St Ives has a way of pulling you in, not just for the sea and the light, but for the feeling. The beaches are golden, the harbour hums with life, and around every corner there’s something quietly special: a tucked-away bakery, a gallery you didn’t mean to find, a lane that leads somewhere worth pausing. It’s busy in summer, sure, but come in the shoulder months and you’ll see it slow down, breathe and open up.

Penzance is a proper working town with a creative streak. The promenade sweeps along Mount’s Bay, the Scillonian sails from the harbour, and the streets around Chapel Street are full of independent shops, galleries and good cafés. Take a dip in the Art Deco Jubilee Pool, walk the prom towards St Michael’s Mount, and you’ll soon see why so many people make it their base for exploring the far west.

Mousehole is the Cornish harbour village you’ve always pictured. Granite cottages crowd around a tiny harbour, narrow lanes wind up the hill, and the bay stretches out towards St Clement’s Isle. Dylan Thomas called it “the loveliest village in England”, and it’s hard to disagree. Come in December and the whole harbour glows with lights.

Praa Sands is one long sweep of soft, white sand and rolling surf, the kind of beach you can stretch out on all day or stroll from end to end as the light shifts. It’s a proper family favourite, with space to spread out, easy parking and a laid-back beach café just steps from the sea.