Short answer: St Michael's Mount castle tickets are £21 for adults and £10.50 for children on the day, or £18 and £9 booked before midnight the day before. Under-5s are free. From 13 September island access is free, but you need a castle ticket for the castle, which is open Sunday to Friday. The boat costs £3.20 when the tide covers the causeway.
St Michael's Mount is a tidal island castle off Marazion, reached by a cobbled causeway at low tide or by boat when the sea covers it. It is rated 4.7 from 10,333 Google reviews. This guide covers what you pay, when it opens, how the boat works and what the climb is like. For the Marazion side, see our Marazion beach guide.
The island's own ticket prices page lists castle tickets:
The island says that from 13 September access to the island is free, meaning the harbour, village, shops, cafés and gallery, but you still need a castle ticket for the castle, up to and including 30 October. The garden is shown as closed this autumn. We could not read a garden ticket price, and no combined ticket is listed right now.
National Trust membership does not get you in free here. The island says it is "exempt from any National Trust schemes, vouchers and promotions, including the Explorer Pass." Members of some international National Trust organisations may be able to book free admission, so check eligibility on the ticket prices page.
For the autumn season, 13 September to 30 October 2026:
The summer season runs Sunday to Friday, 9.45am to 5pm, with last entry onto the island at 3.45pm. We could not find winter or 2027 opening times on the pages we read, so check the opening times page or call 01736 887822 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm). The whole island can close at short notice in high winds: it was closed on 21 October 2026 because of wind and sea conditions. Our Marazion in winter guide covers the quiet months.
The boat runs only when the tide covers the causeway. Fares are adult £3.20 and child (1 to 15) £1.60, with under-1s free, and the last boat day this year is 31 October 2026. The crossing takes about six minutes. Boats leave from one of three mainland landings depending on the tide height, and you should be at the departure point about 30 minutes before your island arrival time. The island says boats do not run in the winter months.
From 1 May to 11 September you can only buy a boat ticket with a castle or garden ticket or an Afternoon Tea booking. Outside those dates, tickets are sold on the day by a guide on the mainland. Reviewers say the ticket office can be some way from the jetty, so allow time.
Yes, at low tide. The walk across the cobbled causeway takes about 15 minutes, depending on mobility and group size. Use the Causeway Calculator on the island's walking page before you set off. Our guide to how the causeway tide works explains it.
The island tells visitors to use the St Michael's Mount car park, where "parking tariffs apply to all visitors," and notes some boat landings are a 10 to 15 minute walk from it. We could not read the current prices. Google reviewers describe private car parks near the Mount run by a parking company as hard to pay at, mentioning payment failures and fines, so read the signs and pay carefully. The Marazion Car Park is rated 4.3 from 685 Google reviews, and Folleyfield Long Stay Car Park is rated 4.1 from 1,201. Our Marazion parking guide compares them.
Very. The island describes the paths as "steep, slippery and uneven," with some stretches lacking handrails, and recommends walking shoes or boots for the climb up to the castle. Wheelchairs and pushchairs cannot reach the summit. A pushchair park is available, and the island suggests a carrier for small children, as the causeway is cobbled. Anyone with very limited mobility can email enquiries@stmichaelsmount.co.uk. See also St Michael's Mount with limited mobility and with a pushchair or toddler.
This autumn the island says all dogs are welcome, but only assistance dogs are allowed in the castle, gallery and afternoon tea. Its FAQ says dogs may visit the harbour and village only at certain times of year, so check the dog rules for your dates. Read dogs at St Michael's Mount for more.
The island says a full visit including the walk, shops, cafés, castle and garden takes about four hours on average. It will not close just because it is raining, only for very strong winds or rough seas, so bring layers. There are two food outlets, the Island Café and The Harbour Loft. When the Mount is shut, see our Marazion in the rain guide, and the Marazion town page for places to eat.
Yes, if you are fit enough for the climb and can pick a day with a good tide. The castle is steep and not cheap, and some reviewers lose a point on entry and café prices. If the castle is shut or the price is off-putting, the free island access this autumn still gets you the causeway walk, the harbour and the view back to Marazion.
Castle tickets are £21 adult and £10.50 child (5 to 15) on the day, or £18 and £9 booked before midnight the day before. Under-5s are free.
£3.20 for adults and £1.60 for children aged 1 to 15, under-1s free. It runs only when the tide covers the causeway, and the last day this year is 31 October 2026.
Not the castle this autumn. The castle is open Sunday to Friday between 13 September and 30 October 2026, and closed on Saturdays.
About 15 minutes across the causeway at low tide, depending on mobility and group size.
This autumn all dogs are welcome on the island except in the castle, gallery and afternoon tea, where only assistance dogs are allowed. Rules can vary through the year.
Not through standard membership. The island is exempt from National Trust schemes and the Explorer Pass, though some international National Trust members may book free admission.
Times, prices and dates are the businesses' and organisers' to change, so check before you travel. Spotted something we've got wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.
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