Cornwall has long been one of the most popular UK holiday destinations. As a result there is a flourishing tourist industry providing a host of accommodation options. It's not just Cornwall cottages to rent, there are camp sites, caravan parks and cornish holiday cottages to luxury hotels, bed & breakfast and guest houses. So what brings people back to visit Cornwall time and again? Well, the climate is certainly the mildest in the UK but our summers aren't the hottest! So it must be a combination of natural attractions and a renaissance in arts and food in Cornwall. Cornwall's beaches are unrivalled elswhere in Britain for their beauty and variety. Beach towns such as Perranporth, Polzeath and Newquay are perhaps the best known of these, they are also excellent surfing beaches. In my opinion the most beautiful are the tiny coves that dot the coastline like Coverack and Porthcurno (home of the Minack Theatre). Also on the coast are some of the Duchy's most enchanting fishing villages and harbours; Looe, Portloe, Mevagissey, Tintagel, Cadgwith, Zennor and Mousehole are but a few. It's not just the villages that have something to offer those sightseeing. The towns (and city!) of Cornwall are rich in history and attractions of their own. Take Padstow with it's picturesque harbour and Rick Stien, Falmouth - a working port and charming shopping town. There is Truro, the only city in Cornwall where the cathedral still dominates the skyline. For industrial herritage Redruth has few rivals. Once at the centre of the industrial revolution and the mining industry Redruth and Camborne have spent many years in decline but are finally bouncing back. Penzance is one of the largest towns in Cornwall and has plenty to do and see. From the sub-tropical Morrab Gardens to the bustling fishing port of Newlyn you should find something of interest. It is also here that you can take a day trip to the Isles of Scilly plus it's within walking distance of Marazion and St Michael's Mount. Bored of towns then check out the stately homes and gardens of Cornwall. The National Trust is very active in Cornwall and along with a host of independently owned tourist attractions you should find plenty to see and do. Gardens worthy of mention include; The Lost Gardens of Heligan, The Eden Project, Trelissick and Trebah. Stately homes include; Lanhydrock house, Prideaux Place and Pencarrow. another unique draw of Cornwall is it's ancient past. The moorland countryside of West Cornwall and Bodmin Moor are littered with megalithic monuments such as standing stones, barrows and stone circles. Less ancient ruins that abound in Kernow are the leftovers of the mining industry, in many places these share the same sites the ancients chose to build on creating strange juxtapositions.
