Most instagrammable places in Cornwall, UK

Cornwall is one of the most Instagrammable places that I have been to in the UK. The beautiful beaches, the dramatic cliffs and the serenity of the nature form the most incredible landscape here. When I woke up on the first morning of my trip, I was absolutely blown away and immediately grabbed my camera to take more and more photos. The first day we took about 200 pictures, and on the second we took 500. By the time we got home, we were all exhausted and needed a break from photography!

That being said, I managed to get a lot of beautiful pictures which I could not wait to share on social media. And I want to make sure that you do too! This is why below I have compiled a list of the most instagrammable places in Cornwall. These are the places that I managed to visit in a weekend, but Cornwall has lots more to see. These spots really don’t need much description. Just looking at the pictures makes you realise why they made it to the list!

1. The Minack Theatre

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My favourite instagrammable spot was by far this amazing theatre in West Cornwall, called the Minack Theatre. It is still being used as a theatre from Easter to September but can also be visited with an advance booking of tickets at a cost of £7.50 each. This is a place which is filled with photo opportunities.

The most spectacular thing about this theatre that makes it instagrammable is its view over Porthcurno Beach. This is a breathtaking beach which really reminded me of the famous beach in Zakynthos, Greece. The colour of the water is turquoise and the sand is white and pristine. It really is one of those places where you don’t feel that you are in England.

The best spot to take a photo is the location overlooking Porthcurno Bay. This is the spot pictured below, and will have everyone asking where you found this beautiful hidden gem!

2. Nectan’s Waterfall

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This one is an actual hidden gems frequented mostly by the locals. Although it requires a half hour long hike, the end result is worth it.

This is not a regular waterfall that you may expect. In fact, what makes it one of the most Instagrammable places in Cornwall is that it goes through a hole in the rock and makes for the coolest Instagram shot!

To get here you may also be required to step over some stones that are submerged in water. If you want a picture in front of the waterfall, then I definitely recommend wearing some waterproof shoes.

The hike itself is also very picturesque. You get to go through a very beautiful forest, and it seems almost enchanted!

💡 Photo tip: to take a long exposure photo of the waterfall on the iPhone, make sure that your live photo setting is turned on. Then keep your phone very still while taking the photo. Once taken, swipe up on the photo and select ‘long exposure’. Here you have a silky looking photo of a waterfall!

3. Tintagel

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Tintagel is where we stayed and we were absolutely blown away by the beauty of the nature here. You can spend hours here hiking along the coast and admiring the natural beauty around you.

However, the main attraction which is popular among visitors here is the Tintagel Castle. This is a historic castle built back in the 5th century and is known as the place where King Arthur was conceived. This place is full of history and worth visiting not only for the Instagram spots, but also to learn about the legends associated with the place. When visiting, make sure to pre-book a ticket as they can get sold out quite quickly in busy seasons.

The castle opens up to the most spectacular views, giving space for a lot of photo opportunities. You will also find a door here which opens to a breathtaking sea view and makes for an ideal Instagram shot.

Another amazing place to see while in Tintagel Castle is the Tintagel bridge. This bridge is one of the most spectacular historic sites in Britain. It hangs suspended in the air, connecting the mainland with the headland. It also makes for a perfect photo location.

Additionally, Tintagel has a very small town which is worth exploring. It is full of cute traditional English cottages and you can even find a 14th century post office here! It almost feels like being transported back in time.

4. St Michael’s Mount

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You have probably heard of Mont de Saint Michel in Normandy. But have you heard of its British twin, St Michael’s Mount?

St Michael’s Mount is a tidal island, accessible with a footpath during low tide. During the high tide, however, a boat is required to access it. You can book tickets to visit but but taking pictures just in front of it can also make for a beautiful Instagram shot.

The reason that St Michal’s Mount is one of the most instagrammable places in Cornwall is because of its shape. It is a castle located on an island and can be seen very well from the shore. The best place to take pictures here is by the walkway (which is covered in high tide and uncovered in low tide), but the beach is nice too. It is best to visit during the low tide so that you can access the walkway and get closer to the mount itself.

This is also a great place to watch the sunset and worth coming here at golden hour.

5. Bedruthan Steps

This was another one of my favourite spots in the whole of Cornwall. It is one of the most dramatic landscapes that I saw there, with the cliffs and the beach making a perfect frame for a picture.

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I will let you in on a secret – Bedruthan Steps are not actually steps! So do not go there expecting to find steps (because I did and I was mistaken!). The reason that they are called steps is because the rocks are shaped sort of like steps. It originates from an old legend that a legend called Bedruthan used these rocks as stepping stones during high tide. Hence the steps!

My favourite part of this place was the flower fields that open up with the backdrop of a dramatic landscape. Here you can really experiment with photography and take some beautiful shots overlooking the view.

6. Rape seed flower fields

This one is a secret Instagrammable location which may require you to go a little bit out of your way. If you are driving or hiring a car to Cornwall then this one is probably more right for you.

There are a lot of yellow fields which we kept seeing every time we would drive from one town to another. We would remark how beautiful they looked but we never thought that there was a possibility to actually stop and take pictures there.

That is until we tried to, and we managed to find a car park right outside it. There were also other people taking pictures here!

The pictures turned out amazing and this was definitely one of the most instagrammable places I visited in Cornwall.

7. Padstow

Padstow is just a cute town and is the perfect Instagram location if you want to capture the vibe of Cornwall. It has some of the nicest restaurants and a very beautiful port. It is definitely a great place to visit if you want to experience more civilisation and snap photos of the authentic Cornish bakeries.

You cal also walk around and explore the town as there are a lot of hidden corners and small, cosy houses everywhere around. It is also an ideal place to grab food and have a drink on a sunny terrace.

8. Mouselhole

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Mouselhole is a very picturesque fishing village in the west of Penzance. It has been named one of UK’s most instagrammable villages many times, including by Time Out.

Here you will also find a photo opportunity by the port, where the colourful boats make up for a postcard perfect image. I would also recommend wandering into the town to explore the old traditional buildings and cottages.

I only visited this village for a very short time due to time constraints, but definitely try walking around and you will definitely find a lot of great places and interesting buildings to photograph here.

9. St Ives

St Ives is the most popular destination to visit in Cornwall. Also a beautiful fishing harbour, St Ives is full of independent boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants, beaches and of course breathtaking views. It has also been named the UK’s Best Seaside Town quite a few times!

There are loads of opportunities here for the perfect Instagram shot. The harbour is one of them, but also the town itself offers many cute small doors and picturesque houses. It is worth going for a stroll around the town to find hidden gems of which there are so many. The surrounding areas are also great for going hiking and enjoying the views of the beaches from above.

The sunset is also very beautiful at St Ive’s. You can sit at the port to watch the water and the buildings be reflected in a golden tint, or you can visit one of the beaches to see how the sun rolls down into the sea.

10. Porthcothan Beach

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This beach was really a surprising one for me. It is one of the widest beaches that we visited, and it first it seemed like nothing special.

That is until we decided to hike up and overlook the beach from above. It was the best decision we made! The beach was beautiful but what made it in my opinion of one the most Instagrammable places in Cornwall is the view from above.The beach looked even more spectacular and picture perfect from the top of the cliff. It was one of those moments where you hold your breath because the views that open up below you are just breathtaking.

It was a very powerful feeling to see how the waves crash against the cliffs. We also saw some people kayaking and they made our photos even more impressive!

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I hope you enjoyed my guide on the most Instagrammable spots in Cornwall. If you are looking to travel for a shorter trip, make sure to check out my UK day trip ideas post.