This picturesque coastal town sits in the Roseland Peninsula and is a favourite location of King Charles and Queen Camila – and was even enjoyed by the late Queen Elizabeth II
The village is home to a restaurant that serves some of the best takeaway dishes in the area, so you can have a fresh bit of fish and chips by the sea(Image: Getty Images)
Sitting on the south coast of Cornwall within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a gorgeous, tucked away town with one of the mildest climates in Britain and temperatures comparable to Mediterranean resorts.
Set within the Roseland Peninsula district of Cornwall, which itself is an unspoilt landscape of cliffs, creeks, woods and beaches, this beautiful beach town is renowned as a premier sailing spot with a pretty harbour and countless independent shops.
St Mawes boasts a unique ‘subtropical’ climate meaning it can offer warmer temperatures, even in the winter, than the rest of the UK. Unsurprisingly, this makes it a very popular holiday location – even with the Royal Family – and its relaxed coastal atmosphere and quaint, narrow streets and stunning sea views encourage those visiting to stay even longer.
A favourite holiday haunt of King Charles, Queen Camilla and even the late Queen Elizabeth II, the area’s maritime climate one-of-a-kind in the UK.
Influenced by the Gulf Stream with the Atlantic acting as a thermal buffer, St Mawes regularly experiences warm, sunny summers and mild, wet winters with little to no frost or snow. Visitors can enjoy water sports, scenic walks, all-year round boat trips from Falmouth, high-quality dining and St Mawes Castle – a well-preserved coastal fortress built by Henry VIII.
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The infamous King built the Castle to guard the important anchorage of Carrick Roads – the estuary of the River Fal. The distinctive clover-leaf shaped castle provides breath-taking views of the sea and passing ships from its battlements and has a number of carved inscritions praising Henry VII and his son Edward VI.
Away from history, St Mawes’ charming town centre has a number of quaint galleries, local shops and a variety of waterfront pubs and restaurants.
The aesthetics of the area are outstanding – from thatched roofs, white-washed cottages to Marine Parade which offers lovely independent shops and Waterside Gallery which houses galleries and stylish boutiques filled with timeless coastal fashion.
St Mawes has several lovely beaches for visitors to choose from including Summers Beach and Tavern Beach ideal for swimming and rock-pooling and Harbour Beach which, although only accessible at ow-tide, is dog friendly all year round with calm water sheltered by the estuary.
For walkers, the coastal path to St Just also in the Roseland peninsula is unforgettable or, in summer, tourists can use the ferry to the small, tidal inlet of Place Creek to follow the scenic trail to St Anthony’s Lighthouse.
One reviewer of St Mawes said: “We walked up to the castle and back in the beautiful and picturesque village of St Mawes. We definitely want to revisit this beautiful and classy village.”
Another said: “St Mawes is beautiful in all weathers and is well worth a visit any time of the year.”
Want to check it out for yourself? You can find plenty of beautiful stays in St Mawes with the likes of Sykes Holiday Cottages and Cottages.com.