St. Ives is a very popular holiday resort boasting gorgeous beaches, an old town filled with fisherman's cottages and cobbled streets, and more than it's fair share of culture.
St. Ives' recorded history apparently dates back to the 5th Century. Legend has it that an Irish princess named St. la was left behind in Ireland by a party of other Saints who were making the journey to Cornwall. She was distraught at being left behind and began to pray. As she prayed, she noticed a leaf on the water, which she prodded with a rod. As she watched, the leaf grew bigger and bigger. She believed God had sent this for her and she got onto the leaf, which then drifted her safely across the Channel before the other Saints arrived. It ws St. la who brought Christianity to the region.
The development of the harbour increased the importance of the town with ships plying trade between St. Ives and every other part of the world. The tin industry added to the number of ships sailing from the harbour. Today the most important industry in St. Ives is tourism.
St. Ives has some beautiful beaches: Porthminster, Carbis Bay, Porthmeor, Porthgwidden and St. Ives. A trip from Lelant Saltings to St. Ives on the train is a spectacular experience with dramatic views of the Carbis Bay area (the train runs from Penzance, so can be connected with mainline routes from all over the UK).
St. Ives is a town where many come to paint and write and are inspired by their surroundings. Fittingly, it is also the home of the Tate Gallery, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Gallery and many other art galleries.
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