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Penzance
Image by Paul Watts - supplied by Visit Cornwall
A body of water dominated by the grandeur of St. Michael's Mount. Located just 10 miles from Land's End, an area of Celtic culture and outstanding natural beauty surrounds the town.
Named "Pen Sans" in the ancient Cornish language, meaning "Holy Headland", referring to the headland to the western side of the harbour on which a chapel was established by early Christians well over 1000 years ago.
The town received Royal Charters for its harbour in 1512, for markets and fairs in 1592 and was formally incorporated by Royal Charter in 1614.
With a population of approx 20,000, it is both a market town and a popular tourist destination, and features an attractive promenade on its sea front. There are several historic houses in the town, amongst Regency and Georgian terraces, along with a number of museums and galleries.
The town has the most westerly major harbour on the English Channel and, from there, ferry services operate to the Isles of Scilly, which lie some 28 miles beyond Lands End augmented by air services from both Penzance and Land's End.
Upcoming Events
The Montol Festival - Saturday 21 November 2026
The Montol Festival takes place on Monday, 21st December 2026 in Penzance, Cornwall.
• Date: Monday, 21st December 2026
• Location: Penzance, Cornwall (Streets, Market Place, and local venues)
• What it is: A revival of traditional Cornish midwinter and winter solstice customs, featuring guise dancing, mummers plays, and fire ceremonies.
The afternoon and evening features a sequence of traditional ceremonies and parades, beginning with the Sundowner Parade at 4:21 PM and traditional dancing in Greenmarket at 4:45 PM. Festivities continue with the Summoning of the Sun at 5:30 PM, the Progress of the Sun parade at 6:00 PM, and the Burning of the Sun at 6:45 PM. The evening concludes with the traditional Yule log (Mock) procession down Chapel Street between 9:15 and 9:30 PM.
Penzance vintage Bus Day - Sunday 18 April 2027
The annual Penzance Vintage Bus Day will return in 2027, as always, on the third Sunday in April, 18th April 2027, for another day out with free vintage bus services on a wide variety of buses and coaches around the West Cornwall peninsula.
For more information closer to the event please click here.
