Unspoilt and unique in its position in the arc of Mount’s Bay with a storybook-esque history and offering a wealth of authentic experiences, Penzance has it all for a weekend getaway, says Rachael Sharpe. Words: Rebecca Pitcairn

Derived from the Cornish words ‘Penn Sans’, meaning holy headland, it’s thought that the name Penzance comes from ‘a chapel built upon the western headland’ and first appeared in writing back in 1284. Indeed, the town has a varied and interesting history stretching back centuries and includes all the everlasting storybook stars: smugglers, pirates, invaders and local heroes.

Beneath the pretty modern-day town centre runs a large network of smugglers’ tunnels, spanning out from the harbour to the Abbey Warehouse, the Turks Head and Admiral Benbow pubs on Chapel Street, and on to Causewayhead and Market Jew Street.

The Georgian era saw Penzance become a highly fashionable seaside resort and society raved, and rightly so, about the fresh sea air and turquoise waters of Mount’s Bay.

In our lifetimes however, I think it’s fair to say that Penzance has often been overlooked as a Cornish destination to visit, outshone by the likes of St Ives, Padstow and Falmouth. In truth, Penzance is real gem in Cornwall’s crown and a rarity given its position in the arc of Mount’s Bay, home to St Michael’s Mount, and the fact that it has bucked the trend of becoming over commercialised, instead remaining an unspoilt, working town.

The town is one of those places where you don’t really need a plan. It’s a fantastic destination to explore on foot, with expansive maritime views at every turn. My weekend in Penzance started in this way – I arrived with a little time to spare before heading out to sea, so my son, Dylan, and I took a stroll along the glorious promenade, which dates back to the 1800s and is Cornwall’s only Victorian promenade.

We stopped to eat a lovely lunch alfresco which we had picked up from The Cornish Hen. I could have happily walked all the way to Newlyn soaking up the stunning views and fresh air, but it was time to embark on a marine wildlife watching adventure, with Marine Discovery Penzance.

I booked the two-hour Bay Discovery trip, the shortest and most family-friendly on offer and was excited about an adventure on the company’s sailing catamaran Shearwater II and hoped to see some of the diversity of the wildlife found in west Cornwall.

My wish certainly came true – we hadn’t been on board from more than five minutes before we saw a big group of diving gannets from a distance, so the crew explained we would follow the feeding birds to hopefully find the dolphins.

As we got closer, we saw a proper feeding frenzy of birds and dolphins, which was phenomenal to witness. I was shocked at how much wildlife there is just off the harbour and felt very honoured to witness it.

Hannah and Duncan from Marine Discovery Penzance were excellent guides, explaining all about the animals and their behaviour as we watched. They pointed out bluefin tuna among the dolphins and my son, a young David Attenborough fan, was elated.

Sailing makes the encounters very special – the quiet meant we could hear the splashes of the gannets as they dived and the whistles of the dolphins as they bowrode the boat. On our way back to the harbour we stopped at St Clement’s Island and were lucky enough to see seals bobbing around, which rounded off the trip perfectly. Back on dry land, spirits were high and our trip couldn’t have got off to a better start!

Next up was a short walk back along the promenade, to stop at the rockpools by the First World War obelisk, where we took in the view of St Michael’s Mount and caught a few small fish and tiny crabs with a 99p net – result!

We headed back to our hotel Chapel House mid-afternoon and took advantage of the views across to Mounts Bay from our suite and then I spent a heavenly amount of time in the hotel’s outdoor hot tub, in the mizzle, looking over the harbour, surrounded by sub-tropical plants. I’d been in Penzance less than a day, but I already left very relaxed and far removed from the busyness of my everyday life.

We headed out to the Barbican Bistro for dinner, which is situated in a historic building right next to Penzance harbour and a stone’s throw away from Chapel House. The focus here is casual dining and a focus on fish – brothers Jack and Jay Liddicoat work with local suppliers, including their own dad, who delivers fish straight off the boat from Newlyn!

I started with more marinated olives and St Ives Bakery bread and butter, then moved on to fully dressed crab with rosemary salted fries, both of which were divine. The atmosphere was great – friendly, attentive staff who humoured my son with his Pokémon obsession, great music and the best sea food I’d had in a good few years. We enjoyed it so much that I booked for the following evening too – needed to try the squid!

After a glorious leisurely breakfast of avocado on toast and freshly brewed coffee at Chapel House, it was time to walk down to Jubilee Pool, situated on the promenade and get ready to work off some of that delicious food.

Jubilee Pool is the UK’s largest seawater pool,  holding a massive five million litres of water. It fills up at high tide, allowing visitors to enjoy an invigorating cold water swim, in a sheltered, lifeguarded pool, where temperature generally sits a couple of degrees warmer than the surrounding seawater.

I’m a big fan of wild swimming so the saltwater pool was right up my street – my son even coaxed me to have a go on the gigantic inflatable that was there when we visited. I embarrassed myself greatly, but a good time was had by all. After warming with a hot chocolate from the cafe, it was time for our session in the geothermal pool – the first of its kind in the UK.

The pool is a real treat – natural salt water heated to a comfortable 28-30 degrees via a geothermal well – a thoroughly rejuvenating experience and probably a good job entry is done via timed sessions otherwise I would have floated around all day. We left feeling both energised and relaxed.

Next stop was the town centre, for a Cornish pasty lunch, then a visit to The Exchange, where there was a thought-provoking cinematic exhibition. After a browse around some of the town’s independent shops, we hopped into my car and took a short drive to Penlee House Gallery and Museum, where we spent a good few hours discovering the art of west Cornwall, which includes the prestigious works of the Newlyn School and Lamorna artists. We enjoyed the local archaeological finds and fashion exhibits, too.

I’d made no plan for the next morning, before driving home, in case we found something we decided we would like to see or do once in Penzance. My son fancied heading across the water to the Isles of Scilly after talking to someone at breakfast, but with that being another trip in itself, we decided on St Michael’s Mount. The historic castle, garden and island, managed by the National Trust, is found off the coast of Marazion – but it’s so unique and only a 15-minute drive from Penzance, so I felt it was a must-see.

It’s a very enjoyable walk on the cobbled path up to the mount, with sea on either side of you. The rugged and ancient island, which looks straight out of a fairy tale, was home to 300 islanders in its 1800s heyday but now is home to just 30, who travel to the mainland for schools, shopping and work. I’d highly recommend the short tour of the harbour and village, where you’ll learn about the islanders, the general history of the island and discover the bronze casts of Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth and King Charles.

Having changed from priory to fortified castle and become home to the St Aubyn family, since the mid-1600s – they still live there today – there are several layers of history to unpick. Stooping through the ancient doorways is magical, with something to see at every turn as you explore centuries-old corridors. Walking back to Marazion beach, away from the castle, I felt like I’d been away for longer than a weekend. West Cornwall is a magical destination – history, dolphin and seal spotting, fresh crab to eat, a geothermal pool to swim in and a hot tub looking out to sea as the ultimate indulgence. I’d return in a heartbeat.

Where to stay

Undoubtedly the best hotel I’ve stayed at in Cornwall, Chapel House is the perfect marriage of old and new. Seamlessly blending Georgian style and architecture with seriously luxe contemporary styling and comfort, the hotel is filled with Cornish art, with an ever-changing gallery from the prestigious Newlyn School of Art.

The historic townhouse hotel sits in the town itself, above Penzance’s working harbour, offering views across the sea, making it a perfect base from which to explore Penzance but also to relax and unwind. There’s sauna and hot tub in the delightful sub-tropical garden, the latter of which offers views over the harbour. There are even holistic wellbeing and bespoke spa treatments available to book during your stay.

Each of the six spacious double bedrooms, which all look out across Penzance Harbour to St Michael’s Mount and stretching to far-off Lizard Point, feature a handmade oak bed and contemporary ensuite bathrooms. The light-bathed top floor is particularly impressive with panoramic views from the glass roof. It’d be rude not to slide it back to bathe open air under the bright stars of Cornwall!

Chapel House also has two contemporary suites, which is where I stayed. These offer a stunning living area with kitchen and balconies looking out to sea on the first floor and sumptuous bedroom with divine bathrooms on the ground floor. Highly recommended if you have kids in tow and want a bit more space. Chapelhousepz.co.uk