Located on the wonderful South Coast, Praa Sands offers the best of both worlds that Cornwall has to offer: rolling, green hills and turquoise waves on a gold sandy beach! You can spend your entire stay here, either by the beach, enjoying the sand, the waves, the rock pools and the running springs, or you can get on exploring walks over the hills and down to caves and rocky paths! You can also book surfing classes at the local surfing schools or an adventurous coasteering experience! For a piece of history book a visit to explore the 500 years old Pengersick Castle situated just 5 minutes walk away from Ocean View…yes, there is also a castle!! :) Simply put, in Praa Sands there is something to do for everyone…

 

Should you decide to leave the village to go on local trip, there are a few fantastic places very dear to us that we keep returning to:

 

St Michael’s Mount, Marazion 5 miles away. Visit this beautiful tidal island for an out of ordinary walk. You can get to the castle by foot, on a causeway of granite setts on low tide. Book your castle visit online- enjoy delicious fish in chips by the beach!

 

Porthleven Village Harbour, 4 miles away. An absolute local gem, Porthleven is scattered with wonderful places to eat, independent boutiques, art galleries and local crafters. The Shipyard Market hosts a range of local sellers - the offer changes almost daily- this is our family favourite place to go. And if you are a coffee lover, just before you enter Porthleven, do stop to Origins coffee shop/ roastery for a delicious coffee experience.

 

Godrevy Lighthouse & Seal Spotting at Mutton Cove - 16 miles away.

Mutton Cove, just past Godrevy Head, is home to a large colony of Grey Seals, which can be seen throughout the year. Numbers begin to increase in Autumn, and by January you can see up to a hundred! 

Once you’ve finished quietly oo-ing and ah-ing at the seals, make sure you walk a little further up to see the iconic Godrevy Lighthouse. 

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The white 26-metre octagonal tower of Godrevy lighthouse was made famous by Virginia Woolfe in her novel 'To the Lighthouse’. Time your trip right and you may even be in for a stunning sunset over St Ives.

Park in either the National Trust Car Park at Godrevy, or slightly further up towards the headland.

 

Minack Theatre - 18 miles away, an absolute must visit for everyone holidaying in Cornwall. Depending on the time of your visit you might be lucky to be able to book a show! They really are great… and the views are dream! After the visit/show plan an afternoon picnic on the fantastic Portchurno Beach - in our view, one of the best Cornish beaches! You can get to the beach by car as you leave the theatre, or if you are really adventurous, there is a steep path going down from Minack’s car park.

 

Trebah Gardens, 19 miles away- immerse yourself into a Monet style landscape with a visit to the wonderful Trebah Gardens. This is a must visit spot in Cornwall that offers a great full day out! Have lunch at the delicious local cafe and end the day relaxing on the secluded beach tucked away at the rear of the gardens. Also check their website for various events they run throughout the year: performances, exhibitions and workshops.

 

For quick trips and visits around, you may want to add to your list:

• Mousehole, a “chocolate box” fishing village, only 12 miles away from Praa Sands. Stop on your way back to Newlyn’s fishmongers, (post code TR18 5HW)  just by the fish market, for a unique culinary experience. Don’t leave Cornwall before cooking/enjoying a nutritious mussels feast!

• St Ives, one of the most beautiful gems in the Cornish Crown, also known for its surf and art scene, is only 15 miles away. However, in high season, going by car can be quite a nuisance. Drive to St Earth train station where you can leave your car and book a scenic train ride to St Ives to fully enjoy your visit during the busy summer months.

• An absolute family favourite is Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, situated just 7 miles away, to enjoy dramatic landscape, modern sculptures and exotic plants with beautiful views over St Michael’s Mount. When you visit book lunch of breakfast at Thremenheere Kitchen 

 

 

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Places to eat

 

Stonesreef is conveniently located in Praa Sands, on the far right corner of the beach. They do lovely coffees and teas to enjoy on your morning walk and serve fresh, delicious food until 6 PM. Also on the beach you can get food and drinks from The Welloe. SISU, located in the village, offers a nice selection of tea, coffee, home bakes and sandwiches.

 

Our favourite place for a good bite to eat is definitely Porthleven.

Nauti but Ice is great for breakfast/brunch and a light lunch and The Corner Deli makes the most delicious pizza, including a convenient evening take away! PokE Food Cafe in the Shipyard Market serves delicious and vegetarian & vegan food cooked on the spot and also lovely coffee. Fancy mussels and a drink on a sunny day? Then the quirky Mussel Shoal should go on your list for French bistro-style food, including moules-frites- but the real fun part is that diners can book to be taken out to eat on a pontoon in the harbour for a dramatic dining experience on the sea. For a more formal dinner or lunch make sure you book a table at Kota Kay or The Square . If everything else is booked, Amelie might come in handy.

 

Thremenheere Kitchen also offers a lovely breakfast and lunch menu- and delicious home made scones; pre booking required to avoid disappointment. 

 

 

 

Supermarkets

 

• Our favourite local shop is Trevelyan Farm Shop (TR20 9PP) with a great selection of  organic local and (mainly) in season produce

• SPAR is a convenience shop located on the main road, at the petrol station

• Nearest supermarket is 5 min away - Coop 

• Within 10 min you can get to Sainsbury’s & Morrisons, towards Penzance

• Within 20 min drive you can access the M&S Food Hall in Hayles

• Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tescos as well all Riverford, all offer home deliveries in the area (not Ocado)