Cornish village compared to Greece with seafront Roman attraction and one of the UK’s warmest beaches
AN area of Cornwall looks like something from Greece thanks to a beautiful Roman attraction.
The coastal village of Porthcurno in Penzance, Cornwall is home to The Minack Theatre , an open-air performance space overlooking the ocean.
It was created by architect Rowena Cade and her gardener, Billy Rawlings, in 1931.
Rowena Cade bought the land for £100 after moving to Cornwall after World War I.
She then became involved with the local theatre company and offered an incredible cliff garden location as their stage.
The Minack Theatre was built by hand using basic tools and cement.
And the very first production, which was The Tempest, took place in 1932.
In 1976, Rowena Cade gave the theatre to a charitable trust.
It’s still open all year round, but with reduced winter hours, and performances run from Easter until the end of September.
The venue supports new and upcoming theatre groups hosting plays, musicals, opera, music and children’s events.
It’s even hosted celebrity performances with Charlotte Church and John Nettles having taken to the Minack stage.
The beautiful theatre sits on the edge of a clifftop and has captured the attention of visitors all over the world – with some likening it to another country.
One visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: “The views are absolutely stunning and you could be mistaken for thinking you’re in Greece!”
Another said: “This place is truly magical and has to be one of the most spectacular theatres in the world.”
Another added: “Am I in Greece? This amphi theatre in a cliff is marvelous and stunning. Entrance fee is cheap for the experience. I could pay more.
“The best part is that I can descend from the theatre to the Porthcurno Beach.”
For anyone wanting to take a walk around, it’s recommended to book as it can get very busy during peak times of the year.
Advance tickets are £10 with on the door tickets costing £12.
Your ticket includes free readmission to the theatre for 12 months from the date of first entry.
With it being a working theatre, there are 200 shows a year, mostly in summer.
Another reason to visit Porthcurno is that the beach is the second warmest in the UK outside the summer months.
The Porthcurno Beach boasts an average temperature of 13.1C in autumn, which is still warm enough to enjoy, but worth taking an extra layer just to be on the safe side.
The research also found that Kynance Cove, also in Cornwall, ranked as the third warmest beach during the autumn months, with average temperatures of 13C.
And the onboard the UK’s sleeper train that travels to some of the country’s best beach spots.
The Cornish Beach Town That's The UK's Coolest Place To Live
THE seaside town of Newlyn in Cornwall has been dubbed as one of the ‘coolest’ places to relocate. Near Penzance, the coastal gem has been highlighted in a list by The Times as one of the top 11 places to move to in 2025.
The Times said: “Since the 1880s Newlyn has been known for its art scene, thanks to the quality of the Cornish light and Aegeanesque beaches.”
They say it has a reputation for incredible seafood, beaches and its artistic history so we had a look for ourselves. And it’s true, there’s so much to see and do in Newlyn, including getting up close and personal with the stunning coastline.
The beaches are of course a big hit in the summer months. The Newlyn Tolcarne Beach, also called Bowjey Beach, is a pebble beach on the edge of Newlyn.
It’s a great place to swim, but there are warnings to watch out for boat traffic as Newlyn is a busy harbour. Walking on the coastline you’ll also hit Wherrytown Beach, a large pebble beach between Penzance and Newlyn.
The well-known town of Penzance is only one mile away and is home to a beach that is great for rockpooling and views of the tidal island, St Michael’s Mount. For any film fans, the Newlyn Filmhouse is a good spot, the independent cinema is inside a converted Fish Cellar & Smokery first built in 1876.
On their website, the only listed rule is “no crunching or rustling!”