Let’s look at why all keen explorers should take one of our tours from Penzance and discover the amazing diversity of experiences Cornwall has to offer.
Penzance, with its salt-tinged air and sprawling views over Mount’s Bay, is a town caught between land and sea – a place where history and modern life connect to form a fascinating and unique synthesis. Penzance is a town of captivating contrasts: Land, sea, history, modernity.
Our top tours from Penzance
The town’s name is thought to derive from the Cornish for “holy headland,” which is “Pen Sans,” a reference to a chapel that once stood at the westernmost point of the harbour. The Cornish language is a constant reminder of Kernow’s ancient past. If you didn’t know, Kernow is the Cornish language name for Cornwall!
Penzance promenade,the longest in Cornwall, invites long, windswept walks with the rhythmic pounding of the waves ever constant in the background. At one end, you find the iconic Jubilee Pool, an art deco lido that curves into the bay,a nostalgic throwback to simpler seaside days, though still thoroughly alive with swimmers, who brave the waters all year-round.
The town is full of artisan cafés and vintage treasure troves, every corner has something unexpected to discover. Populated by locals with their easy charm, Penzance hums with a distinct energy – a place that’s both old-world Cornish and radiating its own unique vibe.
However all this is still a tiny fraction of what Cornwall has to offer the keen explorer, from ancient sites full of mystery, quaint fishing villages bursting with charm and a lost industrial past there is so much to discover when embarking on a tour from Penzance.
Below we will briefly look at how easy it is to fill any Penzance tour with wonder and discovery. The diversity of the points of Interest within easily explorable distance make Penzance a particularly good base for exploring West Cornwall.
Table of Contents
St Michael’s Mount
A tidal island crowned with a mediaeval castle, St Michael’s Mount rises dramatically from the sea, its storied past calling to visitors embarking on tours from Penzance. A place of legend and beauty.
Lanyon Quoit – Neolithic Portal Tomb
Standing tall on the moors, Lanyon Quoit is a reminder of a forgotten age, a Neolithic portal tomb marking a long-lost burial site. No tour from Penzance would be complete without visiting this monumental stone.
Men-An-Tol – Bronze Age Holed Stone
This curious stone circle, with its famous holed stone, draws visitors seeking its reputed healing powers—an essential stop on any tour of West Cornwall for those intrigued by the region’s ancient past.
St Just – Most Westerly Village in Britain
St Just, a village where the air still hums with the legacy of Cornwall’s miners, stands as the most westerly settlement in Britain. It’s an unmissable stop on any day trip from Penzance, rich with local history.
Botallack Mine and Iconic Engine Houses
Perched on the cliffs, the abandoned engine houses of Botallack stand defiantly against the sea, a haunting reminder of Cornwall’s mining past. The wild beauty here is a highlight of any tours from Penzance.
Ballowall Barrow – Ancient Funerary Mound
This lesser known ancient mound, overlooking the ocean, was once a burial place for Cornwall’s Bronze Age people. Penzance-based tours often stop off here, where the land holds stories as old as time itself.
Cape Cornwall
Cape Cornwall is where the Atlantic Ocean and the Celtic Sea converge dramatically against the rugged coastline. A breathtaking stop on our tours from Penzance, showcasing Cornwall’s untamed beauty.
Medieval Churches and Ancient Celtic Crosses
The ancient stone crosses that dot the Cornish countryside tell tales of faith and resilience, with mediaeval churches offering glimpses into the sacred. Our West Cornwall tours starting in Penzance pass through many such hallowed sites.
Boscawen-Un Neolithic Stone Circle
Mystical and enigmatic, Boscawen-Un’s ring of standing stones stands as a sentinel of Cornwall’s ancient past. This eerie, yet awe-inspiring site is often included in tours from Penzance.
Sancreed Beacon Archaeological Area
Sancreed Beacon, a windswept ridge with its ancient settlements, offers panoramic views and an atmosphere steeped in history. A key site for tours from Penzance, it leaves visitors feeling connected to Cornwall’s deep past.
Mousehole Village and Harbour
Mousehole, with its narrow, winding lanes and charming harbour, is one of Cornwall’s most picturesque villages. Tours from Penzance often wind through this peaceful, storybook setting.
Carn Euny Iron Age Village, ‘Fogou’ & Holy Well
Step into the ancient world at Carn Euny, where the remains of Iron Age dwellings and a mysterious fogou underground passage await. Tours from Penzance reveal the secrets of this hauntingly preserved site.
Land’s End
At Land’s End, the westernmost point of mainland England, the world seems to fall away into the Atlantic, and the cliffs drop dramatically into the sea. A breathtaking, essential stop on tours from Penzance.
Geevor and Pendeen
These last great strongholds of Cornish mining history, Geevor and Pendeen, are powerful reminders of Cornwall’s industrial legacy. Tours from Penzance take you deep into the story of tin mining.
Carn Galva – Ancient Tor Enclosure
The windswept heights of Carn Galva hold the remains of an ancient tor enclosure, where the rocks themselves seem alive with history. Tours from Penzance reveal this breathtaking landscape, full of mystery.
Zennor Village & the Medieval ‘Mermaid Carving’
Tucked away along Cornwall’s rugged coast, Zennor holds the famous mediaeval mermaid carving—a local legend etched in stone. Tours from Penzance stop here, where myth and history intertwine.
Ready to Explore Cornwall?
All these remarkable sites and more await you with Kernow Tours. We offer tours from Penzance and many other Cornish locations. Whether you’re exploring ancient stone circles on the Stones and Bones tour, delving into the region’s most iconic landmarks on the Best of the West tour, or seeking adventure with the Wild West tour, Kernow Tours offer unforgettable experiences and our deeply knowledgeable guides will happily talk all day about any one of the locations mentioned above. Book your Cornish tour today and let Cornwall’s beauty and history unfold before you!
If you know you Kernow!