castle
St Michael's Mount
Magical tidal island crowned by a medieval castle and church, connected to Marazion by a cobbled causeway revealed at low tide.
4 km · about 10 min drive
England, United Kingdom · Europe
Penzance works well as a base: 10 minutes from Marazion, 4km from St Michael's Mount.
Penzance is a town located in England, United Kingdom. With a population of 19,872, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, Penzance sits in United Kingdom, where you drive on the left. It's in the Europe/London time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Penzance to your route.
Penzance ( pen-ZANSS; Cornish: Pennsans) is a town, civil parish and port in Cornwall, England. It lies 64 miles (103 km) west-southwest of Plymouth, 255 miles (410 km) west-southwest of London, and 9 miles (14 km) east of Land's End. Penzance railway station is the terminus of the Cornish Main Line and is both theRead more
southernmost and westernmost station in England. Situated in the shelter of Mount's Bay, the town faces south-east onto the English Channel. As well as Penzance itself, the parish also includes the fishing port of Newlyn and the villages of Mousehole, Paul, Gulval, and Heamoor. At the 2021 census the population of the parish was 20,734 and the population of the Penzance built-up area as defined by the Office for National Statistics was 14,960.
Penzance was granted a market charter in 1404 and was formally incorporated as a borough in 1614. Chapel Street has a number of interesting features, including the Egyptian House, The Admiral Benbow public house (home to a 19th-century smuggling gang and allegedly the inspiration for Treasure Island's "Admiral Benbow Inn"), the Union Hotel (including a Georgian theatre which is no longer in use), and Branwell House, where the mother and aunt of the Brontë sisters once lived. Regency and Georgian terraces and houses are common in some parts of the town. The nearby sub-tropical Morrab Gardens has a large collection of tender trees and shrubs, many of which cannot be grown outdoors anywhere else in the UK. Also of interest is the seafront with its promenade and the open-air seawater Jubilee Pool, one of the oldest surviving Art Deco swimming baths in the country.
Penzance is the base of the pirates in Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera The Pirates of Penzance. At the time the libretto was written in 1879, Penzance had become popular as a peaceful resort town, so the idea of it being overrun by pirates was amusing to contemporaries.
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Penzance offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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Penzance is located in England, United Kingdom, Europe. The coordinates are 50.1186 latitude, -5.5371 longitude.
Penzance has a population of approximately 19,872 people, making it a town in United Kingdom.
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Essential numbers in United Kingdom
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Full driving guide for United Kingdom8 notable places within an hour's drive.
castle
Magical tidal island crowned by a medieval castle and church, connected to Marazion by a cobbled causeway revealed at low tide.
4 km · about 10 min drive
beach
Beloved Cornish seaside town renowned for its turquoise waters, golden beaches and thriving art scene including the Tate St Ives gallery.
11 km · about 20 min drive
beach
Stunning white-sand beach framed by towering cliffs, consistently rated among the finest beaches in the UK.
11 km · about 20 min drive
museum
Modern art gallery dramatically positioned on Porthmeor Beach, showcasing works by the St Ives school and international modern artists.
11 km · about 20 min drive
photogenic
Ruined engine houses of the Crowns section cling to cliffs above the Atlantic, where tin shafts once ran half a mile out under the sea. A UNESCO mining landscape and the Wheal Leisure of TV's Poldark.
11 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Breathtaking open-air theatre carved into the granite cliffs above Porthcurno Bay, offering performances with the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop.
12 km · about 20 min drive
scenic viewpoint
The most south-westerly point of mainland England, where rugged granite cliffs plunge into the Atlantic with views towards the Isles of Scilly.
14 km · about 25 min drive
beach
Spectacular cove on the Lizard Peninsula with turquoise waters, serpentine rock stacks and caves revealed at low tide.
27 km · about 30 min drive
April to October
Other places to explore near Penzance.
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