Known for its cobbled streets, turquoise waters and bustling art scene, it’s no wonder this picture-postcard town was voted the nation’s happiest holiday location.
Nestled on the rugged Cornwall coastline, St Ives has been a paradise for families, surfers and artists for over a century.
And now, a survey of 12,000 UK travellers has ranked St Ives the UK’s ‘happiest place’, followed by Keswick in the Lake District and Whitby, on the North Yorkshire coast.
Each year, St Ives welcomes around 540,000 day trippers and 220,000 staying visitors, with many coming to experience one of the five beaches.
Once a fishing village, the opening of the St Erth to St Ives railway line, which has become a tourist attraction in its own right, brought a new generation of Victorian seaside holidaymakers to the town.
Author Virginia Woolf is said to have been inspired by her time in St Ives to write her novel, To the Lighthouse, through her childhood summers spent at the family home, Talland House, and the iconic Godrevy Lighthouse she viewed from there.
The train journey to St Ives has also been crowned one of the most scenic in Britain, featuring spectacular views of the golden sands of Hayle Towans and Carbis Bay.
St Ives is known for its unique glowing light caused by the reflection of sunlight off the golden granite sand and white seashells, bathing the town in a soft, warm glow.
Nestled on the rugged Cornwall coastline, St Ives has been a paradise for families, surfers and artists for over a century. And now, a survey of 12,000 UK travellers has ranked St Ives the UK’s ‘happiest place’
The train journey to St Ives has been crowned one of the most scenic in Britain, featuring spectacular views of the golden sands of Hayle Towans and Carbis Bay
The town is also famed for its world-renowned artistic heritage, which is celebrated through galleries like the Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum, showcasing both local and international art.
Just a short boat trip away is Seal Island, the largest of a group of tiny islands called The Carracks, which is home to a colony of Atlantic grey seals.
As well as the seals, the islands are home to anglerfish, dogfish, sea anemones and a century-old shipwreck which is a popular diving site.
There’s also a chance of seeing basking sharks, dolphins or porpoises; and every couple of years there’s a humpback whale sighting around St Ives.
For hikers, there is no shortage of scenic, coastal walks including the South West Coast Path along the cliffs.
For those seeking a challenging hike, the 12-mile coast-to-coast pilgrimage to St Michael’s Mount in Marazion offers stunning 360-degree hilltop views in all seasons.
West Cornwall’s foodie scene is also thriving in St Ives. Beachside restaurant Porthminster Beach Café specialises in sensational seafood alongside sublime views.
The Sloop Inn on the harbour is one of the oldest inns in Cornwall and dates from 1312. It’s a favourite with fishermen, artists – and tourists.
For hikers, there is no shortage of scenic, coastal walks including the South West Coast Path along the cliffs (pictured)
The slower pace of life appeals to many tourists escaping the hustle and bustle of the city in favour of the Cornish coast.
The town has a strong community feel rooted in its historic fishing harbour and artistic heritage with plenty of independent shops, galleries and bars.
Overall, in the survey by holidaycottages.co.uk, Cornwall was voted the UK’s happiest region for a staycation, followed by Devon and Cumbria.
The data comes as part of the company’s 2025 Happiest Places campaign which takes a closer look at the activities and destinations that bring UK staycationers the most joy.
Sarah Pring, Digital PR Manager at holidaycottages.co.uk, said: ‘Joy and happiness can be found in so many areas of life – whether that’s getting active in some of the UK’s most scenic locations, sharing a laugh with family over fish and chips on the beach, or seeing the wonder of wildlife through the eyes of your children.
‘Although everyone’s happy place is different, we wanted to explore some of the shared moments of happiness experienced across the UK, in the hope of inspiring more travellers to discover their own.’
With its breathtaking scenery and endless activities, St Ives could be the perfect solution to fighting off the autumn blues.
