Isles of Scilly
Twenty-eight miles off Cornwall, a scatter of islands with white-sand bays, subtropical gardens and a pace set entirely by tides and boat timetables.
- Best forCouples · Walkers & hikers · Wildlife & nature
- In December11°C · 18 rainy days
- Ideal stayA week
- Approx. flying time~10h 45m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyGBPPound sterling
- LanguageEnglish
- Local time11:24same time as the UK
- PlugsType GUK plugs fit
- Drive on theLeftSame as the UK
- Dialling code+44
Why go
Forty-five kilometres beyond Land's End, this scatter of five inhabited islands and a hundred or so uninhabited ones sits in water that is genuinely turquoise when the sun is out. The Gulf Stream keeps frosts rare, so subtropical plants grow outdoors and the beaches are white shell sand. Life runs on tides and boat timetables, there are almost no cars, and the pace drops within an hour of arriving.
A week is right, staying on one island and taking the inter-island launches out daily. May and June bring flowers and long light; late summer is warmest; winter closes much of the accommodation. Weather affects both the crossing and the flights, so leave a spare day at the end rather than connecting straight to another journey. Anyone needing restaurants, shopping or reliable phone signal should stay on the mainland.
- Ideal stay
- A week
- The vibe
- Tidal, wind-scoured, softly subtropical
From our guides
Base yourselves on Tresco or quieter St Agnes, walk between empty beaches, and eat crab sandwiches with your feet in the sand. The Scillonian ferry crossing can be lively — book the Skybus from Land's End instead and arrive in fifteen scenic minutes.
Featured in Ten island hideaways built for two
Things to do
-
Tresco Abbey Garden
Subtropical planting from around the world sheltered within the ruins of a priory, with a collection of ships' figureheads salvaged from local wrecks.
-
St Agnes and Gugh
A sandbar joins two islands at low tide and floods at high, which sets the rhythm of any visit. Bronze Age standing stones and empty beaches on both.
-
Great Bay, St Martin's
A wide north-facing beach of pale sand with nobody on it, reachable on foot across the island. Among the finest beaches anywhere in Britain.
-
Boat trips to the Eastern Isles
Launches run out to uninhabited islets where grey seals haul out and puffins nest in early summer. Sea conditions decide the day's route.
-
Halangy Down
A prehistoric village and burial chamber on the north coast of St Mary's, set above the sea with a coast path running past. Free and rarely busy.
-
Gig racing
Wooden pilot gigs race between the islands on summer evenings, watched from following boats. The world championships bring hundreds of crews in May.
Getting there
-
Fly to
St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly (ISC)
The airport is on the doorstep.
-
Then
To Hugh Town
St Mary's airport (ISC) is about 10 minutes by minibus from Hugh Town, with flights from Land's End, Newquay and Exeter, the shortest taking around 15 minutes. The alternative is the Scillonian ferry from Penzance, roughly two and three-quarter hours and often lively.
-
On the ground
Getting around
Inter-island launches leave Hugh Town quay each morning for Tresco, St Martin's, St Agnes and Bryher, and the timetable is set by the tides. On the islands you walk, with a handful of minibuses and golf buggies on St Mary's and Tresco.
Public transport: The boats are the transport, and they are reliable in season and reduced in winter. Cars are neither needed nor, on the off-islands, permitted.
Flights
Los Angeles Isles of Scilly, England
Fly from anywhere — search 4,000+ airports worldwide.
Roughly 10h 45m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
Check dates and prices
Pick your departure date, then your return.
Search flightsNot sure when? Compare fares across a whole month.
Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.
When to go
Daytime highs run from about 10°C in January to 18°C in August. Driest April to June; wettest in December, with rain on about 18 days.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
December11° · rain 18 daysCool and often wet.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Self-catering cottages dominate, with a few small hotels and guesthouses on St Mary's and campsites on the off-islands. No chains, and almost everything closes in winter.
-
Best base overall
Hugh Town, St Mary's
The islands' capital, with the shops, the boat quay, the pubs and most of the beds, plus two beaches either side of the isthmus. It is the busiest place on Scilly, which is relative.
Find stays in Hugh Town, St Mary's -
Best with children
Tresco
Timeshare cottages and the Abbey Garden on a traffic-free island with safe, shallow bays. Everything is expensive and there is one shop, so you plan meals rather than wander.
Find stays in Tresco -
Best for couples
St Martin's
White-sand bays, a vineyard, a bakery and very few people, with the best swimming in the archipelago. Getting anywhere depends on the boats, which the weather can cancel.
Find stays in St Martin's -
Quietest
St Agnes
The smallest inhabited island, reached by launch, with one pub, a handful of cottages and the sandbar to Gugh. Nothing to do beyond walking and watching, deliberately.
Find stays in St Agnes
Worth knowing before you book: Summer cottages are often booked a year ahead, Saturday to Saturday. Book the Skybus or ferry before the accommodation, as fog and swell disrupt both.
Search everything else in Hugh Town by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Getting there
- Small aircraft fly from Land's End, Newquay and Exeter in fifteen to sixty minutes, and a passenger ferry sails from Penzance for much of the year.
- Weather delays
- Fog grounds the planes and gales stop the ferry. Build a buffer day at the end of your trip rather than booking a tight onward connection.
- No car needed
- Only St Mary's has meaningful roads. Everywhere else is walked, and the inter-island boats leave in the morning and return late afternoon.
- Book early
- Accommodation is limited and repeat visitors reserve a year ahead for summer. Cottages and campsites go first, especially on the smaller islands.
- Pack this
- Wind is constant and squalls arrive fast. Waterproofs, warm layers and shoes you can walk beaches in matter more than anything smart.
Similar places
Edinburgh
ScotlandAlso for couples and walkers & hikers · 7°C in December (11°C here)
Lake Bled
SloveniaAlso for couples and walkers & hikers · 5°C in December (11°C here) · cheaper to stay
Cinque Terre
Liguria, ItalyAlso for couples and walkers & hikers · 12°C in December, as here · cheaper to stay
Nearby destinations
Porthcurno
Cornwall, England · 48km away →
St Ives
Cornwall, England · 67km away →
Kynance Cove
Cornwall, England · 77km away →
Fistral Beach
Newquay, England · 101km away →
Cornwall
England · 132km away →
A working farm stay
Devon, England · 207km away →Elsewhere in England
Related articles
Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Isles of Scilly?
Daytime highs run from about 10°C in January to 18°C in August. Driest April to June; wettest in December, with rain on about 18 days.
How long should I spend in Isles of Scilly?
Our suggestion: a week.
How do I get to Isles of Scilly?
St Mary's airport (ISC) is about 10 minutes by minibus from Hugh Town, with flights from Land's End, Newquay and Exeter, the shortest taking around 15 minutes. The alternative is the Scillonian ferry from Penzance, roughly two and three-quarter hours and often lively.
Do I need a car in Isles of Scilly?
No. The boats are the transport, and they are reliable in season and reduced in winter. Cars are neither needed nor, on the off-islands, permitted.
What currency and language are used in Isles of Scilly?
Currency: Pound sterling (GBP). Language: English. Plugs: type G.
Who is Isles of Scilly best for?
Best for couples, walkers & hikers and wildlife & nature. In a phrase: tidal, wind-scoured, softly subtropical.