Polperro, a car-free fishing village on Cornwall’s south coast between Looe and Fowey, has earned the nickname ‘Little Greece’ for its whitewashed houses and clear blue sea. Home to roughly 2,000 people, it attracts tens of thousands of tourists a year, especially in summer. In October, average temperatures reach 15°C, making it ideal for cosy pub days and fish and chips.
A dark history
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, wartime taxes imposed by the British government to fund conflicts with America and France turned illegal trade into an economic necessity for local fishermen. Polperro’s remote geography, maze of blind alleys, and hidden rocky coves provided perfect cover for evading the law, making it Cornwall’s most notorious smuggling hotspot for bootleg brandy and pilfered tobacco.
Things to do
Because vehicles are banned from the village centre, visitors must leave their cars at the main upper car park in Crumplehorn. This is cash-only with a minimum charge of around £8 for 3 hours. From the car park, it’s a scenic 15-minute stroll downhill to the water, or you can hail a local luggage taxi or an electric tuk-tuk if you’ve got bags. The town has a museum charting its smuggling past and a sandy beach great for swimming year-round. The South West Coast Path passes through the village, with scenic routes east toward Talland Bay and Looe, or west toward Lansallos. Polperro is a popular pit stop for a pint before the 630-mile National Trail.
Where to eat
Polperro’s historic inns offer local ciders, ales, and classic comfort food. The Blue Peter Inn, on the edge of the harbour, is an 18th-century freehouse recognised as a 2026 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice. The Three Pilchards, also a 2026 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice, is the oldest pub in town with a rooftop beer garden overlooking the harbour. The Ship Inn, a bright blue building with a sun-trap patio by the stream, offers live music, local Tribute pale ale, and Sunday roasts or pizza. For fine dining, Couch’s Great House is Polperro’s top-rated restaurant, serving modern European and British fine dining. Run by Executive Head Chef Richard McGeown, who trained under Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White, it offers a seasonal four-course set menu for £79 per person. Other fine dining spots include OXOX and Priscilla’s Restaurant, another 2026 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice.
Getting to Polperro
Polperro is about a five-hour drive from London, and anywhere from four to six and a half hours by train. The village is a 25-minute local bus or taxi ride from Looe station. Great Western Railway travels from London Paddington, with one-way tickets from £42.50. Cornwall’s Newquay Airport is less than an hour’s taxi ride from Polperro, or you could hire a car at the airport. Ryanair flies direct from London Stansted, with one-way fares starting from £14.99.
