Short answer: You can't drive into Polperro. Park at the big Crumplehorn car park at the top of the village (coins only, £7 minimum for 3 hours), then walk about half a mile down beside the stream to the harbour, or take the electric tuk-tuk from April to October. Give it half a day: harbour, Heritage Museum, a pasty or cream tea, and a look along the coast path.
Polperro is about as close to the picture-postcard Cornish fishing village as it gets: cottages stacked up both sides of a narrow valley, a tiny harbour with about a dozen working boats, and lanes too tight for cars. It was a smugglers' village for centuries, and it still feels like one.
No. Only authorised vehicles can use the road into the village. Everyone else parks at Crumplehorn at the top, a privately run car park with around 550–600 spaces. It takes coins only (there's a change machine for notes) with a £7 minimum for 3 hours, all year. Full details: Polperro parking guide.
About half a mile, mostly gently downhill along the stream, so 10–20 minutes depending on how often you stop. Coming back is uphill but not steep. From April to October electric tuk-tuks run from the car park into the village; they take up to six people and you can't pre-book.
Pasties from the bakeries on the way down (our pasty pick), a cream tea at the tearooms, and a pint at the Three Pilchards or the Blue Peter. For a proper dinner, see where to eat in Polperro.
A small one by the harbour wall that shows at low tide (no dogs from Easter Day to 1 October). The better coves are along the coast: Talland Bay, Lansallos and Lantic Bay. All on the Polperro guide.
There's no station; the nearest is Looe, and the 73 bus runs from Looe to the top of the village. Times and other routes: Polperro by bus and train.
Times, prices and dates are the businesses' and organisers' to change — check before you travel. Spotted something we've got wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.
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