Porthcurno Beach

Porthcurno is the beach that makes people do a double-take — turquoise water this vivid shouldn’t exist in England, but here it is. Wedged between towering granite cliffs on Cornwall’s far west coast, this compact beach delivers Caribbean colours with a Cornish character.

The Minack Theatre sits on the cliff above, carved into the rock face — catch an evening performance and watch the sun set over the Atlantic as the actors perform below. The Telegraph Museum tells the story of the undersea cables that once connected Britain to the world from this very cove.

At low tide, the beach extends dramatically. Scramble around the rocks to the left for your own private patch of sand. The water is exceptionally clear — bring a snorkel.