Where to Find the Best Sea Views in St Ives

People visit St Ives in Cornwall for many reasons. Some visit the holiday town for art and culture, others visit for surfing and activities, while others come for shops and great places to eat. But many people simply want to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the spectacular coastal scenery. But where can you get the best sea views in St Ives? Here we share some of our favourite vistas in and around St Ives.

Station Approach
Many people’s first sight of St Ives is from the train as it travels along the cliff top from Carbis Bay and into the station. It’s important to make a first impression and St Ives does not disappoint. As the train chugs slowly along the track, passengers are afforded a beautiful view across Porthminster Beach. The view reveals a shimmering turquoise sea, lapping onto a white sand beach complete with palm trees, with St Ives Harbour in the background.

We think this must be one of the best rail journey terminations in the world, and well worth the journey alone. Those who want to linger longer in this spot can return on foot along the coast path to Porthminster Point to soak in this spectacular sea view.

We offer many holiday homes in this location, including the superb Primrose Court overlooking Porthminster Beach with far reaching views across St Ives Bay.

Harbour View
Once visitors have had time to settle into their holiday accommodation, it’s not long before they are drawn to the harbourside. This is St Ives’ perfectly picturesque, horseshoe shaped harbour full of colourful fishing boats bobbing on clear blue water (when the tide is in). There are fine vistas all the way along the Wharf promenade which is lined with vibrant shops, pubs and restaurants.

But for one of the best harbour views, holidaymakers should make their way along the breakwater known as Smeaton’s Pier. From here visitors get the dual vistas of the harbour backed by the town and out to sea across St Ives Bay to Godrevy Lighthouse.

For a holiday property with a fantastic view of St Ives harbour, there is the wonderful Harbour Lights. This apartment has big windows looking out over the harbour, town and sea, and is only a short stroll from Porthminster Beach.

Out on ‘The Island’
Just a short walk around the coast is St Ives Head with juts out into the sea besides Porthmeor Beach. Known locally as ‘The Island’, this rugged promontory rises up to a high point topped by St Nicolas’s Chapel. This St Ives landmark makes a great lookout point for sea views in all directions.

This is where visitors come to get a sense of direction, as the high ground provides a handy view over the rooftops of the town as well as awesome sea views along the north and east coasts.

The Whistler holiday home, part of Tate Reach, enjoys an elevated position superb panoramic views of ‘The Island’, as well as the town, harbour and beaches.

On Rocky Shores
Keen walkers are spoilt for choice in and around St Ives. But it’s not long before walkers make their way out of town along the South West Coast path towards Zennor. This rugged coastline is characterised by high cliffs, secluded coves, tidal pools and rocky outcrops.

Visitors who don’t want to go so far can get a taste of this scenery by taking the short walk out of town up to Clodgy Point. This headland is punctuated with boulders and rock ‘statues’ carved by wind and rain over many millennia. As well as possessing these unique features, Clodgy Point offers great views back along Porthmeor Beach to to Ives head and across the rooftops of the town.

Holiday accommodation close to this location include Porth Glas, in the One Eighty complex above Porthmeor Beach.

High and Mighty
More rugged scenery can be discovered inland at Rosewall Hill. This ancient moorland rises 200 metres above the sea to give impressive 360 degree views across the whole area. It’s here that visitors can discover wind sculpted carns and standing stones, as well as the chimney stacks of old tin mine engine houses.

On a fine day visitors will get a superb birds-eye view over the town, out to sea, across the bay and all the way up the coast towards North Cornwall.

This out-of-town location is wild and remote but can be accessed easily from any number of our properties in St Ives and Carbis Bay. One of our favourite centrally located properties is 4Shore, which is perched above Porthminster Beach with panoramic views of the sea and coast.

Bay Watch
Those visitors who venture from the hubbub of St Ives and stretch their legs along the coast path past Carbis Bay towards Hayle will discover more genteel scenery, hidden coves and far-reaching views across St Ives Bay.

At Hawkes Point, there is a beautiful view along the golden beach of Porthkidney Sands towards the turquoise mouth of Hayle Estuary and beyond to Hayle Towans in the distance. This is a laid-back vista, where sightseers can soak in the scenery of this postcard perfect stretch of Cornish coast in all its technicolor glory.

Holiday accommodation at Hawkes Point includes the Huers Hide apartment, part of the Sea Urchin complex, with panoramic windows overlooking the fantastic sea, beach and coast.

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