The Lizard is the dramatic southern tip of Cornwall, a peninsula of dark cliffs, bright coves, rare heath, and serpentine rock. It is not really a town destination, despite Lizard village giving the area its practical centre. The point is the coast.
Lizard Point is the most southerly point of mainland Britain, less commercial than Land's End and better for simply standing above the sea. A short distance northwest, Kynance Cove is one of Cornwall's great coastal set pieces, with white sand, turquoise water, and red-green serpentine stacks exposed at low tide.
The best way to understand the Lizard is on foot. Walk the South West Coast Path between coves, lighthouse, and headland, watch for seals and choughs, and give the tide table the same attention you give the map.