County guide · The Castle Rolls
Best castles in Cornwall
11 castles in Cornwall, most of them coastal — Tintagel's Arthurian cliff ruin is the famous one, but it isn't the only one worth the trip.
11Castles listed here
Map
Every castle on this list — 11 in total, 3 free to enter, 3 you can stay overnight in
| Castle | Access | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tintagel Castle | Ticketed | 4.6 (18,853) | Crossing the footbridge over the chasm between the mainland and headland ruins - a… |
| St Michael's Mount | Ticketed | 4.6 (2,961) | Timing the crossing right - walking the causeway at low tide, then watching it disappear… |
| St Mawes Castle | Ticketed | 4.5 (1,854) | The clover-leaf gun bastions, still in close to original condition - reviewers rate it… |
| Restormel Castle | Ticketed | 4.5 (1,156) | Walking the full circuit of the battlements - a rare chance to trace an entire circular… |
| Launceston Castle | Ticketed | 4.4 (1,082) | The panoramic view from the top of the keep, taking in the town and the surrounding… |
| St Catherine's Castle | Free | 4.4 (549) | The view over the mouth of the Fowey estuary - reviewers consistently rate it as the best… |
| Caerhays Castle | Limited tours | 4.5 (389) | The camellia and magnolia displays in spring - reviewers plan entire visits around… |
| Star Castle | Hotel guests only | 4.5 (233) | The star-fort layout itself - six-pointed ramparts built to Tudor defensive design, now… |
| Cromwell's Castle | Free | 4.7 (68) | Climbing the tight spiral stair to the gun platform on the roof - reviewers say it's the… |
| King Charles's Castle | Free | 4.7 (45) | The views across the Isles of Scilly from the top - reviewers rate them above the ruin… |
| Pendennis Castle | Ticketed | — | The pairing with St Mawes Castle directly across the estuary - the two forts were… |