St Ives in Cornwall among Europe's underrated luxury spots

The Herald Scotland

18 hours ago

St Ives featured among the top 20 spots in the research from CV Villas, and was the UK's only representative.
The travel experts analysed guest reviews across lesser-visited European locations, tallying mentions of 'luxury' alongside star ratings and review volume.
They used this to generate an 'Underrated Luxury Score' out of 100 for each destination (100 being the ultimate hidden gem for upscale visits).
Ben Briggs, Head of Marketing at CV Villas, said: 'Luxury travel is no longer just confined to high-end shopping sprees and spa days.
'As it becomes more accessible to more people across the globe, true luxury travel is becoming less about the jet-setter route and more about finding hidden gems that feel less well-known, personal, and entirely yours.
'Destinations we might not have once thought of as luxury, or perhaps not heard of at all, are quickly emerging as the new frontier in high-end travel."
Why is St Ives among Europe's most underrated luxurious holiday destinations?
St Ives featured in ninth place on the CV Villas list, with an overall score of 61.02/100.
It featured ahead of the likes of Bordeaux in France, Valencia in Spain and Skiathos in Greece.
#porthmeorbeach #minacktheatre #cornwallitinerary ♬ original sound - Parkdeanresorts_official @parkdeanresorts_official How to spend a day in St Ives, Cornwall 🏄‍♀️⛱️☀️🌊🐚🏝️ Want to know how to spend the perfect day around St Ives, well here you go!!! 🙌🏼 Start your day by grabbing a coffee and heading to Porthmeor beach 🏖️ afterwards have a mooch around St Ives Town and grab some lunch at The Harbour View 🥑 later, drive over to Porthcurno beach and watch a show at the open-air Minack Theatre! 🎭 Wait until the end of the video to see where to stay 🤩 #stives
St Ives is described as "the dazzling jewel in Cornwall's crown" on its tourism website, giving an indication as to why it might be considered a luxurious holiday destination.
The website adds: "A picturesque fishing harbour and seaside town with a quartet of golden beaches.
"Voted best family holiday destination by Coast magazine and one of TripAdvisor's top 10 European beaches."
Overall, it is described as the "perfect base" to explore nearby towns and beaches in the area.
Things you can do in St Ives
St Ives has plenty of things for visitors to explore, among them its maze of cobbled streets, independent shops and famous art scene.
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It is home to places like the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden and The Tate St Ives, among other spots.
Additionally, it has beaches like Porthmeor for surfing and Porthminster for coastal walks.
The tourism website adds: "St Ives bay has a wide range of outdoor activities including surfing, paddle boarding, tennis and golf to name a few."