Image by Matt Jessop - supplied by Visit Cornwall

St Ives, the most famous of Cornish holiday towns, loved for generations, is easy to reach by road or by air and easy by train, too, along one of the most spectacular railway journeys in Britain to crystal blue waters, golden sands and a warm welcome.

Life here is cradled around the harbour where boats still land good catches of freshest fish for the local restaurants to nourish you with. Brought ashore on the ancient granite quays, the catch is of the highest quality for your dinner plate or for the tables of some of Britain's finest restaurants.

A maze of tiny cobbled streets to wander through, lined by fishermen's cottages, with a breathtaking seaside vista to greet you at the end of each one.

Tate st ives, part of the Tate Gallery in London, is a stunning building with a varying exhibition of local and national works, well worth a visit.