4 Best Sights in Penzance, The West Country

One of the prettiest thoroughfares in Penzance winds down from Market House to the harbor. Its predominantly Georgian and Regency houses suddenly give way to the extraordinary Egyptian House, whose facade recalls the Middle East. Built around 1830 as a geological museum, today it houses vacation apartments. Across Chapel Street is the 17th-century Union Hotel, where, in 1805, the death of Lord Nelson and the victory of Trafalgar were first announced. Near the Union Hotel on Chapel Street is the Turk's Head, an inn said to date from the 13th century.

Fondly regarded in folklore as the lost land of Lyonesse, this compact group of more than 100 islands 30 miles southwest of Land's End is equally famed for the warm summer climate and ferocious winter storms. You can find peace, flowers—wild, cultivated, and subtropical—swarms of seabirds, and unspoiled beaches galore. There's a 2¾-hour ferry service from Penzance, a plane service from Land's End airport and other mainland airports, and a helicopter service ( www.penzancehelicopters.co.uk) from Penzance. Planes and ferries both arrive at the largest of the five inhabited islands, St. Mary's, while up to 11 helicopter flights connect Penzance with St. Mary's and Tresco. St. Mary's has the bulk of the lodgings, though the most palatial retreats are on the islands of Tresco and St. Martin's.

A small collection in this gracious Victorian villa in Penlee Park focuses on paintings by members of the so-called Newlyn School from about 1880 to 1930. These works evoke the life of the inhabitants of Penzance and Newlyn, mostly fisherfolk. The museum also covers 5,000 years of West Cornwall history through archaeology, decorative arts, costume, and photography exhibits.

Rising out of Mount's Bay just off the coast, this spectacular granite-and-slate island is one of Cornwall's greatest natural attractions. The 14th-century castle perched at the highest point—200 feet above the sea—was built on the site of a Benedictine chapel founded by Edward the Confessor and has served as a church (Brittany's island abbey of Mont St. Michel was an inspiration), a fortress, and a private residence. The castle rooms you can tour include the Chevy Chase Room—a name probably associated with the Cheviot Hills, from the French word chevaux (horses), after the hunting frieze that decorates the walls of this former monks' refectory. Family portraits include works by Reynolds and Gainsborough.

Don't miss the wonderful views from the castle battlements. Around the base of the rock are buildings from medieval to Victorian times, but they appear harmonious. Fascinating gardens surround the Mount, and many kinds of plants flourish in its microclimate.

To get to the island, walk the cobbled causeway from the village of Marazion or, when the tide is in, take the £2.80 ferry (summer only). There are pubs and restaurants in the village, but the island also has a café and restaurant. Wear good walking shoes for your visit, which requires a steep climb. Visits may be canceled in severe weather.