Belgrave St Ives

The Belgrave sits on one of St Ives' most atmospheric streets, where the gallery shares space with independent shops and cafes that actually feel lived-in rather than designed for Instagram. It's a working visual arts space, the kind where you might catch artists in the studios upstairs or find yourself browsing contemporary work that has nothing to do with seaside postcard sentimentality.

What you get depends on what's on when you visit - the programme rotates, so it's worth checking ahead. You're looking at perhaps an hour here, maybe longer if the current exhibition grabs you. Unlike the bigger galleries dotted round St Ives, this one doesn't demand the pilgrimage or the admission fee. The real value is that it operates on the town's terms, not the other way round.

For artists and anyone tired of the tourist gallery circuit, it's proper worth seeking out. Families won't get much from it unless the kids are genuinely interested in contemporary work - it's not set up for fidgeting children. The location itself is excellent though. You're five minutes from the harbour, within walking distance of Polmanter Touring Park, and surrounded by the sort of narrow streets that make St Ives feel like an actual place rather than a theme park version of Cornwall.

Time your visit for late morning or early afternoon if you want to avoid the afternoon crowds pushing through from the seafront. The surrounding area rewards proper exploration - genuine local spots in among the tourist drag.