8 things travellers need to know about Falmouth, Cornwall

Falmouth, on Cornwall’s south coast, continues to evolve its offering for travellers seeking upscale experiences, from wellness to new skills, cuisine to cocktails. We pick some of the best:

St Michaels Resort’s hydro experience

Perched a stone’s throw from the golden crescent of Gyllyngvase Beach, St Michaels Resort has expanded its luxury accommodation and spa facilities in the last couple of years. It now boasts the largest spa-hydrotherapy pool in the South West, heated up to 35C and offering 21 stations with jets to target every major muscle group. Prices start at £50 for two hours.

There is also a Finnish sauna, rainforest steam room and what is reportedly the world’s only Cornish sea salt steam room. Outside, guests can geta sweat on in the barrel sauna or kick back in the 12-seater hot tub, opened last year, while enjoying sea glimpses through the exotic gardens. There is also an outdoor bar and live music at weekends during the summer.

Merchants Manor’s upgraded spa

This adults-only four-star Victorian retreat is less than a ten minute walk from the sea and has recently updated its pool and gym, while its Linen Rooms spa offers everything from a 30 minute midweek treat pamper (think back, neck and shoulder massage or leg and foot energiser, both £74) to a ‘Spafternoon Tea’, comprising use of pool, steam and gym from 11am-4pm, a 30 minute treatment, plus afternoon tea and a glass of fizz (£79). Guests can also treat themselves to a night away — my favourite is the Landlubber room, which has its own 30m private deck and jacuzzi, as well as a private sub-tropical garden.

Culinary excellence at Culture

Halfway down the steps to Falmouth’s Custom House Quay, Culture is an intimate cellar-like dining room opened in June 2022 by South African chef and owner, Hylton Espey, who wanted to realise his vision for a restaurant based around a tasting menu. He runs Culture with his wife, Petronella. The restaurant has been recognised by the Michelin Guide, offering refined dining that showcases local ingredients and innovative cuisine. The menu evolves almost daily, with each dish telling a story, from a trip to a farm, a sail in the bay or a surf on the Lizard. Think venison loin, raised outdoors on the wilds of Bodmin Moor, or Hylton’s signature bread, the Golden Grains course, made from an ancient variety of wheat grown at a farm three miles away… It’s great food, with an open kitchen allowing guests to see how Hylton’s creations come to life. Lunch is £52 per person; dinner is £80.

Exclusive chauffeured tours

Visitors can now be swept around Falmouth in style thanks to Hilton Ames Chauffeurs, which offers tailored guided tours in its fleet of Mercedes, from the intimate S-Class to the more capacious V-Class. History buffs might be keen to explore historic sites such as Pendennis Castle, constructed by Henry VIII, visit the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, or tour the town’s various art galleries (Beside the Wave, on Arwenack Street, is a favourite, showcasing a lot of local artists’ and scenes). More adventurous guests might want transport to the best walking trails or seek a private yacht charter. Others may enjoy a tour of some of the best restaurants in Cornwall, from Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Padstow to Michelin-recommended Fitzroy in Fowey. There’s certainly no shortage of choice.

The Sandy Duck

This boutique guesthouse might lack a spa or pool, but instead it offers a more intimate luxury experience, with Scandinavian minimalist interiors, high-quality furnishings, soft linens and tasteful artwork. Just a 15-minute walk from both Gyllyngvase Beach and the town’s shops and restaurants, the guesthouse is renowned for the warm and attentive service provided by its hosts, including personalised breakfast options (from freshly baked croissants to homemade granola, Tregida Cornish smoked salmon to Primrose Herd sausages) and a wealth of insider tips about the local area. With just eight rooms (all with Hypnos beds and Egyptian cotton sheets), The Sandy Duck is perfect for those who want luxury on a smaller, and more affordable, scale (rooms start at £110). Room seven was renovated in 2021 and has a freestanding copper bathtub, while room eight, on the top floor, has arguably the best views, reaching out to Falmouth Bay.

Private yacht charters

Several private yacht charter services have sprung up in the past few years, allowing guests to explore Cornwall’s coastline in style and privacy, from St Anthony’s Head, across the water from Falmouth, to dolphin spotting in Falmouth Bay. For example, Bowman Yacht Charters Cornwall and Freewinds Yacht Charter both provide skippered or bareboat charters (for experienced sailors) on boats ranging from six to eight berth crafts, and encourage crew to get as involved as they like (or just sit and enjoy the scenery). For foodies, Blue River Table combines a three-hour trip on a beautifully restored Cornish motor launch, Tethra, with a feast of sustainable, locally sourced Cornish fare, offering brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner cruises as guests drift around the Carrick Roads. The boat is licensed so guests can enjoy a tipple of choice too. Blue River also offers private hire for a more intimate foodie cruise.

Artisanal workshops

Falmouth is home to an ever-expanding range of artisanal workshops where visitors to the town can learn new craft skills, such as pottery and jewellery making, from local artists. For example, hidden away in the town’s quirky old high street, Inspire Makers offers a range of jewellery workshops from seaglass jewellery to studs and rings, while neighbouring Star Glazers is a paint-your-own pottery studio where visitors can design and decorate personalised ceramic items while sipping coffee. In the town’s Church Street, The Poly arts centre (a Falmouth institution since its foundation in 1833) gives visitors the opportunity to explore everything from costumed life drawing to hand building ceramics and even a musketeering masterclass, while nearby Dot n Cross offers sewing and pattern cutting workshops from the private studio of Helen Shine, who has cut patterns for such fashion luminaries as Victoria Beckham and Karen Millen. Helen recently launched a ‘make your own wedding dress’ workshop too.

Cocktails

The historic Greenbank Hotel, perched on the sea wall, offers a selection of cocktails from the comfort of its Water’s Edge Bar (complete with stunning views and a Trencherman’s Guide award to boot), from Watermelon Martini to Cornish Negroni, not to mention the controversial Jam First, as well as two for £12 every Friday from 5pm. St Michaels hotel’s chilled out bar and lounge also offers a cocktail deal (two for £15 every day between 3pm and 6pm) from the classics to house creations such as a Banana Boulevardier or a Croissant Coffee (a whisky and coffee bean fusion). For a lively Hawaiian vibe, thirsty visitors can head to Event’s Square, where Kona offers everything from its original coconut rum Kona Kolada to a rum-based Drunken Sea Monkey (prices start at £11 each).