Falmouth is one of the UK’s property hotspots for 2016-17. We know it’s a thriving waterside university town with a vibrant art and culture scene on the south coast of Cornwall – and a fabulous place to live! In 2016 Falmouth was named as the best place to live beside the sea in the UK. And this came as no surprise to us! Every year we secure mortgages for families moving here from elsewhere in Cornwall or from further afield.

The growing popularity of Falmouth university has underpinned the recent property boom in the town. In the last 3 or 4 years, more and more graduates seek work locally. As a result, many of these graduates step onto the property ladder right here. And with good reason…

Falmouth is proud of its maritime heritage. The water is at the heart of social events, such as Falmouth Week and the Tall Ships Festival. The area surrounding the town is an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ and this gentle stretch of the South West Coast Path is popular with artists and photographers alike.

Four stunning beaches are in easy reach of the town centre. Palms line several residential streets and the subtropical gardens of Trebah and Glendurgan are beautiful and breath-taking and just a short distance out of town.

The town is well resourced with independent foodie haunts and retailers and several galleries showcase some outstanding local talent. The National Maritime Museum sits at the heart of the quayside redevelopment and is popular with families and visitors.

No doubt it’s a popular holiday destination, but Falmouth is not a town of desolate winter holiday lets. The calendar is busy with a variety of events from arts and entertainment, to food, charities and family events.

Falmouth: What to do?

The Falmouth Museum and Art Gallery on The Moor, and Maritime Museum on the quay organise events year-round. Workshops, film nights and exhibitions are all popular. Food events bring the best local producers together and the flagship festival celebrates a fine local ingredient: the oyster!

Look out for Falmouth Week in the summer when the whole town celebrates its sailing heritage and talents old and new.

The harbour, being the fifth deepest in Europe, is still active and the various vessels can be spotted from any one of the town beaches, making for some interesting activities on the horizon!

As you would expect, water-based activities are plentiful and the safety of the south coast beaches make them popular, safe swimming spots.

Where to eat?

For fish and chips try Rick Stein’s on the quay, or Harbour Lights on Fore Street. For fine dining we love The Cove at Maenporth and the Asha Indian restaurant on The Moor is one of the best in Cornwall.

We recommend the Wheel House and Star and Garter for lunch or dinner (if you can get a table!). And Dolly’s Tea Room or The Shed are great for cocktails!

And shop?

Willow and Stone, Adore and Cream Cornwall are great for interiors inspiration. Finisterre and Seasalt are popular Cornish clothing companies and are great for casual and outdoor items.

Wild Pony stocks seriously cool street and vintage clothing. Déjà vu also sells a fantastic pre-loved and vintage selection. Coast Casuals and Sessions are independent surf- lifestyle retailers. The independents sit happily alongside the national brands of Animal, Fat Face and Salt Rock.

Travel & Connections

The train service has been extended and runs every 20 minutes to and from Truro. The road can be busy in summer, but Helston and Truro are within easy reach, at a 20 minute drive.

Insider info?

The Falmouth Bookseller is a noteworthy and understated local gem. All staff at this independent bookshop are super friendly and they run a selection of author events. The antiques shops are well worth a browse but we can’t pass through without stopping for a coffee at Espressini or grabbing bread from Baker Tom’s!

An afternoon crabbing at high tide outside the Pandora Inn, on nearby Restrongruet Creek will never fail to raise a smile! And for special occasions we love the Greenbank Hotel, where the outstanding view is matched by outstanding service.

Castle Beach is one of the best spots for rockpooling in the county and we love to live like we’re on holiday and take the boat to St Mawes for a cream tea at Idle Rocks. But for a slightly more energetic day we would hire kayaks from Elemental on Swanpool Beach or spend an afternoon at Pendennis Castle.

Learn more about mortgages and how we help first-time buyers here.