A guide to visiting Porthleven, Cornwall

_{Disclaimer: I visited Porthleven, Cornwall as guest of Aspects Holidays, however, all views and opinions are entirely my own.}

Cornwall is an ideal place for a UK break if you love great food, stunning coastal walks, salty air, sandy beaches and craggy coves. Porthleven, in West Cornwall, has all of that and more and it’s a great spot for couples, families or groups to explore.

Read on to discover why Porthleven is the perfect place for a Cornish break, what to see and do when you get there and where to stay.

Porthleven, Cornwall is a small historic fishing port on the Lizard Peninsular. It’s built around a small weather-beaten working harbour lined with restaurants, cosy cafes, ancient pubs, shops and galleries. There’s a long swathe of beach, craggy coastlines and coves to explore too. This small but lively town is the perfect Cornish break for lovers of good food, coastal hikes, beach time and Lizard peninsular explorations. We’d spent an afternoon in Porthleven a few years back and this charming Cornish town has been calling me back ever since.

This time I visited Porthleven in April with Aspects Holidays to spend two days exploring the town and its nearby attractions. The weather was incredible. It almost felt like July, which meant we got all the Cornish summer vibes without the crowds. Perfect for discovering all the lovely things to do in Porthleven. 

About Porthleven

Porthleven sits on the west of the Lizard peninsular right on the South West Coastal Path and is the most southerly working port on mainland Britain. It’s been a working fishing harbour for centuries and, although it’s now mainly a tourist town, the working element of the harbour means it’s retained an authentic feel along with heaps of character. Both of which we loved.

Porthleven harbour is, unusually, south-westerly facing and takes a battering from prevailing Atlantic winds so its sea defences are pretty robust. The thick harbour walls protect the town from the elements and it needs to because Porthleven is known for its wild and woolly winter storms. As well as being one of Britain’s top storm watching destinations there’s a beach, a big foodie scene and loads to see, do and eat. Let’s get stuck in…

Things to do in Porthleven, Cornwall

Explore Porthleven Harbour

The picturesque harbour, which opened in 1825, is the heart of Porthleven with the main street running around its three sides. In the harbour you’ll find colourful fishing boats jostling at high tide. Old pubs and historic buildings overlook the cobbled quayside and a range of Porthleven restaurants, pubs and cafes line the harbour. 

There’s a lot to explore around the harbour and it’s one of the best things to do in Porthleven. First take a walk down the right-hand side of the harbour towards the Ship Inn, known as Breageside. You’ll pass the old arched building which used to be the China clay store.

Carry on past the historic Icehouse and Warehouse before coming to Porthleven lime kiln a round, white-painted brick structure which has been restored and is now protected. The kiln is an important part of the harbour’s heritage. 

Close to The Ship Inn you’ll spot an old WWII pillbox on your left. Look out for ‘Waiting for Fish’ sculpture by artist Holly Bendall. The lifesize piece of an old man and a seagull gazing out to sea aims to draw attention to the importance of small-scale, sustainable fishing and our historic fishing communities. 

The old lifeboat station is close by where you can catch seasonal art exhibitions. From here you can head further up the hill for views of Wheal Prosper tin mine which is around 4 km along the coast towards Rinsey Cove and Praa Sands.

Look to the other side of the harbour and can’t fail to spot the dark granite of the Bickford-Smith Institute and Porthleven’s iconic clock tower by the harbour entrance. And no, it’s not a church.

Bay View Terrace, a sweeping white Victorian terrace can be seen in its full glory from Breageside. Each house in the Grade II listed terrace displays the Cornish coat of arms and has great views of the harbour.

Head back up to the to the back of the harbour looking out for the village punishment stocks on the grass at Harbour Head and continue down the quayside towards the Clock Tower. You’ll pass some historic buildings like the Harbour Inn pub, the Salt Cellar which now houses craft workshops and the Account House, home to Customs House Gallery. 

Two of HMS Anson’s cannons are set on each of the thick stone walls guarding the inner harbour adding to the historic feel of the quayside. 

Discover more about the harbour in this guided Porthleven town trail.

Hit Porthleven Beach

The main beach at Porthleven runs from the pier by the clock tower for about 2.5 miles to the east. With sea walls and rocky backdrops there are plenty of sheltered sun traps – ideal spots for sunbathing and picnics. The beach is good for swimming, body boarding and experienced surfers. Beginner surfers might want to check out Praa Sands, a few miles along the coast heading west.

Porthleven has a wide beach with pebbles and fine shingle leading down to the sea where wide swathes of sand appear at low tide. Lifeguards keep watch between July and September. The beach is dog friendly most of the year except for a seasonal dog ban in July and August. 

We were there in April and although we had gorgeous weather it wasn’t quite enough for a beach day but we had a lovely walk at low tide passing the serpentine rock formations and looking out for sea glass. At high tide the beach can get cut off so be sure to have time to make it back to the shore safely. Head to the rocks west of the harbour at low tide for rock pools.

Porthleven beach is about a 3-minute walk from Rock House, our accommodation in the town, and down a flight of metal stairs which lead directly onto the beach. 

Stay in a Seaside Holiday House

We stayed in a gorgeous old Cornish house just a flip and a flop from Porthleven Beach and a five minute walk from the harbour. The historic house was once the village bakery and has been converted into stylish, seaside themed holiday accommodation, furnished to a high standard and bookable through Aspects Holidays.

The house is ideal for groups or families with four double bedrooms, three with en-suites, and one main bathroom on the ground floor. The incredibly comfy beds can be converted to twins on request.

The upstairs is open plan with a high vaulted ceiling. The modern kitchen, dining and lounge area are beautifully furnished with some original features and a small glimpse of the sea. Big squishy leather sofas are great for lounging in front of the modern wood burner. The outside area is reached via patio doors from upstairs and features a deck with table and chairs – a great place for outdoor dining in warmer weather.

Decor is beach themed with lots of seaside touches and fresh blue, white and grey hues with natural wood in the bedrooms. Each of the three en-suites has a large shower, hand basin and toilet. A gorgeous free-standing bath tub stands in the bathroom which is perfect for soaking tired legs after a long walk. Plenty of bath towels are provided.

We ate out most of the time but did cook up a couple of breakfasts and had all the equipment we needed in the kitchen. A small welcome pack with tea, coffee, biscuits and milk meant we could have a welcome cuppa on arrival and tea towels, washing up liquid and laundry tabs were also provided.

Although there’s no dedicated parking space at the property there is a small open piece of land a few minute’s walk away which we used. You might find on-road parking slightly closer and it wasn’t a problem to park outside by the house whilst we unloaded the car on arrival.

Get out on the Water

For water sports, Vertical Blue Adventures offer adventures on the Cornish coast including kayaking, SUP and coasteering along with a range of other activities like a climbing wall and axe throwing. Head to the Paddle Shack which you’ll find next to the Lime Kiln for similar.

Porthleven is a hot spot for surfers with some powerful swells and one of Cornwall’s best reef breaks but is recommended for experienced surfers only. Beginners will need to head a calmer beach. 

The South West Coast Path runs through the town which makes it an ideal place for hikers and walkers. We drove a few miles to Mullion Cove and hiked the coastal path to Kynance Cove where we stopped for a pasty and a cuppa overlooking the cove. The walk was quite boggy in places and took longer than we expected but well worth the effort don’t you think?

Afterwards we continued to Lizard Point, the most southern place on mainland Britain for more epic views. The Lizard Peninsula has over 20 walking trails for all levels from leisurely scenic strolls to more strenuous hikes all leading back to Lizard village and the scenery is absolutely stunning.

Take a Boat Trip

Get out on the water for spectacular scenery and wildlife spotting. Mollie May Charters offer sightseeing boat trips around the coast to places like St Michael’s Mount, the Lizard Peninsular, Penzance, the Minack Theatre and Lands End.

On their wildlife boat trips which explore the area between the Lizard and Lands End you might be lucky to see seals, sea birds dolphins or basking sharks. Fishing trips are another option.

Discover Loe Bar

A lovely walk, which takes around 25-minutes, is to head east from Porthleven, along the cliff tops and through the forest to stunning views of Loe Bar. This shingle bank, which separates Loe pool and the sea is a beautiful spot. The Loe is the largest natural freshwater lake in Cornwall and part of the Penrose Estate (National Trust). You can also walk around the lake which is around 6-miles.

The area is popular with walkers, nature lovers and bird-watchers and a haven for wildlife. The sea, however, is not so hospitable due to strong undercurrents and swimming is extremely dangerous but the beach itself is stunning. Swimming in Loe Pool is prohibited.

Check out the Arts, Crafts and Galleries

As with many Cornish towns, there’s a healthy range of unique independent galleries, shops and boutiques in Porthleven. In fact, you could spend a whole day running the gamut of galleries and shops. There’s a flourishing arts and craft scene with high quality works from local artists including ceramics, glassware, jewellery, textiles and photography. 

As well as the galleries around the harbour don’t miss The Shipyard Market which hides behind the shops on the north side of the harbour. The old warehouse is home to a about a dozen small stalls selling beautifully made unique items, crafts and clothing. A great place to buy gifts and cards and support the local community at the same time. It’s also home to Ced’s Bagels

I particularly liked Waves Gallery for spectacular coastal and wave photography by Mike Lacey. Head through the archway to the right of The Customs House Gallery. The glass art in Four Crows Gallery and the ceramics at Customs House Gallery were also tempting.

Go Storm Watching

Porthleven is one of Britains top storm watching sites. With Atlantic swells heading directly into the south westerly facing beach and harbour, the storm watching potential and raw power of nature is epic. Storm watching is one of the top things to do in Porthleven in winter.

We saw smaller swells on a previous visit in 2022 at high tide and they were impressive but nothing like the 33 ft waves recorded during Storm Kathleen in April 2024.

The image of the clock tower with waves crashing against the building is often seen on the national weather. Next time there’s a storm forecast you could check out the Porthleven webcam to see the giant waves for yourself.

Food and Drink in Porthleven

For such a small town Porthleven punches well about it’s weight for food and drink. 

The annual Porthleven Food Festival is a three-day festival held each April or early May. Sadly we missed this year’s event by two days. The festival includes a chef’s theatre with celebrity chefs, street food stalls, supper club, farmer’s market and a programme of live music, sea shanties and one or two mermaids if you’re lucky.

We only had two days in Porthleven so we couldn’t sample all the restaurants, cafes and pubs but I’d recommend the following which we enjoyed…

The Ship Inn

Fish and Chips at the cosy Ship Inn. After a massive Anne’s Pasty for lunch we were still pretty full so we opted for the smaller sized fish and chips, which wasn’t actually that small. We enjoyed it sat by a log fire in the lively bar. The food was spot on, the service and bar staff were chatty and helpful and it was a proper local’s pub full of characters with a friendly vibe. There’s loads of outdoor space for summer evenings too and it’s dog friendly.

Kota Kai

This was probably our favourite meal in Porthleven. Kota Kai is a more casual spin off from the famous ‘Kota’ Porthleven restaurant run by Chef Jude Kereama. The stylish restaurant, which exudes calm with natural wood panelling, a white vaulted ceiling and cool vibes sits on the top floor of Celtic House next to Harbour Head. The views across the harbour go perfectly with a pre-dinner drink.

Super fresh local food with an Asian twist is served at Kota Kai. Three of us ordered Chicken Massaman Curry with sweet potato, red pepper, greens, peanuts and jasmine rice. The fourth, who’d pigged out on a pasty that afternoon, chose a small plate of grilled Falmouth Bay Scallops with mango salad, citrus ginger dressing and a side of fries. The food was excellent and not a scrap was left between us despite the large portions. 

The staff were friendly and helpful and Kota Kai is a restaurant I’d look forward to returning to any time.

The Mussel Shoal

Backing onto the harbour wall is a fab little bar called The Mussel Shoal. It’s an ideal spot to sit and watch the boats bob around in the harbour with a cold beer, music and a bite to eat, mainly seafood dishes. A proper sun trap and great atmosphere although weather dependent.

Nauti but Ice

We had lunch on the Nauti but Ice terrace overlooking the harbour. Spicy, chick pea sausage roll followed by salted caramel Roskilly’s ice cream. Healthy right? But it tasted so good! 

We arrived on a Sunday and didn’t start looking for somewhere to eat until around 7pm by which time most places had finished serving so be sure to book and don’t leave it too late like we did.

Harbour View

On our last day we had to leave early so we stopped at Harbour View for a full English. The food was great, the staff were really lovely, prices reasonable and of course there were harbour views. A popular spot for locals.

Other restaurants we liked the look of and would have eaten at had we stayed longer were: 

The Square near the head of the harbour and next to Kota. 

Twisted Currant for afternoon teas and breakfasts 

Amélie overlooking the harbour serving Cornish food made with local produce and sporting a Mediterranean twist

Cantina located in the old China Clay Store which dishes up street food from around the world

Bolla, a tiniest pink place serving up breakfast, Sunday brunch, lunch and small plates and a range of wines and spirits. Bolla is Cornish for bowl.

If you’re self-catering, Pengelly’s, a small family-owned supermarket, near to The Shipyard, stocks the usual range of groceries, household products and some local fare. Try the Furniss original Cornish gingerbread, it’s lush!

Pubs in Porthleven

We visited three pubs during our stay in Porthleven, Cornwall.

We arrived in Porthleven at around 5pm on a warm sunny Sunday afternoon and sat on the quayside outside the Harbour Inn with a pint and watched the comings and goings in the harbour as the sun dipped behind the hill. A lovely spot.

We loved the Ship Inn, mentioned above which was our favourite pub and The Atlantic, just two minute’s walk from Rock House was another great pub and, again, very much a local’s hang out which has weekly live music and quiz nights.

Are you ready to visit Porthleven, Cornwall?

As you can see there are plenty of great things to do in Porthleven to fill a weekend or a short break and I hope you’ve found this guide useful.

We had a fabulous two days exploring the town and were blessed with gorgeous sunshine which made April feel like summer. Our fabulous accommodation made it a perfect break with its stylish decor, all the amenities we needed and it was just a few steps from the beach and a short walk the harbour. Cornwall, you’re calling me again already!

Looking for more Devon and Cornwall guides? Don’t miss…

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• Ten top things to do in Devon
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