St Ives is an artists' town that happens to be one of the most beautiful seaside places in England. The light here — clear, constantly changing as clouds race in off the Atlantic — has drawn painters since the late nineteenth century, and the tradition continues. Tate St Ives, opened in 1993 on the site of a former gasworks above Porthmeor beach, is one of the best galleries outside London, focusing on modern and contemporary art with a particular emphasis on the St Ives School. Nearby, the Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden preserves the studio where Hepworth worked until her death in 1975. The Leach Pottery, founded by Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada in 1920, is an important stop for anyone interested in British studio ceramics.
The town itself is a warren of steep lanes, whitewashed fishermen's cottages, and small harbours. Porthmeor, on the Atlantic-facing side, is the surf beach; Porthminster, to the south, is calmer and more sheltered. The harbour still has working fishing boats, and The Sloop Inn on the wharf — one of the oldest pubs in Cornwall — is where to sit with a pint and watch them come and go.
St Ives gets extremely busy in summer. Visiting in May, early June, or September gives you the same extraordinary light and open galleries without the crowds. The branch railway line from St Erth is worth taking for the views across the estuary.