Marazion
This quaint village can claim to be the oldest town in Britain. Marazion is situated in Mount's Bay, only 3 miles from Penzance. Marazion offers two of the safest beaches in Cornwall, Its clean, sandy beaches, with stunning views toward the Lizard Peninsula and Land's End is ideal for swimming, sunbathing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing and where children can spend many happy hours in and around the rocks and pools.
Dominating Mounts Bay is St Michael’s Mount, which rises majestically almost 230 feet from sea level to the tower, chapel and battlement of the castle. Situated approximately 500 yards offshore the Mount is reached by small ferry boats which ply between Marazion and the Mount's harbour and also can be reached at low tide (twice daily) by a 500ft long causeway. The Mount is now a National Trust property and a much loved feature of the area. The castle which caps the Mount is the home of Lord and Lady St Levan and is open to visitors most days in the summer and at certain times in winter..
The grandeur and wealth of history of St Michael’s Mount, with its fairy tale castle, make it a unique attraction in Britain.
Marazion itself has a wide selection of accommodation, ranging from guesthouses, camp sites, caravan parks, bed & breakfast accommodation, and hotels. Marazion is filled with a lovely variety of restaurants, bars and pubs. Shoppers will be delighted with the variety of gift and craft shops, while art lovers will find hours of pleasure perusing the many art galleries showing prominent local artists, while on Marazion Green there is the tale of the ghost of a lady in white who has apparently been seen to jump onto a horse gallop as far as Red River.
Car parking can be a problem, because of the number of tourists. You will find that you will probably need to use one of the car parks outside the town, on the road from Penzance. These are private car parks, and the cost tends to drop off, the further they are from the causeway to St Michael's Mount.
Marazion Marsh is on the Penzance side of the town. This is officially a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is an area of water and reed beds that is the host to wild birds, particularly migratory period in the autumn (the passage of flocks of starlings in particular is very spectacular). As well as native birds, there are also mink.The Marazion Marsh RSPB Reserve here is popular with birdwatchers.