St Ives, the Cornish seaside town on the west coast of Cornwall derives its name according to legend from an Irish princess, who travelled to the rugged Cornish coast on a leaf. Visiting St Ives you will find a town rich in history and legends. Combine the history, legend with modern day living and you will soon find St Ives has something to offer everyone from culture to nights on the town, beaches to restaurants, entertainment and much more throughout the entire year.

If in search of culture at your own leisure, St Ives offers plenty opportunities to the budding tourist The Tate museum situated near to Porthmenor Beach is one of four Tate galleries home and host to hundreds of pieces or art including some British exhibits dating back to 16th century, as well as many international pieces and a seasonal exhibition. The gallery was completed in '93 and has been a valuable contribution to the St Ives artist community, locals and tourists alike.

The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture is managed by the Tate and is well worth a visit while in St Ives and the Tate. Some of the back streets have smaller local artists displaying their work and the whole town is really quaint and pretty.

There is more to St Ives than just museums and art galleries, did you know it used to be a successful fishing port? For literally hundreds of years St Ives economy was based on the fishing industry and not that of tourism, you can see the remains of this industry when you walk across the harbour.

For more history and a proper tour I would recommend one of the guided tours, there are more than one and the two I have been on are both equally as good as one another. Alternatively the museum offers visitors another way to view the history of St Ives and is a piece of history in itself - being open for over 180 years.

St Ives is home to some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen; the beaches here are truly impressive. What amazes me the most is the brightness of the sand; it seems almost white when the sun shines upon it. Taking a boat tour is a great way to see St Ives town and the island from the opposite view and can be rewarded by a viewing of seals and rarely dolphins playing in the sea.

Throughout the year in St Ives there are a lot of local festivals, especially though the summer up until September. One particularly talked about festival is the September festival, a week of festivities throughout the town, its pubs open spaces and streets. Well worth getting involved in.