Cornwall


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-nbsp-nbsp">WHY?&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>



<p>In common with a lot of Cornish towns, Penzance went through a low period, but is now firmly on the up (and up) – regularly cited as one of the best places to live in Cornwall after it was first voted the Muddy Best Places to Live Guide 2023 – and winning again in 2025. The gateway to the far west of Cornwall, arty Penzance is full of culture, including a multitude of art galleries, music venues and theatres. In 2021 Penzance was named one of four Cornish towns to be a recipient for funding from the government’s Town Fund programme and a new <a href="https://cornwall.uk/the-penzance-creative-cluster/">Creative Cluster</a> is due to be opened soon.</p>



<p>Areas of Penzance have seen gentrification in recent years and the architecture in this town is some of the best in the county with stunning&nbsp;townhouses with views towards St Michaels Mount, cute cottages as well as traditional listed detached houses on the outskirts of the town. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeK4mJP34KPmKXN2hlP8AEhOkhQelLUU9kQbh59f8eTfWroEJSL3mhVMxada-v_d80-V3x9bGDVQHsxZjEQe77PxO4d7i9oHOEPCdJsy1WsJvG7pUo7NiGa2VuYoXVLCX4iNNCjZu03T7VD2ybwQDJy-kw?key=WoQCRVLGO4_P-PInJw8Vtw" alt="Argoe restaurant Penzance" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Argoe</figcaption></figure>



<p>In the town centre itself you’ll find small plates at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/barbicanbistro/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Barbican Bistro</a> which is tucked behind the Jubilee Pool. The Cornish Hen deli is in Market Place, owned by one of the makers of Penzance’s own gin, and locals love <a href="https://www.instagram.com/45queenstreet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">45 Queen Street</a> café/bar/restaurant just off Chapel Street. <a href="https://www.frasersfishandchips.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fraser’s</a> was named in the top 50 fish and chip shops, as well as the most sustainable. We also like <a href="https://www.artistresidence.co.uk/penzance/eat-drink/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Cornish Barn</a> at the Artist Residence on Chapel Street. Bruce Rennie&#8217;s The Shore came to an end as we knew it, but is now re-opened. Catch monthly supper clubs at Chapel House.</p>



<p>Just down the seafront at next-door-harbour town Newlyn (where the sobriquet <em>Stoke Newlyn-ton</em> is bandied around) alongside generations of fishing families, you’ll find a host of hipster delights. Ben Tunnicliffe’s pub, <a href="https://tolcarneinn.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Tolcarne Inn</a> has a Michelin guide listing. At <a href="https://www.argoenewlyn.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Argoe</a> (above) which opened in 2021, ex-Rochelle Canteen chef Ben Coombs cooks up the fish which literally comes straight off the commercial quay and onto the grill. Wine is by <a href="https://www.lovetts-newlyn.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lovetts</a>, a little wine bar, from which you can also watch the queue at the <a href="https://mackerelskycafe.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mackerel Seafood Bar</a>. Foodie Newlyn is also home to the Newlyn Fermentary, Jelbert’s (famous clotted cream ice cream) and a greengrocer.</p>



<p>If pubs are more your thing, just out of town you’ll find <a href="https://www.victoriainn-penzance.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Victoria Inn</a> at Perranuthnoe, <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/muddy-eats-the-mexico-inn-long-rock/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mexico Inn</a> at Longrock and <a href="http://www.oldcoastguardhotel.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Old Coastguard</a> at Mousehole or head the other direction towards <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/pubs-inns/my-ultimate-destination-pub-the-gurnards-head/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Gurnards Head</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1280" height="1280" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280.jpg" alt="Blanket on boat from Ebb Flow Cornwall Pemzance" class="wp-image-35017" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280.jpg 1280w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/09/lamorna-blanket-lifestyle3-2048x2048px_1280x1280-1100x1100.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ebb Flow Cornwall</figcaption></figure>



<p>Chapel Street has the loveliest indie shops including <a href="https://thehandworkedshop.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Handworked Shop</a>, comfy pants makers Knickerhood and hat makers <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shadedthelabel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shaded the Label</a> (all at no 61- 62) and<a href="https://ebbflowcornwall.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Ebb Flow Cornwall</a> (home to a pastel array of beach towels and ponchos) next door, as well as others including antiques, vintage, kids, indoor plants and more. You’ll find Muddy Award-winning bookshop <a href="https://edgeoftheworldbookshop.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Edge of the World</a> on Market Jew Street.</p>



<p>Causeway Head is giving Chapel Street a run for its money (where lovely indies include Zennor Wild with blooms, coffee and gifts, a cheese shop, art gallery, Seven Stones for clothes and more) and right at the top is the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/roundhouse_pz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Roundhouse</a> – a super little café in the old taxi station kiosk, run by Joel – serving up delightful focaccia sandwiches, sweet treats and excellent coffee. <a href="https://newlynartgallery.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Exchange Gallery</a> in the town also has a good gift shop and café. The rest of the streets in the centre have more of the usual high street brands. Penzance is home to several out-of-town supermarkets and some of the lowest petrol prices in the Duchy. Handy as petrol stations are few and far between.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<p><a href="https://jubileepool.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Jubilee Pool</a> is open from Easter to around November and offers all manner of events and sessions, from cold water swimming events to music and more in the café, plus sauna sessions and one-offs like synchro.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rising_embers_sauna_/">Rising Embers</a>, a community sauna, is now at Newlyn Green, near the art gallery &#8211; every Friday morning Jenny runs a Stretch, Sauna, Swim session at 9am at Newlyn Art Gallery. Boutique guest house <a href="https://www.chapelhousepz.co.uk/treatments" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chapel House</a> offers treatments including massage.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<p>Many groups love to swim off Battery Rocks, next to the pool, and locals led by women’s sea swimming collective <a href="https://www.instagram.com/morswimmy/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mor Swimmy</a> fundraised to install a swimming platform just off the rocks last summer. </p>



<p>Montol is Cornwall’s traditional festival of midwinter on 21 Dec (the Winter Solstice) in Penzance. Dancers in full disguise, called Guisers, parade the streets, accompanied by music from peccadillos, drumming and burning torches. Muddy Awards finalist <a href="https://www.instagram.com/golowan_festival/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Golowan Festival</a> takes place to celebrate mid-summer complete with parades, events and fireworks. Penzance Food Festival is in September.</p>



<p><a href="https://thegardenershouse.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Gardeners’ House</a> is a recently restored community hub in Morrab Gardens, after a journey of almost nine years to bring the derelict building back to life, with a full programme of autumn events. Morrab Gardens is also home to the <a href="https://morrablibrary.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Morrab Library</a>, a beautiful independent library holding over 70,000 books.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeqxQUvbNU5C9M9MYMKIXY4i8F0ArQWWaDy5VXqBhzUJp0vC1_xXbHsXJToYb0wjQ2nihtA8-VQqFN7fcnm3OF4zJJU2rD7GN-565hKtkRty1vTVy5zPAAY5pa_W2mT4HhzPibswmCEvAEu6AvlRfxdh84?key=WoQCRVLGO4_P-PInJw8Vtw" alt="Penzance from above" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Penzance</figcaption></figure>



<p>On the sea front between Penzance and Newlyn you’ll find the Foster-Bolitho gardens as well as the skate park. Head out of town for the bigger sub-tropical gardens of <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/trengwainton-garden" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trengwainton</a> (National Trust), <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/godolphin">Godolphin</a> also (National Trust) and <a href="https://www.tremenheere.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens</a>. Don’t miss the art-deco <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/wellbeing/jubilee-pool-penzance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jubilee Pool</a> (above), now open from May to the end of October. The geothermal heated sea pool was the first of its kind in the UK – alongside a sauna and during the summer months, an inflatable slide.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Take a drive round the West Penwith coastal road down to Porthcurno (where you’ll find Muddy Award-winning theatre <a href="https://www.minack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Minack Theatre</a> as well as the <a href="https://pkporthcurno.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PK Porthcurno</a> museum, offering a fascinating look into Britain’s role in global communications (as well as Cornwall’s least kept ‘secret’ beach, Pedn Vounder). From there you can head round to Lands’ End, pausing <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/muddy-walks-nanjizal-beach/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">to walk to Nanjizal</a>, and then again at St Just to catch Muddy Award-winning gallery the <a href="https://www.jacksonfoundationgallery.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jackson Foundation Gallery</a>, and Moomaid ice-cream.</p>



<p>From Penzance you can also hop on The Scillonian Ferry or catch a flight (or helicopter) to the Isles of Scilly. Not enough time? If you head to Marazion you can walk over the causeway to St Michael’s Mount, or around to Mousehole to see the famous Christmas lights.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXedVwTga3rTFQ1VfE2077fB7FqW9Duc1xc_ddiJVmcmngzkSc8oEPi8X2_LY6vpBKNyd5twbJZZRtCrZypetNDFzJpsITEAiZZBgPjmmh9ok5NlHTjnXpxvev1jn1EqcX_hIXvZeXA7WfsQwp3U1Fo60o0n?key=WoQCRVLGO4_P-PInJw8Vtw" alt="Newlyn Art Gallery" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Newlyn Art Gallery</figcaption></figure>



<p>Arty colony Newlyn has plenty going on; the <a href="https://newlynartgallery.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Newlyn Art Gallery</a> and its sister gallery The Exchange (above) have regular exhibitions and the <a href="https://www.newlynartschool.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Newlyn School of Art</a> runs courses galore. The <a href="https://www.tremenheere.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tremenheere Sculpture Garden</a> just outside the town has all sorts of interesting outdoor art works, and it is not far across to St Ives, where you’ll find The Tate, Barbara Hepworth’s Sculpture Garden and more art galleries than you can visit in one day.</p>



<p>In Penzance itself, find live music, comedy and theatre at <a href="https://www.theacornpenzance.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Acorn</a> and just at the top of Chapel Street you’ll find <a href="https://www.cornwallcontemporary.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornwall Contemporary</a>, home to a wide range of both Cornish and visiting artists. Penlee House &amp; Gallery is also worth a visit with local exhibitions and artefacts.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Penzance Literary Festival is held annually in July.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-prices">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES</h2>



<p>Prices flirt around £323,946. Terraced houses were popular last year, costing an average of £292,388. Detached homes cost on average £541,695, with semis costing £322,405.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property">HOT PROPERTY </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/08/Gulval-Penzance-1000x667.jpeg" alt="Coastal home with sea views from Penzance on the market for £1.25m." class="wp-image-38047" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/08/Gulval-Penzance-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/08/Gulval-Penzance-800x534.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/08/Gulval-Penzance-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2025/08/Gulval-Penzance.jpeg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Coastal home with sea views from Penzance o<a href="https://bydesignhomes.com/properties/6-bedroom-house-house-for-sale-in-gulval-penzance-cornwall-tr18-3bd/382358" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">n the market for £1.225m</a>.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nurseries">NURSERIES</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.bolithonursery.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bolitho Nursery</a> takes babies from 3 mths – 5 yrs, and is next door to the old Bolitho prep-school in the centre of town which closed back in 2016. <a href="http://www.alverton.org.uk/web/woodland_nursery/627924" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alverton Woodland Nursery</a> is next to Alverton Primary School.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-schools">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p>For secondary, the outstanding <a href="http://mountsbay.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mounts Bay Academy</a> is in Penzance as well as several good rated state primaries. If you’re after private education, the choice is limited to driving to <a href="https://www.stpiranshayle.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St Piran’s School </a>in Hayle or up into Truro where you’ve got the choice of <a href="https://www.polwhelehouse.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Polwhele House School</a>, <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/truro-school/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Truro School</a>, <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/truro-prep-school-review/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Truro High School for Girls</a> and <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/truro-prep-school-review/">Truro Prep</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p><a href="http://thebenbow.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Admiral Benbow</a> pub on Chapel Street has a narrow tunnel underneath that was once used by smugglers and the entire place is decked out in items recovered from vessels wrecked on Cornwall’s coast over the past 400 years, earning the pub a CAMRA award for historical significance.</p>



<p>Brontë fans might be interested to see Branwell House on Chapel Street, the home to Maria and Elizabeth Branwell (mother and aunt of Charlotte, Emily, Anne) who were from a prominent Cornish family. The house itself is, rather unusually for the area, constructed of brick, said to be pillaged from a Dutch cargo ship.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute">COMMUTE</h2>



<p>Penzance is the very last mainline station, so you can be at London Paddington in a not-very commutable length of 5+hrs. There’s also the option of the Night Riviera sleeper service to emerge meeting-ready at 6.45am in Paddington. Penzance is at the end of the A30 and now the road works have finished, you can whizz up to Bodmin in around 1 hr and Exeter in 2 hrs.</p>



<p><em>View the full <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live/">Top 260 Places to Live</a>.</em></p>


Penzance

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