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Town in Cornwall, England
Photo: Richard Hill, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Falmouth (Cornish: Aberfala) is a seaside town in South Cornwall. Famous for its beaches, it is home to the world's third largest natural harbour. The four main beaches in Falmouth are Gyllyngvase, Castle, Swanpool, and Maenporth. It is also known for its castles, Pendennis and St.Mawes, both built by Henry VIII as he fortified the south of England.
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One of the finest surviving examples of a coast fortress in England. Successive remains chart developments in military engineering and weapons technology and the organisation of coast defence from the Tudor period until the Second World War.
Home of the National Maritime Museum's small boat collection and other exhibits.
Stroll down through the peaceful, exotic and playful valley to a sheltered beach at the bottom.
A swimming-pool, gym and small café contained within a modern building with a beautiful glass façade facing towards Falmouth town and the Docks.
You've not properly visited Falmouth until you've gone up (or down) Jacob's Ladder, a stairway that literally takes your breath away. Fortunately, there is a pub near the top, and it's well-lit at night. If you take a left after the pub you get some brilliant views over the estuary.
is the largest and "main" beach in Falmouth, and is very popular with university students, as it also in easy walking distance of the town centre campus. Surf and paddleboarding tuition is available. There is a proper cafe/restaurant, with a separate snack/drink beach bar as well as, in the best Cornish tradition, a bakery. Public toilets (unisex) are available and showers are on the beach. Behind the beach is a garden with some photogenic subtropical planting, beyond which is the main beach car park (often full in summer). Surf rescue / lifeguard patrol during the summer. Large sandy bay type beach with large wave cut reef at SW end that is popular with snorkellers. NE end turns to wave cut reef which blends in to the lesser visited (and so not easily accessible) Tunnel Beach. Busy in summer.
Swanpool also has a cafe that does a huge variety of imaginative and very good ice creams. Backs on to an old-school mini/crazy golf course. Surf and paddleboarding tuition available. Predominantly sandy bay with reefs framing each end. There is a large car park adjacent to the beach, which has public toilets at one end. Up the hill at the SW end of the beach there is a more upmarket restaurant.
The nearest beach to the town centre. Predominantly wave cut rocky reef with sandy areas, popular with snorkellers. Sheltered by Pendennis point and Falmouth bay, so sea conditions are generally calm except when the wind is from the south.Slope or steps to access from the road above, where there is on street parking and bus service. Cafe with outdoor covered seating and public toilets available. There is no surf rescue / lifeguard here.
Views across the harbour from this small cafe. Most of the seating is outside covered with large umbrellas and heaters. The food is locally sourced, with a large array of seafoods fresh from Cornwall.
Gargantuan burger meals and a sleek modern interior to boot.
Greene King pub
Home-style fish & chips.
On "The Moor" great sandwich shop.
Wetherspoon's through and through.
Serves genuine Cornish pasties and Emmet freshly cut sandwiches.
After being sold in lockdown, The Front was acquired by a group of regulars to keep it's spirit alive. Very traditional pub serving well-kept ales, friendly to dogs and a great place to bring a takeaway or a pasty after a day out and about.
Popular bar punching well above its geographical class for music gigs. This is the place to see a band in Falmouth.
A modern pub passionate about serving great food.
JD Wetherspoon's
Quirky arty B&B, no children under 8 or dogs.
Charming comfy B&B in an Edwardian town house.
Bright stylish hotel by harbour.
Upscale resort hotel and spa above Helford River, gets great reviews for comfort, service and dining. Open Feb-Dec.
Plush hotel in subtropical gardens, with private beach.
By bus
First Devon and Cornwall operate most bus services into the town, with half hourly services from Cornwall's capital Truro (U1) and Redruth (U2).
By car
Most travellers into Cornwall will come down the M5 and change onto the A30 at Exeter. To get to Falmouth, travellers must turn off the A30 on to the A39 at Fraddon, signposted as Truro.
By boat
Numerous ferries serve Falmouth, converging on the Prince of Wales Pier ferry terminal in the town centre. Ferries run year-round to St. Mawes and Flushing, and seasonally to Truro via Trelissick.
Falmouth is extremely hilly in places, and some roads (Killigrew Street, Trelawney Road) will have you cursing town surveyors.
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