Most people will be looking to travel as the weather gets warmer, and this seaside village should be your next place to visit as it is one of the most beautiful spots in Britain.
Polperro is a small fishing village located in Cornwall, England famous for its coastal charm and breathtaking beauty as the area is nestled amongst rugged cliffs.
The village’s stone-brick cottages overlook the cliffs and are surrounded by lush green woodland with a historic harbour sitting at the end of the coast, which also contains colourful boats in the blue ocean below.
It is no wonder that The Telegraph recently named Polperro as the number one “most beautiful” seaside village in the whole of the UK and also described it as a “picture-postcard treasure.”
Polperro has also recently been crowned the “coolest place to live” in the UK in a new study by Naturecan, which discovered that the general public believed the village was a better place to visit than more popular places such as Bistol or Liverpool.
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However, many people may recognise Polperro from television as the village featured prominently in the Hairy Bikers ‘Pubs that Built Britain’ documentary where Dave Myers and Si King’s exploded the village’s “illegal but fascinating” history.
Polperro has a rich history of smuggling used to be the harbour’s biggest source of income. The village’s historic pubs are a popular hangout spot for smugglers trading contraband such as tobacco and spirits.
Smuggling is understood to have begun in the port in the 12th history but became highly popular in the late 18th century due to the high taxation of imported goods at the time.
Nowadays, Polperro holds the UK’s only smuggling museum where visitors can find out how this quaint little village became a hot spot of crime.
There is plenty to do in Polperro as the village is surrounded by golden sandy beaches, cliffs and forests so there is plenty to see and many places to explore no matter the direction you go.
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One of the most famous spots in Polperro is on the coastal path at the side of the harbour and walking up the cliff to see the view of the village, as sunset is meant to be the village’s prettiest sight.
However, one of the most fun hikes in Polperro is the western coastal path which leads to incredible views as well as historic smuggler cloves which are believed to have been used to store goods and hide away from authorities.
Once you are done exploring Polperro’s coastal walks then it is worth going along the village’s cobblestone streets to explore the shops, galleries and tearooms which litter the area.
The village’s stores sell lots of local artwork and souvenirs, but after a long day, you can also relax in one of Polperro’s cosy traditional pubs to enjoy some local Cornish cuisine.
There are six pubs in total in Polperro’s but the oldest is The Three Pilchards located next to the harbour. This lively pub is dog-friendly, has an incredible view of the village and also sells fresh seafood plus a wide variety of wines, beers and lagers.
However, Polperro is also rich in community spirit as the village holds many festivals throughout dedicated to music, the arts and even a few beer festivals.
The most famous celebration is simply called the Polperro Festival which takes place in late June every year and is based on an old Cornish tradition of celebrating midsummer.
The festival begins with a big midsummer bonfire on the date of the Solstice when the sun spends the longest time in the sky, and then the village chooses a ‘Mock Mayor’ dressed in clothes making fun of the real mayor,
After giving a speech the Mock Mayor is accompanied by Merry Men as he tours the local pubs, hands out fake money and is then traditionally thrown in the ocrean.
However, no matter the time of year there is plenty to do and explore in Polperro and this brilliant seashore village has plenty to offer visitors.