Ruins of Tintagel Castle – the birthplace of King Arthur / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by IDS.photos

It’s a great spot for both families and the solo traveler; you just have to know what you’re doing in order to make the most of your trip. If you’re planning a Cornish holiday, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Plan for the Weather

Naturally temperate, Cornwall enjoys around 1500 hours of sunshine per year – much more than the average UK country. However, it is on the coast, so be prepared for storms and a few wet weekends. The rainy season generally runs from October to January, peaking in November.

As for temperatures, you can expect them to stay relatively stable at around 10-20C (40-50F).

Find The Right Accommodation

Where to stay in Cornwall depends on your location, budget, and what kind of trip you’re planning to have. Are you looking for high-class hotels or would you rather get your hands a little dirty with an authentic camping experience? Do you prefer luxury or locality?

While there are plenty of places to stay in Cornwall, they generally fall into these types:

• Modern living
• Hotels and b&bs
• Self Catering
• Camping

Beach accommodations

As mentioned, Cornwall is a peninsula, meaning there are three coastlines to explore! You can go for either luxury hotels overlooking the water or inexpensive camps and beach bungalows to sleep right on the shore.

Storybook stay

This is where Cornwall gets creative, offering everything from farmhouses to holiday cottages and even treehouses to experience the real heart of the country. Research the area you’ll be traveling and you’re sure to find your fairytale experience.

Truro Cathedral / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Brian Snelson

Know The Sights

With one of the most fascinating histories in the UK, Cornwall is a great place soak up some culture without sacrificing the fun and adventure of a holiday abroad. Kids will love places like the Witchcraft Museum and the Eden Project. You can also visit Truro Cathedral, one of the most unique architectural designs in Europe, or Tintagel Castle, the birthplace of King Arthur.

Looking to relax?

Laze the day away at one of Cornwall’s many beaches, or take a stroll around the famed Trebah Gardens for a kind of nature you’ve never seen before. Make a trek to the Mên-an-Tol (literally “the hole stone”) for good luck and local blessings.

Or maybe you’re looking for something a little more exciting? Try any of Cornwall’s adventure tours or music festivals. Catch a show at the Minack Theatre, an open-air theatre that performs right on the cliffs of Land’s End. If you’re into outdoor adventures, Cornwall also has bungee jumping, horseback riding, and a surprising number of surf schools. Whether you’re looking for unique thrills or just a tranquil getaway, Cornwall can offer a great trip and an unforgettable family holiday. Keep these tips in mind and you’re sure to make memories with your loved ones that will never fade… much like Cornwall and its castles.

Sarah is a travel author who has a particular love of finding unique and beautiful places to stay! Whilst exploring the highs and lows of the UK she is looking into high quality Cornish cottage holidays as somewhere to stay when exploring the coastline of Cornwall.

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Archeological site is located west of the railway station Selinunte and consists of two areas: Templi Orientali (Eastern temples) and the Acropolis. Tour through the locations takes 2-3 hours.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Chiara Marra

The first area includes three temples, which probably originally had a common protective wall. North Temple, situated at the entrance to the complex, was one of the largest Greek temples ever (113x54metres). Construction began in 550 BC but due to a continuing war threats, the temple was never completed. Only one column survived of the originally 46 columns. On the opposite, southern side of the road leading to the acropolis, is another temple (66x27metres), built between 560-540 BC. It had originally 30 columns. In the purest Doric style is built its southern neighbor (the early 5th century BC). It measures 70x28metres and is reconstructed, so we can admire its 36 columns (four beautiful metopes are stored in the National Museum in Palermo).

From these three temples, you can follow the 1.8 km long winding road leading along one of two Selinunte’s ports to the acropolis. During the way you pass the remains of two other temples that were built in 490 to 480 BC. Then you can find there the Hellenistic temple (the largest and oldest temple in this area, 64x24metres). It dates from the mid-sixth century BC (42 columns of the original 12 left, three metopes are in a museum in Palermo) and finally the last temple (56x24metres) from the years 570 to 554 BC. Furthermore there are the remains of ancient dwellings in the neighborhood. At the northern end of the Acropolis you can see the remains of the former main gate of the ancient fortifications. About a mile away there are the ruins of the Sanctuary of Demeter Malophoros and the remains of three other shrines.

Today the village of Selinunte is a small fishing village with nice beaches.

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The ancient town is really well preserved. The monument complex contains also a smaller ancient theater, located on the hill of Monte Barbaro, from which you can enjoy the beautiful views of the Castellammare del Golfo.

At Segesta’s archaeological park, there’s a shuttle bus to take you from the parking area to the amphitheatre and urban excavations. The nearest locality is Calatafimi. During Summer, several classical Greek dramas are performed at Segesta’s ancient amphitheatre, but many of these productions feature actors and actresses wearing casual clothes instead of classical costumes.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by freeflight046

Today, visitors can admire the prismatic basalt columns forming the walls of the gorge, which are up to 55 metres high in some places. During hot summer days it certainly would not hurt to refresh yourself and walk through riverbed where the water is crystal clear, cool and refreshing even in the summer. And those who will find the water too cold, can borrow high boots on-site.

Huge amounts of basalt, which is found in the Alcantara Valley comes from an old Etna’s crater named Mojo Alcantara. Alcantara river is more than 50 kilometres long and its source is in the height of 1250 metres above sea level. However the Alcantara valley named also as Alcantara Gorges or known as Gole dell’Alcantara in Italian, has the length of only 500 metres. The distance between the cliffs is on average about 5 metres.

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