Highlights of Cornwall

(8 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Somerset, St. Ives, St. Mawes, London

This private England tour showcases the best of Cornwall's beautiful coastal scenery, renowned gardens, charming villages, cultural sites, acclaimed cuisine and fine and decorative arts heritage. The tour also includes a night at a luxurious country resort in Somerset and concludes at one of London’s most sophisticated hotels.

Begin in Somerset with a stay at a luxurious resort in the countryside. Experience the best of refined English country life, including the estate's beautiful gardens, historic architecture, farm-to-table dining and excellent spa. Artisans of Leisure can arrange additional activities on the estate and in the surrounding countryside such as private garden tours, experiences focused on the estate's celebrated cider-making traditions, horseback riding, golf, clay shooting, cheese tasting at a local dairy and visits to nearby heritage homes and gardens.

Next, travel to Cornwall, a peninsula in southwestern England with dramatic coastlines, magnificent gardens and mild subtropical weather. Stay in the seaside town of St. Ives and explore Cornwall's rich artistic heritage at local art galleries, ceramic studios and noted sites such as the Tate St Ives art museum, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden and the historic Leach Pottery studio and museum. Visit iconic St. Michael’s Mount, a tidal island crowned by a medieval church, castle and terraced gardens. Also visit the nearby Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, where works by internationally renowned artists are displayed amid lush subtropical gardens. Other highlights of West Cornwall include the cliffside Minack Theatre, prehistoric sites, picturesque villages and the dramatic Tin Coast, where striking mine ruins and engine houses form part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One day, take a private excursion to North Cornwall and enjoy lunch at an acclaimed restaurant in Padstow, a charming harbor town renowned for its culinary scene, visit a privately owned heritage home and stroll through picturesque villages on the north coast. Perhaps tour a noted gin distillery or winery or see the atmospheric ruins of Tintagel Castle, a clifftop medieval castle associated with King Arthur and Arthurian legends.

Continue to the scenic Roseland Peninsula and St. Mawes, one of Cornwall's most beautiful villages. En route, visit Trebah Garden, renowned for its subtropical setting, Hydrangea Valley and private beach, and Tregothnan, England’s only tea plantation. Privately tour the highlights of St. Mawes and South Cornwall, including seaside villages, art galleries, castles and a collection of rare boats at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth. One day, enjoy a private boat charter along the south coast to see secluded coves and picturesque fishing villages, with the option for swimming or paddleboarding. Also take an excursion to the beautiful Lizard Peninsula to see dramatic cliffs, pristine beaches and unusual flora and fauna.

Cornwall is an exceptional foodie destination, and we arrange for travelers to enjoy the best of the region's culinary touring, including gourmet seafood in celebrated restaurants as well as fish and chips and Cornish ice cream on the beach. We can also arrange a cooking class to learn to make Cornish pasties, Cornish rarebit and other regional specialties. Other activities we can arrange around Cornwall are privately guided hiking, fishing, kayaking, sailing and diving.

Conclude in London, one of the world’s greatest cities. En route, perhaps visit Lanhydrock, a Victorian country estate with a manor house and extensive gardens, The Lost Gardens of Heligan or the Eden Project, a complex of spectacular gardens housed within enormous climate-controlled biomes. Stop for lunch at a historic country estate or atmospheric rural pub or visit one of the world’s oldest continuously operating wool mills to see artisans making traditional textiles. Accommodation is at one of London’s best luxury hotels.

Booking Information >

All Artisans of Leisure tours are private and depart daily.

Please Contact Us for more information regarding the above tour, or to begin customizing your own itinerary.

The Artisans of Leisure Style of Travel:

• Private touring with your own personal guides and drivers
• Preferred rooms in the very best luxury hotels
• Firsthand, sophisticated destination knowledge and recommendations from our travel specialists
• Itineraries that are customized according to your interests and schedule
• Artisans of Leisure upgrades and amenities
• A seamless travel experience, including all logistics, skipping lines during touring whenever possible, restaurant and spa reservations, performance tickets, private airport transfers, internal transportation, VIP and fast-track airport assistance in many destinations
• Around-the-clock support in each destination during your trip
• Unique, insider travel experiences and access to the Artisans of Leisure network of experts around the world