Sitting on the tip of Cornwall’s Roseland Peninsula is the beautiful seaside village of St. Mawes. It would not be an understatement for me to say that this may have been a case of love at first sight.

I visited St. Mawes for the first time over a bank holiday weekend. In the back of my mind lay a slight worry that I’d chosen a terrible time to seek relaxation on the UK’s southwestern coast. On a sunny holiday weekend like this surely loads of people would be thinking along the similar lines and flock to Cornwall, right? Meaning everywhere would be packed to the brim with fellow sandal-clad travellers touting fabulous sunglasses and vying for the last open table in the pub garden.

As it turns out, my worries were in vain. My first trip to St. Mawes was a nice mix of idyllic and active pursuits. Never did I feel overwhelmed by over-tourism as I have in say, St. Ives in Cornwall. But maybe it was simply a case for first-timer’s luck?

Best Things to Do in St. Mawes

I’ll share all of the best things I found do in St. Mawes as a loose guide of sorts for anyone considering holiday destinations in Cornwall this year.

St. Mawes Circular Walk

Taking a scenic walk along the coast followed by an exploration of the inland section of the trail is one of the best things to do in St. Mawes. I recommend going on the St. Mawes Circular soon after arriving in the seaside village. This is a pleasant Easy to Moderate walk which takes you past many of the area’s best attractions, including my next highlight: St. Mawes Castle.

Visit St. Mawes Castle 

St. Mawes Castle is the most popular attraction in the Cornish village and it’s easy to see why. Strategically positioned to protect the Carricks Road and Fal estuary as ordered by Henry VIII, the well-preserved centuries-old fortress is now managed by the English Heritage and is open to visitors for a fee.

The property has a wonderful grassy area which runs to the water’s edge. Picnic benches are placed all over making it a fantastic place to enjoy a snack while looking out across the bay to neighbouring Falmouth.

Spending a leisurely afternoon picnicking on the historical castle grounds is one of the best things to do in St. Mawes for families and couples.

Visit St. Anthony Head Lighthouse via the Place ferry 

One of the most distinctive sights across the water as you’re standing on the seafront in St. Mawes is a lighthouse. This is the St. Anthony Head lighthouse and it can easily be reached by taking the ferry from St. Mawes harbour to Place.

From the drop-off point, follow the signs pointing to the South West Coastal path which will take you steps away from the lighthouse. If you’re an 80’s baby like me, this will be an especially exciting journey as this is the Fraggle Rock lighthouse! Oh, sweet nostalgia…

Have breakfast at the Ship and Castle

The Ship and Castle hotel serves a generous buffet breakfast every morning. It’s your standard variety of sausage, bacon, eggs, beans, pastries and just okay coffee or tea. It’s an enjoyable enough spread, though it certainly won’t be the meal you’ll remember as one of the best things you had to eat in St. Mawes. 

Yet, breakfast here will indeed be memorable but for entirely different reasons. You’ll relish the memory of having your first meal of the day in such a pretty, idyllic setting. The dining and lounge areas of the Ship and Castle hotel are framed by large windows that wrap around the front of the hotel and provide patrons with a spectacular view of the waterfront. Perhaps I’ll retract my earlier snobbish assessment of their hot drinks. Coffee with a view like that suddenly tastes incredible.

Try fish and chips at The Watch House 

I believe it’s practically a crime to stay in a seaside village without investigating whether they have the best fish and chips you’ve ever tasted. Which is why my next recommendation on the best things to do in St. Mawes is to visit The Watch House. Here you can enjoy fish and chips either in the sit-down area or buy it from the takeaway window. You should plan to book ahead if planning to sit in the restaurant. 

If you choose the takeaway option, walk over to the area adjacent to Idle Rocks hotel where there are benches looking out to the sea. This is Summer’s Beach and it’s the perfect place to enjoy your fish dinner with a view. Speaking of, let’s get back to that… 

The food here gets two thumbs up from me – the fish is wonderfully fresh, nicely battered and has a light crispy finish. Someone even remarked in a recent review: “Cod is so fresh it winked at me”.

 I think that description will live in my mind for a pretty long time. 

Get Cornish pasties from a St. Mawes bakery 

A Cornish pasty is a must eat when visiting the area so make sure to stop by either Da Bara Bakery or St. Mawes Bakery. In addition to the traditional pasty which is a flavoursome mix of beef and vegetables, these bakeries boast an impressive variety of the handmade goodies. I tried the Sag Aloo pasty with spiced potato and spinach filling from Da Bara Bakery and it was truly, truly divine.

Enjoy water-based activities in St. Mawes 

If you’re feeling adventurous why not rent a boat or kayak and enjoy an idyllic morning or afternoon on the water? Self driving boats are advertised for hire at the seafront as well as loads of other water-based activities – both guided and unguided.

Take a daytrip to Falmouth via the St. Mawes ferry

If you have the time to venture away from St. Mawes and checkout a nearby town, take the early morning St. Mawes Ferry to Falmouth. There are lots of wonderful harbourside restaurants and independent shops which you can easily spend hours exploring. 

The ferry ride itself from St. Mawes harbour is a nice visitor experience. The boat ride takes you across the Carrick Roads estuary, giving passengers an alternative view of St. Mawes Castle, and also offers a closer look at Pendennis Castle as it approaches the port in Falmouth.

Enjoy a pint at the Rising Sun 

The Rising Sun is the “it” pub in St. Mawes. It has a lovely outdoor space which is perfect for enjoying a pint and watching the people and vehicle traffic go by. With a set-up like this it should come as no surprise that theirs is the most popular establishment in town when the sun’s out.  

Visit St. Just-in-Roseland Church

St. Just-in-Roseland Church is a must visit if you are staying in St. Mawes.

Strolling around the gardens here was the unexpected highlight of my circular walk around St. Mawes. (I’d extended the route to include a little tour in nearby St. Just-in-Roseland.) I hadn’t researched the site beforehand so to come upon what is probably the most elaborate churchyard I’ve ever seen was a surprise, to say the least.

Now, the garden also happens to be a graveyard. And I’m not a fan of walking through graveyards. It unsettles me. And since this parish’s register apparently dates back to 1538, I was in the company of many, many old souls…

But here’s the thing – the gardens are so extensive and so beautiful that it is a complete distraction. The only thing you’ll be absorbed with here is plant life.

Visiting the site of the historical St. Just-in-Roseland Church is hands down one of the best things to do when you visit the St. Mawes area. It is located around 45 minutes away by foot or under 10 minutes by car from the town centre.

And on the topic of striking gardens in Cornwall, on my list of places to go the next time I’m in St. Mawes is the Lamorran House Garden which, judging by photographs, is also an incredible garden to explore in Cornwall.

Where to stay in St. Mawes

St. Mawes has a small collection of hotels for every type of traveller and budget. What’s especially nice is regardless of your choice, these hotels are all located along the seafront which means even those who go for the lower price point will be spoilt for views the moment they step outside. 

On the higher end of the scale is Hotel Tresanton ,as well as Idle Rocks which offers a pleasant stay in a contemporary setting.

At a medium price point there is St. Mawes Hotel which has a totally different vibe – it gives “urban chic comes to the the seaside” energy. I recommend ordering a drink here and people-watching from one of the limited outdoor tables even if you don’t stay here.

For budget-conscious travellers, consider staying at the Ship and Castle. This is an older hotel, also on the seafront strip, which is quite reasonably priced by Cornwall seaside accommodation standards.

Where to park in St. Mawes

The best place to park in St Mawes is the large council car park. As you drive down into the village and approach The Rising Sun pub, you will make a right and the car park will be directly ahead, just past the Roseland Visitor Centre.

There is also a car park further along by St. Mawes Castle.

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And that’s my round-up of places to eat and visit over a long weekend in St. Mawes. If you do end up going there in the next few months, have an absolutely incredible time!