Porthcurno

Porthcurno is a coastal village in a natural cove bordered by granite cliffs in southwestern Cornwall. A golden sand beach sits between the towering rocks, with turquoise waters filling the sheltered bay.

The village became a key telecommunications center in 1870 when the first submarine telegraph cables connected it directly to India. This technological importance shaped the community for decades.

The Minack Theatre sits carved into the granite cliffs above the bay, hosting performances with the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop. Audiences and performers experience theater in this unusual outdoor setting, where the landscape becomes part of the show.

The beach offers seasonal lifeguard services and public facilities, with dog restrictions during the busy summer months of July and August. Visitors should check tide times before visiting, as the beach becomes much smaller at high tide.

Two parallel tunnels built in 1941 to protect telegraph equipment during World War II now house the Telegraph Museum. These underground spaces reveal how the infrastructure was preserved during wartime.

Location: St Levan

Address: Porthcurno, Penzance TR19, UK

Website: http://liskeard.gov.uk

GPS coordinates: 50.04300,-5.65400

Latest update: December 6, 2025 19:10