Falmouth

Central Cornwall

TR11 3EF

Falmouth is one of Cornwall’s largest towns, situated within a relatively sheltered bay on the south coast, Falmouth is a town all about water. This old harbour town was once a fine fishing village with a variety of boats now it still holds their small fishing boats to superyachts, opposite facing to these boats on the south side is an industrial dock catering for all sizes of ships and at the mouth of the Fal is one of the latest natural anchorages due to this you will see some of the worlds biggest ships here.

Beaches near Falmouth

Castle Beach (0.5 Miles)
Gyllyngvase Beach (0.5 Miles)
Flushing Beach (0.8 Miles)
Swanpool Beach (0.9 Miles)
Maenporth Beach (2.2 Miles)

Nearby Towns

Penryn (2.2 Miles)
St Mawes (2.3 Miles)
Helford (5.2 Miles)
Truro (7.7 Miles)
Coverack (9.0 Miles)

falmouth town looking over to the river fal

Best Time to Visit

Summer months (June to August) for festivals and maritime events.

Public Toilets

Public toilets available at Grove Place, Prince of Wales Pier, and Gyllyngvase Beach.

We found the Best Places for Breakfast in Cornwall

Food & Drink

4 minutes read

7 Family Friendly Winter Walks in Cornwall

Leisure

3 minutes read

12 Best Seafood Restaurants in Cornwall

Food & Drink

6 minutes read

What Is Seaglass? & the Best Places to Find Seaglass in Cornwall

Leisure

8 minutes read

Falmouth, a vibrant coastal town in Cornwall, is renowned for its maritime heritage, and beautiful beaches. Visit the National Maritime Museum, explore Pendennis Castle, and enjoy local shops and eateries. Falmouth’s lively culture and stunning scenery make it a must-visit destination.

Information

Falmouth has two beaches in walking distance of the town, the closest beach golden sand and clear water is Gyllngvase beach, this is a favourite of the coveted Blue Flag award, having all the facilities you need close by including an upmarket beach cafe. On the back of this beach is Queen Mary gardens that have a path leading along the coast towards Falmouth’s other main beach. Swanpool beach is named after the lake that resides behind the beach, the sand here is more coarse and pebbly but is still a popular beach within Falmouth.

In Falmouth town you will find quirky shops along with coffee shops you can grab a coffee on the go while exploring, as well as coffee shops they have some of the best fish and chip shops in Cornwall, we heavily recommend trying them while in Falmouth. Being a town with a University you can imagine that the nightlife in Falmouth town is very much alive, with a few good bars and places to eat after hours this is a popular town for tourists and young people visiting Cornwall

If you’re looking for some peace and quiet just south of Falmouth is one of Cornwall’s most scenic areas, the Helford River. This estuary reaches from the edge of Falmouth Bay to the old trading port of Gweek, 5 miles inland. Further along towards the seaward area are a number of small, sheltered beaches such as Polgwidden, Porth Saxon, and Helford Passage which are lovely in the summertime, inland you’ll find several creeks leading from the river which are best known as Frenchman’s Creek, made famous by Daphne du Maurier novel of the same name. Helford is a mix of picturesque rolling fields and fishing villages dotted around the estuary, well worth the visit. This is one of the richest areas of wildlife with protected habitats that remain intact from the early 1900s.

Northside of Falmouth harbour in the village of St Mawes and the Roseland Peninsula beyond. You can get there by using the ferry service which runs every half hour and takes around 20 minutes to arrive. This attractive harbour village has narrow streets surrounded by cottages leading to the seafront, definitely one of the upmarket areas of Cornwall with various members of the royal family visiting over the years. St Mawes was originally built with the Falmouth Pendennis Castle to defend the river from French invasions; you can really picture the scene when you visit St Mawes. Further afield the Roseland offers rolling countryside, wooded creeks and beautiful coastline can all be found here along with picture-postcard villages.

Falmouth is home to two beaches on the east side of the town, Swanpool Beach and Gyllyngvase Beach. Swanpool beach is a small golden sandy beach perfect for the family as it has a good amount of space, calm seas, and has a cafe backed on to it then just behind the cafe is a crazy golf course. Gyllyngvase Beach is the most popular beach in Falmouth with its long stretch of golden sand and this also has a cafe backed on to it. Other beaches in the area are Towan Beach, Porthbeor Beach, and Maenporth Beach all within a short driving distance.

Getting here

By Foot

Falmouth has 1 walkable place in distance which is Penryn but is easily accessible by Bus from Truro, Redruth or Helston

By Car

Exit M5 at Junction 31 near Exeter, join A30 for a two hour journey to Penryn. Stay on A30 until you reach Carland cross and then exit at the A39 then follow down until you arrive in Truro town then keep on the A39 following signs for Falmouth.

By Bus

Unfortunately due to ever-changing timetables we’re unable you give you the best information for all locations so please check the Cornwall bus timetables near you