The beautiful seaside town which claims to be the oldest in Cornwall | Travel News | Travel

Cornwall is a popular holiday destination in the UK. With its distinctive coastline and beautiful beaches it is a favourite among those who’d rather opt for a staycation than going abroad.

Certain towns and cities within the county have cemented their status as prime holiday spots, with places like St Ives, Newquay and Falmouth among some of the most visited spots.

But there is another town, perhaps better recognised by a distinctive landmark that is definitely worth a visit.

Along the south coast of Cornwall, just 14 miles east of Land’s End is the town of Marazion.

You might not have heard of Marazion itself but it is very likely you will have heard of one of its main attractions – St Michael’s Mount, a tidal island found in its bay.

Around 300,000 paying visitors climb up to the castle at St Michael’s Mount every year with thousands more just taking a stroll to the island, which is only possible as the tide retreats.

But Marazion.info says: “The town itself remains one of our hidden gems, waiting to be discovered.”

While the island is reason enough to visit Marazion, there is plenty else there to entice you to stay.

The town makes the claim to be the oldest town in Cornwall, having a charter granted in 1257AD.

But it has a rich history from even before then with its name derived from the fairs and markets held there, some as long ago as in 1070.

It was also the largest and most important town in the area until Penzance “took over” in the late Medieval period.

Dating even further back it is thought that the island of St Michael’s Mount was used as a trading island for the Romans.

Visit Cornwall explains more about the town’s history: “With the ancient Cornish name for St Michael’s Mount being Karrek Loos yn Koos, meaning ‘hoar rock in woodland’, and the remains of fossilised trees found buried in the sand of the bay, it is believed that prior to 2000 BC, the ‘island’ was surrounded by woodland, not water and may have been a prehistoric fortification.

“A monastery was first created here in the ninth century.”

But if history is not your thing, don’t worry, there is plenty more to see in Marazion.

The sandy beaches and “turquoise waters” of Mount’s Bay make the ideal spot for a fun beach day in the summer.

Shopping, restaurants and wildlife spotting is also a big draw to visitors.

“Take a walk along the main street running parallel to the sea and discover a variety of gift and craft shops along with art galleries showing established and upcoming local artists and plenty of places to eat and drink,” Visit Cornwall adds.

“Aside from the ever present view of the Mount, the long sweep of Mount’s Bay is a great place to watch wind and kite surfers with the newly improved walking/cycling route along the bay’s edge, providing a great viewpoint.

“Marazion’s two natural jewels, Mount’s Bay and Marazion Marsh are home to hundreds of species of wildlife, from seals, dolphins and basking sharks to egrets, sparrow hawks and starlings.

“The marsh has even been known to attract bitterns, though you are more likely to hear them than see them.”