Newlyn
Strega Cottage
From £200 per night
A beautifully restored fisherman’s cottage overlooking Newlyn Harbour, Strega Cottage is full of character, comfort, and coastal charm. Perfectly placed…
Newlyn
Newlyn is where Cornwall’s fishing heart still beats. Boats land their catch in the harbour every morning, fish merchants line the quay, and granite cottages climb the hillside above the water. It’s real, down-to-earth and full of character, with a thriving art scene, some of the best seafood in the county, and Penzance just a stroll along the prom.
Newlyn – England’s busiest fishing port, and a promenade walk into Penzance
Newlyn has been landing fish for centuries, and its harbour is still home to one of the biggest fishing fleets in the country. In the late 1800s it drew a colony of painters, the Newlyn School, who came to capture working life by the sea. That creative spirit has never left, and today artists and makers live and work alongside the fishing community.
Getting your bearings in Newlyn
Newlyn sits on the western curve of Mount’s Bay in West Cornwall, about a mile along the coast from Penzance and two from Mousehole. The harbour fills the bottom of the village, with the fish market and seafood merchants around it, while steep lanes and terraces of cottages climb the hill behind.
Our holiday cottages in Newlyn put you right in the middle of village life, think restored fisherman’s cottages overlooking the harbour to a quiet hideaway for two.
- Seafood that’s fresh off the boats, from harbourside restaurants to the fish merchants on the quay
- Galleries, studios and a creative community with roots in the Newlyn School
- Colourful boats, sea views and a harbour that always has something going on
What makes Newlyn special…
Newlyn’s seafood and creative streak
Unsurprisingly, Newlyn eats very well. Menus follow the day’s catch – try Argoe, tucked into a cabin right at the water’s edge – and the Red Lion sits above the harbour with views right across the bay. Lovetts serves speciality coffee by day and a good glass of wine come evening, and you can pick up anything from crab to hake to cook back at the cottage. In between, pop into the galleries and studios dotted around the village – Newlyn’s artists have been inspired by this harbour for well over a century.
Things we love in Newlyn
Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar
A small, much-loved seafood bar where the menu is decided each morning after a chat with the local fishermen.
Fabio’s
Italian small plates, great coffee and a welcome so warm you’ll want to come back the next day.
Jelbert’s Ices
One flavour of ice cream, made fresh every day and topped with clotted cream and a flake. A Newlyn legend.
Newlyn Art Gallery
Changing exhibitions of contemporary art, in a gallery built for the Newlyn artists over a century ago.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Newlyn is home to one of the biggest fishing fleets in the country, and the fish merchants around the harbour sell everything from crab to hake, straight off the boats, perfect for cooking back at your cottage.
Yes, it’s about two miles along the coast path, past Penlee Point, with lovely views across the bay. There’s a bus back if you’d rather not walk both ways.
Newlyn is about a mile from Penzance, an easy, flat walk along the promenade, with views across Mount’s Bay all the way. It’s also a short bus ride, so the station, shops and Jubilee Pool are all within easy reach.
Yes, it’s a lovely base for exploring West Cornwall. Fresh seafood, galleries and a lively harbour are right on the doorstep, Penzance’s shops and station are close by, and Land’s End and the Minack Theatre are around half an hour’s drive away.
Yes. Plenty of places welcome well-behaved dogs, including the Red Lion, and the prom and coast path make for easy walks. The shoreline from Newlyn to Battery Rocks has a daytime restriction from 10am to 6pm in July and August.
The Newlyn School was a colony of artists who settled in Newlyn in the late 1800s, led by painters like Stanhope Forbes, to capture everyday life by the sea. You can see many of their paintings at Penlee House Gallery & Museum in Penzance, and the village is still home to plenty of artists today.
Over the August bank holiday weekend, Newlyn harbour hosts a festival celebrating fish and the sea, with food, music and boats in the harbour. It’s a great day out, and a real taste of village life.
Newlyn is one of the best places to eat seafood in Cornwall. Favourites include the Tolcarne Inn, Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar and Argoe right at the water’s edge, with Fabio’s for Italian small plates, the Red Lion for harbour views and Jelbert’s for ice cream.
Newlyn is a fishing village on Mount’s Bay in West Cornwall, about a mile west of Penzance. Mousehole is around two miles further along the coast, and Land’s End is a short drive away.
