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Make the most of Scilly
Scilly is well known for its simple pleasures and relaxed pace of life. Visitors love the scenery, the peace, the tranquillity. There’s plenty of reason of kick back, relax and do very little, but plenty to enjoy too. Get out about on island walks, have fun on the water, check out the fantastic wildlife, hop from island to island, breathe in the exquisite flora, visit artists and galleries, and immerse yourself in our history and heritage.
Be inspired by what's around you
Scilly has inspired a thriving artistic community. From exquisite silver jewellery to stunning fine art collections, from fired earthenware and stained glass to lino-cut prints and silk scarves, creativity abounds on every island, inspired by our stunning surroundings.
What brings this artistic community here? Well, the beauty of Scilly is obvious, but the quality of light and the natural environment provide an ideal setting for photographers, painters, potters and craftspeople.
Resident and visiting artists paint in beach studios, landscape photographers capture changing moods, beachcombers make jewellery, and potters create objects of beauty. And for the rest of us, there are many, many galleries to view and feast our senses on the extensive range of styles and media used. Some galleries also run courses and workshops throughout the year.
Throughout the season, Scilly welcomes visiting theatre companies, notably the Miracle Theatre.
To find out more CLICK HERE
Scilly's natural magnetism
It must be said from the outset, there are no “formal” tourist attractions on Scilly. Theme parks and on-tap entertainment simply don’t happen here – that’s the beauty of these gentle islands. We do, however, boast a number of outstanding natural attractions to admire.
From the world famous Tresco Abbey Garden with its 20,000 exotic species from around the world, Elizabethan castles and fortresses, Bronze Age remains and burial chambers, famous shipwreck landmarks, incredible lighthouses, including Bishop Rock.
To find out more CLICK HERE
Go wild for our amazing birds, animals and marine life
The Isles of Scilly have been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) since 1975. They offer a wealth of different landscapes, from clear seas and coastal heathland to woodland, farmland and archaeological sites. Within them all flourishes an array of plants, animals, birds and marine life, including some very rare species that are found nowhere else in the world.
From puffins, Atlantic grey seals, and Manx Shearwaters, to Scilly Shrews, Scilly bees, rare dragonflies, shags and guillemots together with a raft of rare migrating birds that pass through in October (and Spring) every year, Scilly is a treasure trove of incredible wildlife for everyone to enjoy.
Take a wildlife safari or pelagic boat trip to the uninhabited islands to enjoy our seals and seabirds, or sign up guided bird and wildlife walks with our resident ornithologists and nature guides.
To find out more CLICK HERE
Reasons to come to Scilly
There are many reasons to come to Scilly, if you're looking for a specific festival to enjoy or an event to partake in. Throughout the year these include walking, ale & music, sports, island fetes, RNLI days, exhibitions, touring theatre groups, local food & drink and wildlife.
To find out more CLICK HERE
Inspired by local talent and husbandry
It is one of Scilly’s most endearing features…. Pop-up stalls and honesty boxes dotted across all the islands selling locally produce including jewellery, art, decorated shells, salad leaves, fruit and veg, pork and beef, jams and fudge.
There are fantastic island shops on Tresco, Bryher, St. Martin’s and St. Agnes, all stocking fantastic Scilly produce, and regular local produce markets on St. Mary’s too. On Scilly, you can’t get more local produce than that which is produced on one of our five tiny inhabited islands!
Beyond food and art, St. Mary’s, and Hugh Town in particular, offers the most options when it comes to retail therapy, with a range of clothing shops, gift shops, newsagent and the like.
To find out more CLICK HERE
Explore the islands on foot
If walking is your passion, there's no better place to indulge than Scilly. There are more than 30 miles of nature trails and walks on St. Mary’s alone, while Tresco, St. Martin’s, Bryher and St. Agnes (together known as the off islands) as well as some of the uninhabited ones all offer fantastic opportunities to walk their length and breadth.
And there are plenty of inviting pit stops never too far away (on the inhabited islands at least!) so that you can enjoy a coffee, leisurely lunch, cream tea, or all three as you go on your way.
If you're looking for something specific, or walks with added interests such as birdwatching or wildlife, there are nature reserves on St. Mary’s and Tresco.
Or take a guided tour with one of our resident ornithologists, archaeologists or naturalists who provide invaluable insights into our history, heritage and wildlife.
To find out more CLICK HERE
Get wet and go wild!
Whether you’re an open-water adrenaline-seeker or a beginner who wants to master a skill in a sheltered bay, Scilly is the perfect place to try your hand at all manner of water-based activities.
Scilly is blessed with clear water, abundant wildlife and more than 900 shipwrecks, both ancient and modern, making it one of the finest places in the UK to spend time in and on the water. Dive, snorkel with seals, coasteer of our rugged coastlines, fish on-shore and off-shore, take a guided sea swim, muck about in a dinghy, kayak or on a SUP, have a go at Scilly’s greatest export sport, gig rowing, and you’ll soon discover a very special Scilly that will set up for an unforgettable experience.
To find out more CLICK HERE
Tantalise your tastebuds!
Nowhere is more local than the food and drink sourced, grown, and reared across our five tiny inhabited islands. It represents the ultimate in slow food and low food miles.
On your travels around the island you’ll more than likely be able to point to the local fisherman or farmer who’s provided the food on your plate! Watch them at work, talk to them and share their passion.
The islands offer an appetising range of local restaurants, pubs and cafes.
To find out more CLICK HERE
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Local Services - Isles of Scilly Local Services Directory |
We hope you find this listing of local public services useful. For a more detailed Directory of Public Services and Local Businesses CLICK HERE
Airport
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01720 424335 - Enquiries and General aviation aircraft |
| Library |
01720 424322
Monday 9:30am - 12:00pm, 4:30pm - 7:30pm
Tuesday - Friday 9:30am - 12:00pm, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Saturday 9:30am - 12:00pm
Email library@scilly.gov.uk |
| Normandy Swimming Pool |
01720 423645 |
| Queen Elizabeth ll Sports Hall |
01720 424373 |
| Dentist |
01872 354375 |
| Harbour Office |
01720 422768 Mobile: 07789273626 (& out of hours)
Email hm@stmarys-harbour.co.uk |
| Health Centre |
Reception: Monday to Friday 08:30am-1pm and 2-6:30pm, Saturday 9:30-11:30am
Pharmacy: Monday to Friday 9am-1pm and 2-5:30pm, Saturday 9:30am-12:00pm
email: scilly.prescriptions@nhs.ne |
| Hospital - St Mary's |
01720 422392 |
| Police |
01720 422444 (non-crime calls only) |
Police Station
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To report a crime Non urgent calls – 101 Emergency - 999 |
Post Office - St Mary's |
Mon 8:45am - 4:00pm
Tue 8:45am - 4:00pm
Wed 8:45am - 3:30pm
Thu 8:45am - 4:00pm
Fri 8:45am - 4:00pm
Sat 8.15am - 12:00pm
01720 422454 |
| Tourist Information Centre |
Porthcressa, St Mary's, TR21 0JL
Open Monday to Saturday 9am-5:30pm, Sunday 9am-2:00pm.
01720 424031
email info@visitislesofscilly.com |
Catholic Church
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01736 362619 |
| Church of England |
01720 423911 |
| Methodist Church |
01720 422406 |
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