Cornwall

Discover the best things to do in Cornwall; from visiting exotic gardens or ancient houses, to exploring the mining history, all encircled by a much-loved coastline.

Places to visit

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Top places to visit in Cornwall

Lanhydrock

Discover a Victorian country house, formal gardens filled with year round colour and 1,000 acres of parkland, woodland and heath. Explore two miles of the River Fowey, plus adventurous woodland cycle trails.

Trelissick

A welcoming house and garden set in an estate with surrounding maritime views and woodland walks.

Cotehele

An atmospheric Tudor house with Medieval roots, a mill on a historic quay and a glorious garden with valley views. Visit the wider estate for miles of colourful autumn walks.

Godolphin

An ancient and atmospheric estate with a medieval garden and historic house

Trerice

Elizabethan manor house with fine interiors and delightful garden

St Michael's Mount

Over many centuries, this iconic tidal island has attracted traders, pilgrims, fisherfolk and tales of giants and angels. Explore the cobbled streets of an historic village, beneath the ramparts of a legendary castle.

Trengwainton Garden

Sheltered garden bursting with exotic trees and shrubs

A slate viewfinder surrounded by box hedging, with sweeping views across fields to the sea beyond.

Glendurgan Garden

A historic and exotic wooded valley garden leading down to the Helford River.

Antony

18th-Century house set within a magnificent landscape garden, still home to the Carew Pole family

Pentire

Pentire is an exceptionally beautiful headland with far reaching views and managed for wildlife. The café at Pentire Café offers undercover and indoor seating throughout the year.

East Pool Mine

Impressive Cornish Beam Engine and industrial heritage discovery centre. Open by pre-booked tours.

Levant Mine and Beam Engine

High-up on the exposed cliffs on the 'Tin Coast' and part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site. Levant Mine and Beam Engine is open by pre-booked tours.

Top things to do in Cornwall

Visitors walking through the garden at Trelissick in Cornwall in spring

Gardens and Parks in Cornwall

Side view of Trelissick house and terrace in spring with camellias

Houses and buildings in Cornwall

A boy and girl exploring Summer of Play 'Fort Attingham' at Attingham Park, Shropshire

Family-friendly places in Cornwall

Visitor walking along the coastal path on the Rumps at Pentire, Cornwall

Walking in Cornwall

Dog-friendly places in Cornwall

Surfers in wet suits leaving the water and walking up the beach at Holywell, Cornwall

Coast and beaches in Cornwall

A young child peaking at cookies and scones on a table

Places to eat in Cornwall

Visitors exploring the walking trails leading to woodland at Penrose, Cornwall

Countryside areas in Cornwall

Volunteers installing the outdoor gym in the Penrose estate, Cornwall

Volunteering in Cornwall

Visitors sea kayaking at Poldhu Cove, Cornwall

Outdoor activities in Cornwall

Summer family fun in Cornwall

What's on during the school summer holidays?

Summer of Play returns across Cornwall, and this year it's supported by Pokémon. Plan some family days out including visiting the Pokémon zone at Trelissick's Summer of Play.

A cartoon of two children playing outside. One is juggling balls and the other is holding a pencil.

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution trail at Lanhydrock

Unleash your energy at Lanhydrock and take part in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Mega Evolution trail. On from 23 May to the 6 September.

A brightly coloured graphic split into four quadrants. The largest, righthand quadrant has a bright green background and an image of a male child in a red waterproof jacket is grinning at the camera. Each other quadrant contains a Pokémon from the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Series.

Castles and forts in Cornwall

With a rocky island crowned by a castle and an Iron Age hillfort with a wartime bunker, there is a lot of history and beautiful views to admire from these castles and forts in Cornwall.

St Michael's Mount

The Mount is managed by both the National Trust and the St Aubyn family, working together. This unique partnership supports the Mount's vibrant island community, continuing a remarkable legacy. St Michael's Mount is open throughout the year however, dates and times vary during winter months. Click here to find out more and book your tickets online.

The Iron Age fort at Trelissick

Travel back through thousands of years of Cornish history to the very impressive Iron Age promontory fort and 18th-century quay. The fort is the only one of its kind in Europe and its well defined ditches and embankments are still clearly visible.

A child stands in the earth ditch of an Iron Age fort, which has green moss and ivy covering its banks

The wartime bunker on Nare Head

Nare Head, next to Carne and Pendower, is home to an underground bunker, which started life as a Royal Observer Corps post spotting aircraft during the Second World War.

The open hatch to the ROC Veryan bunker on Nare Head in Cornwall

Explorer Pass

Not a National Trust member? If you're planning a trip to Cornwall this year, buy a National Trust Explorer Pass to enjoy unlimited entry to most of the places in our care. With 4, 8 and 14-day options available, the pass can be tailored to fit your trip. Discover where you can visit with the Explorer Pass and how to buy yours.

Families on the north lawn at Ickworth in spring.

Our work

The National Trust at Heartlands

Find out more about Heartlands, an internationally significant heritage mining site in Pool, as we work towards taking on operational management in 2026.

C:UP Lanhydrock Long Gallery ceiling conservation project

The Long Gallery ceiling at Lanhydrock is a masterpiece of Jacobean plasterwork. One of the few parts of the house that survived the great fire at Lanhydrock in 1881, the ceiling underwent a major conservation project to clean and restore it throughout 2024.

Looking after the Lizard's rare habitats and species

Find out more about how a National Trust recovery project is focusing on unique and vital “microhabitats” found on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall.

Coastal landscape near Kynance with rocks & thrift in the foreground and the sea in the background.

Cornish coastal meadows project

We are working to create 250 hectares of new species rich grassland at National Trust sites across Cornwall. The project, due to be completed by 2026, will help us rise to the twin challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change.

Holidays in Cornwall

Stay at a National Trust holiday cottage in Cornwall this year and discover some of the most dramatic scenery in the UK.

Find more places to stay

Hayloft

With sea views for miles and a 10-minute walk to family-friendly beaches, this cottage is in a clifftop cluster of restored farm buildings.

Durgan Beach Cottage

A traditional stone cottage just a few metres from the shores of the Helford Estuary.

Cotehele Dairy Cottage

A quiet and luxurious cottage, with access to Cotehele's house and garden.

Places to visit in Cornwall car-free

Whether you’re looking to travel by bus, train, bike or foot, there are many places in Cornwall you can visit without a car.

Places you can visit in Cornwall without a car

Whether you’re looking to travel by bus, train, bike or foot, there are many places that we care for in Cornwall that you can visit without a car. Here’s a little more information that can help you plan your a car-free day out.