Falmouth to Penzance

If you only had one day in Cornwall, would it be worth taking the time to visit Penzance from Falmouth?

I can get there by train in about 1 1/2 hours. Is this the best use of my time in Cornwall?

Personally, I think there's a lot in Falmouth itself: Falmouth harbour, St Mawes, Pendennis Castle, the National Maritime Museum, boat trips to Truro...

Agree with Tom. Falmouth is nicer than Penzance and there's plenty to see and do in Falmouth.

Thanks a lot for your input! I appreciate it! It indeed sounds like a beautiful place. I had read about the beauty of Cornwall and wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything by staying put! There seems to be a lot to keep one occupied in Falmouth alone.

For others making the journey to Falmouth, I thought I'd pass along the Tourist Info Email info @ falmouthtic.co.uk (gaps added for security; be sure to delete empty spaces before writing). They will gladly send you timetables and a list of attractions info w/ contact info.

In the foreground is Pendennis headland with Pendennis Castle. Falmouth Bay is on the left with Falmouth sea front. Falmouth its harbour and Penryn River in the left background and the River Fal leading up to Truro on the right. Directly opposite Pendennis head but not shown in this view is St Mawes with the St Mawes Castle.

Pendennis Castle, Falmouth

Just wanted to say thanks for the advice on Falmouth! We stayed put in the area and thoroughly enjoyed our day. We arrived at noon, and had time to take the 12:30 ferry to St. Mawes from Custom House Quay (this was closer to our shuttle drop-off than Prince of Wales Pier; another ship was in port, so we were docked at an area that required a shuttle).

I must say the ferry over was so much fun! Enjoyed St. Mawes and stayed longer than we expected. It started to rain, so we headed to the Castle. Though it looked small, we were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the audio guides! We spent nearly 4 hours in lovely St. Mawes.

In Falmouth, we enjoyed strolling the streets, shopping, and finding end-of-the-day pasties for 1 GBP before heading back to the ship! (note to travelers: there is free WiFi in the Second Hand Mall area). The weather had a mind of it's own: one moment it was gorgeous and sunny, the next it would be pouring; this was the story all day, and it didn't spoil a thing. It was a very memorable day, and I wouldn't change any part of our time in the area.