

*The old lifeboat house, which nowadays is a bistro. ©Paliparan*

abbey basin penzance — *Abbey Basin. ©Paliparan*

scillonian III ferry penzance harbour — *The Scillonian III in the harbour of Penzance. ©Paliparan*

penzance port harbour isles of scilly ferry — *Access road to the port where the ferry to the Isles of Scilly departs. ©Paliparan*

*The rocky coastline outside the harbour. ©Paliparan*

Jubilee Pool

At the far southern end of the harbour lies the Jubilee Pool, one of Penzance’s most iconic sights.

The Penzance Jubilee Pool is the largest seawater pool in the United Kingdom and holds around 5 million litres of water.

At high tide, the main basin is automatically filled with fresh seawater, while a thermal pool with heated water is also available.

It provides the perfect setting for a swim if you prefer a sheltered pool, away from the waves and tides of the sea.

Even if you don’t take a swim, the Penzance Jubilee Pool is well worth a quick visit to admire its fine Art Deco architecture dating back to 1935, when it was opened to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V.

Immediately south of the Jubilee Pool is a rocky headland known as Battery Rocks, where you can find a war memorial and enjoy good views over the sea and coast.

jubilee pool penzance — *Jubilee Pool. ©Paliparan*

Penzance promenade

To the west of the Jubilee Pool, the Penzance Promenade lines the waterfront.

This seaside promenade, with a pebbly beach on one side and hotels, bed and breakfasts, and holiday cottages on the other, makes for a pleasant stroll.

Towards its western end, you’ll find The Grand Casino, an arcade hall offering a touch of typical English holiday amusement.

seaside rocks — *The rocky coastline around Jubilee Pool, with St Michael’s Mount being visible in the distance. ©Paliparan*

penzance promenade pebble beach — *Pebble beach alongside the Penzance promenade. ©Paliparan*

penzance seaside promenade — *Seaside promenade. ©Paliparan*

Morrab Gardens

Just a few blocks north of the seaside promenade is Morrab Gardens, a patch of subtropical greenery amidst the urban landscape of Penzance.

This well-maintained and beautifully landscaped park has some beautiful palm trees and colourful flowerbeds to admire.

During my visit to this Penzance park, I even made friends with a fluffy and friendly white cat lounging in the grass.

penzance england britain residential street — *Walking through a residential street to the Morrab Gardens. ©Paliparan*

morrab gardens — *Morrab Gardens. ©Paliparan*

morrab gardens penzance — *Palm trees and flowers in the Morrab Gardens. ©Paliparan*

garden park cat — *Pretty cat relaxing in the park. ©Paliparan*

St Mary’s Church

After my visit to the Morrab Gardens, I headed towards another of Penzance’s sights: St Mary’s Church.

With its hilltop location, St Mary’s Church is hard to miss, as its tower is visible from almost everywhere in the centre of Penzance.

On my way up the hill, I passed several inviting pubs, including the Dolphin Tavern with its pleasant outdoor terrace.

Although the doors of St Mary’s Church were firmly shut, which prevented me from looking inside, I still enjoyed the views from this hilltop Anglican church over the surrounding area.

yacht inn — *Passing by the Yacht Inn on my way to St Mary’s Church. ©Paliparan*

dolphin tavern penzance — *Dolphin Tavern. ©Paliparan*

st mary's church penzance — *Walking up the hill to St Mary’s Church. ©Paliparan*

st mary's church — *Final set of stairs leading up to St Mary’s Church. ©Paliparan*

st mary's church war memorial — *War memorial in front of St Mary’s Church. ©Paliparan*

sea view — *View from the hilltop church over the sea. ©Paliparan*

penzance rooftops — *View over the rooftops of Penzance. ©Paliparan*

Chapel Street and the Egyptian House

After my visit to St Mary’s Church, it was time to head into the city centre of Penzance proper.

Chapel Street links St Mary’s Church with the heart of the city centre and is one of Penzance’s most picturesque streets.

Along this street, you’ll find several noteworthy buildings, including the Methodist Church and the Egyptian House.

The Egyptian House surely ranks among Penzance’s most unique sights, as its colourful façade and trapezoid-shaped windows are reminiscent of an Egyptian temple, making it look decidedly out of place in Cornwall.

It was built in 1835 for John Lavin, a mineralogist and Egyptologist, and even back then, his contemporaries marvelled at the architecture, with a 19th-century guidebook calling the house “astonishingly gaudy and eccentric”.

Nowadays, the Egyptian House houses a shop on the ground floor and holiday accommodation on the upper floors.

st mary's church penzance street — *Walking from St Mary’s Church to the city centre. ©Paliparan*

*Chapel Street Methodist Church. ©Paliparan*

chapel street penzance — *Walking down Chapel Street. ©Paliparan*

egyptian house penzance — *The Egyptian House. ©Paliparan*

chapel street egyptian house — *Chapel Street and the Egyptian House. ©Paliparan*

Exploring the city centre of Penzance

Although the city centre of Penzance is fairly small, it is quite lively given that the city has an important regional function.

Market Jew Street is the main shopping street in Penzance, where you’ll find all the major high street stores alongside some independent shops.

At the top of this street stands the iconic Penzance Market Building, featuring a large dome and imposing façade with four Ionic columns and a portico.

In front of the tetrastyle façade of the Market Building stands a statue of Sir Humphry Davy, a renowned British chemist and inventor born in Penzance.

Nowadays, the Penzance Market Building houses a Lloyds Bank branch.

In the city centre, you’ll find a range of appealing restaurants and pubs, including The Globe, The Tremenheere (a Wetherspoon pub), and my personal favourite, The Turks Head.

the globe pub penzance — *The Globe, one of the many pubs in the city centre of Penzance. ©Paliparan*

penzance market building — *Penzance Market Building. ©Paliparan*

Penzance Market Building Statue of Sir Humphry Davy Penzance — *Statue of Sir Humphry Davy in front of the Penzance Market Building. ©Paliparan*

market jew street penzance — *Market Jew Street. ©Paliparan*

high street shops market jew street penzance — *High street shops on Market Jew Street. ©Paliparan*

Penzance summer weather

When you visit Penzance or another destination in Cornwall, whether in summer or any other season, you should be prepared for highly changeable weather.

If you’re lucky, you’ll experience some glorious sunny days, and the chances of this are actually quite good, as Cornwall is one of the sunniest regions in England.

However, with a bit of bad luck, you might also experience several consecutive days of rain.

It’s also certainly not uncommon to encounter all seasons in a single day, and you certainly shouldn’t feel despondent if the weather is gloomy in the morning, as it can always improve within minutes.

This was also the case during my day in Penzance, as dark clouds were dominant in the morning, but by the afternoon, the sun finally broke through, and large patches of blue sky began to appear overhead.

I therefore returned to the waterfront to soak up the views, as the seashore looked completely different in the glorious afternoon sunshine.

blue skies sea penzance — *A bit of sunshine and blue skies appeared later in the afternoon. ©Paliparan*

cornwall penzance sea sunshine — *Gorgeous blue skies over Penzance and the sea on my second day in Cornwall. ©Paliparan*

penzance cornwall — *View over Penzance. ©Paliparan*

The Dock Inn

As it was mid-afternoon, it was also time to check into my accommodation for the next two nights.

During my stay in Penzance, I lodged at The Dock Inn, one of the few city pubs that also offers rooms for rent.

I certainly enjoyed my stay at The Dock Inn, as my room was clean and comfortable, and the service from the staff was genuinely friendly.

Best of all was the complimentary Full English breakfast delivered to my room in the morning, which I enjoyed at the table in the bay window overlooking the docks.

dock inn penzance — *The Dock Inn. ©Paliparan*

dock in room — *My room at The Dock Inn. ©Paliparan*

kettle tea coffee — *Kettle, tea, and coffee were of course provided, as were some complimentary bottles of mineral water. ©Paliparan*

seats table room — *Seats and table in my room. ©Paliparan*

dock inn room view — *View from my room at The Dock Inn. ©Paliparan*

en-suite bathroom — *En-suite bathroom. ©Paliparan*

full english breakfast dock inn penzance — *Full English breakfast at The Dock Inn. ©Paliparan*

Penzance pubs

During my stay in Penzance, I also visited several pubs where I enjoyed some quality beers.

There are lots of good quality pubs in Penzance, such as The Turks Head, The Longboat Inn, The Crown, and The Dolphin Tavern

Of course, staying in a room above the The Dock Inn meant I frequented the bar at this pub several times, enjoying Cornish beers like Middle Ale, brewed by Blue Anchor Brewery in nearby Helston, and Potion No 9, brewed locally by Penzance Brewing Company.

potion no 9 penzance brewing company — *Drinking a pint of Potion No 9, which is brewed locally by Penzance Brewing Company. ©Paliparan*

middle ale pint — *Enjoying a pint of Middle Ale at The Dock Inn. ©Paliparan*

Penzance day trips

If you stay a bit longer in Penzance, you can not only explore the city’s sights but also visit several highly interesting places in the surrounding area.

As the regional hub of western Cornwall, Penzance has good transport links to nearby towns and villages by bus and train, so even if you don’t have a car at your disposal getting around is rather easy.

The biggest sight in the immediate vicinity of Penzance is St Michael’s Mount, which is located in the adjacent town of Marazion.

You can catch a bus from Penzance to Marazion or take a lovely walk along the coastal footpath to St Michael’s Mount, which is what I chose to do.

Other sights in the direct environment of Penzance include the charming Cornish town of St Ives, the picturesque fishing village of Mousehole, and Land’s End, the southwesternmost point of England.

St Ives is best reached from Penzance by train, while Mousehole and Land’s End are easily accessible by bus.

There are also numerous beautiful coves and beaches near Penzance that are just waiting to be explored.

st michael's mount marazion penzance — *Marazion, the town adjacent to Penzance, is home to St Michael’s Mount. ©Paliparan*

st ives cornwall — *The seaside town of St Ives is one of the most beautiful in all of Cornwall. ©Paliparan*

Conclusion

Even though Penzance may not be the most beautiful or charming place in Cornwall, it offers some interesting sights and a down-to-earth vibe, reflecting its role as an everyday town rather than just a summer holiday destination.

When you visit Penzance, make sure to visit local sights such as the Jubilee Pool, Market Building, the Egyptian House, Morrab Gardens, and the seaside promenade.

Penzance also has a wide variety of shops, pubs, and restaurants, ensuring that you won’t get bored if you decide to stay here during your visit to Cornwall.

Another advantage of staying in Penzance is that it serves as an excellent base for exploring the wider region, with easy access to places such as St Ives, St Michael’s Mount, Mousehole, and Land’s End.

Trip report index

This article is part of the ‘From Cornwall to Yorkshire: Train Travel Through England‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:

1. My British Airways Cancellation and Compensation Saga
2. Review: Turkish Airlines Airbus A350 Business Class Bucharest to Istanbul
3. Review: Turkish Airlines Business Lounge Istanbul Airport
4. Review: Turkish Airlines Airbus A321 Business Class Istanbul to Birmingham
5. Review: CrossCountry Train Birmingham International to Reading
6. Thirsty in Tyburnia: Spending a Sunny Afternoon in London
7. London Paddington and the GWR First Class Lounge
8. Review: GWR Night Riviera Sleeper Train London to Penzance, Cornwall
9. Penzance: A Visit to Cornwall’s Down-to-Earth Seaside Town (current chapter)
10. By Train to St Ives: A Trip on the Branch Line From St Erth
11. St Ives: Cornwall’s Most Picturesque Seaside Town