A day in Truro, Cornwall’s only city and a great place to visit.
Truro cathedrals beautiful arches
Truro is a great place to visit if you want to find out about Cornish history, the Cornish culture, shopping and of course eating and drinking. I love all of those and find Truro happily gives me time to spend out and about in it’s lovely and relaxed atmosphere.
From Tregay Shepherd Huts, Truro is only a 20 minute drive into the centre. You can also jump on the bus or train to reach this diminutive city. There is plenty of council owned parking dotted all around Truro and price wise the parking isn’t too bad. There is also a park and ride, which again is really easy to find, all in all, making Truro a great option to visit from our huts.
At the centre of Truro you will find its impressive gothic revival cathedral. Work on this beautiful building started in 1880 and carried on for 30 years, giving it an amazing array of architectural detail. Today, Truro Cathedral is seen as a triumph of Gothic Revival Architecture and its magnificent spires can be seen soaring above the city’s skyline, and, are at their very best when silhouetted by the bright blue Cornish sky or lit at night against the Christmas lights.
If you’re looking to shop until you drop then look no further than Truro. The thriving city centre streets offer a great selection of beautiful independent traders and everything in between, such as antiques, arts & crafts, books, charity, clothing, cookery, beauty, food & drink, gifts & homeware, health, interiors, jewelry, music, outdoor & active, pets, shoes, toys and sports. You can still find the larger well known brands, but if you want to find Cornish crafts and locally made goods that Cornwall is renowned for, then Truro is the place. There are several market style areas with the biggest being the Truro Farmers Market. The friendly and always helpful market traders are there every Wednesday and Saturday.
This market gives a tasty glimpse into Cornwall’s culinary scene; you can buy a brilliant range of baked goods, sweet and savory, meats, cheeses, fish, the freshest seasonal vegetables, an amazing range of Cornish chilies, Cornish gins, beers and of course Cornish Cyder. You can even pick up your outfit for the next day, with handmade clothes and accessories, both new and vintage. There are even antique collectables and plants on offer. You will often find on a Saturday, live music on the quay, which is always great fun. As well as items to take home, you can find stalls offering the best churros, BBQ street food, authentic Jamaican plates to name but a few.
There are also other indoor markets around Truro city to get your hands on bespoke items. These are:
Lemon Street Market, this also has a great café above the shopping area, the Fig Café has recently been refurbished and gives you a great place to sit and chill: THE BEST Truro Flea & Street Markets (Updated 2023) - Tripadvisor
Pannier Market, this market is a little more old fashioned and a great to find all sorts of items as well as fresh produce. It takes it’s name from the panniers once used to carry goods to market on the back of pack animals. : Pannier Market (Truro) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (tripadvisor.com)
You can visit the Royal Cornwall Museum, which offers a glimpse into our vibrant Cornish history, which also gives you a great range of ongoing exhibitions. Home - Royal Cornwall Museum
Whilst in Truro, if you fancy something more cultural or musical, then the Hall for Cornwall has an amazing range of shows, musicals, and dance and is nestled in the centre of Truro by the market at Lemon Quay. Its been newly restored and offers a fun and cultural experience for all tastes and genres as well as a contemporary café and bar. Playhouse Tickets & Shows | Hall for Cornwall | Theatre & Arts in Cornwall
If you are in need of a pit stop, then Truro gives you a brilliant selection of restaurants and cafes. They are dotted around everywhere and any direction you walk in, you will find an array of cuisine.
Here are some of our favourites:
Truro Lounge; this has consistently great food and caters for all tastes. You can pop is for just a drink or choose from an extensive menu that covers the whole of the day. The interior is really quirky and has very friendly staff: Truro Lounge - Café Bar - Truro - Lounges - Food & Drink (thelounges.co.uk)
The Longstore, this has amazing cocktails, a beautiful interior and a great menu to match its relaxed atmosphere: The Longstore Lemon Street | Bar & Grill | Truro | Cornwall
The Kathmandu Palace, its our go to for a Nepal meal: Kathmandu Palace | Best Nepalese and Indian Cuisine | (kathmandutruro.co.uk)
La Pineta, is a great Italian deli and café. It has great coffee and an authentic choice of Italian delicacies. Italian Deli Truro | La Pineta Italian Deli | England
Lawrences Bakery & Bar; this is a go to for great coffee, sumptuous cakes and cocktails. Lawrances – Cafe and Cocktail Bar in Truro
Lily’s of Truro, is a quirky and comfortable café, that offers a lovely selection of breakfast and lunch goodies. My favourites are on the small Punk Thai menu which is something a little different and makes for a great way to share with a friend. Lily's of Truro - Independent Cafe in the Centre of Truro, Cornwall (lilysoftruro.com)
Sole Plaice, is a great fish and chip shop that I always take the boys to when we are in Truro. I think this is their favourite place. If you fancy good old fashioned fish and chips, you really won’t be disappointed. Sole Plaice - Fish and Chips - Truro Cornwall (soleplaicetruro.co.uk)
For places in Truro to eat and drink, the above places are only the tip of the iceberg and there are so many others I could name. Here is the link to the eating out in Truro for further inspiration: Restaurants Truro, Cornwall (visittruro.org.uk)