US tourists film first visit to Cornwall and declare ‘it’s the most incredible place in the UK’

Cornwall is an immensely popular holiday destination for Britons, but “most Americans don’t realize it exists,” according to American tourists Cara Atwell and Jeremy Davis.

They filmed a fascinating video documenting their very first trip to the region, which has been viewed more than 150,000 times. It reveals some of the attractions their compatriots have missed, from (very large) pasties to ‘delicious’ fish and chips and ‘breathtaking’ views.

Having spent three days in Cornwall – visiting Falmouth, the Lizard Peninsula, Penzance, Marazion and St Ives – they concluded it is ‘the most incredible place in the UK’.

The video starts in Falmouth. Here they visit the ‘Stones’ bakery, where they try their very first sausage roll.

“We don’t really have sausage rolls in the US,” reveals Cara.

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Sausage rolls are ‘ground sausage in puff pastry’, she explains.

She reveals that the closest snack to a sausage roll in America would be a “wiener wrap.”

“I just love the taste of the sausage with that fine puff pastry,” says Cara after a bite. “It’s a very nice combination. Something you should definitely try when you are in England.’

After the sausage rolls stop, they make their way to the Lizard Peninsula and stop by Ann’s Pasties in Helston for ‘a really big pasty’.

The steak pie Cara eats is “almost the size of Jeremy’s head” and “the perfect golden color.”

She explains that the pies are a Cornish tradition – they were made in Cornwall for tin miners with thick crusts that they could use as ‘handles’ so they could eat most of the snack without contaminating it with their dirty hands.

Cara “loves how crispy the outer shell is.”

She adds: ‘It almost tastes like Christmas. It is beautiful.’

At dinner she wonders if it’s okay to eat a Cornish pasty with a knife and fork and if it’s a breakfast item.

Nearby Lizard Point, Britain’s most southerly point, proves to be another winner for the couple – ‘it’s gorgeous’. While there, they visit the ‘Mungo Lils on the Hill’ gift shop and meet the local seagull celebrity – ‘Bob’.

Their route also includes St Michael’s Mount in Mount’s Bay, where they marvel at the speed with which the tide comes in on the causeway connecting the site to the mainland.

There’s also a pit stop at the 13th-century Turks Head Inn, the oldest pub in Penzance, which, Cara gleefully notes, has a smugglers’ tunnel.

In St Ives, which Cara notes has some ‘intensive roads’, the couple stop by the Mermaid Seafood Restaurant and eat fish and chips (a portion of cod and a monkfish meal).

“It’s the #1 dish to try in England,” says Cara, adding that their meal was “delicious.”

They also ordered ‘Cornish Smokies’ – Cornish smoked haddock with cheese and potatoes, which they described as ‘the highlight of the evening’.

After their meal, the pair take a sunset walk to the harbor, where Cara declares, “This is some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen.”

They round off the trip with a trip to Dolly’s Tea Room [under new management since their visit] in Falmouth (‘a heavenly oasis of Georgian splendour’), ​​where they tuck into scones with clotted cream and jam – jam first, of course, as is the tradition in Cornwall.

‘That was just wonderful’, says Cara afterwards.

Cara told MailOnline Travel: ‘Cornwall has introduced us to another facet of the UK that I think many Americans don’t realize exists.

‘We found ourselves utterly taken aback by the stunning beauty of Cornwall. The Lizard Peninsula has some of the most awe-inspiring scenery I’ve ever seen and St Ives really is a picturesque town too.’

What was their general impression of Cornish food?

They said, ‘The Cornish pasties were incredible. We’ve had some great pasties all over the country but I don’t think any of them are up to the standard of the ones we tried at Ann’s Pasties in Cornwall.

‘We loved the fish and chips we had in St Ives. We had never had monkfish before and it made for a really nice fish and chips experience.’

And what were the best sights?

They said, ‘St Ives is a must. It has an artsy charm that left a lasting impression on us. We got there at sunset and it was magical.’

And the best views?

They said: ‘Cornwall has lots of great views, but my favorite has to be the Lizard Peninsula. The coastal walk between Lizard Point and Kynance Cove is spectacular and not to be missed.’

Any disappointments?

They said: ‘It can be difficult to get food in the UK, often because restaurants require reservations or they only serve food at certain times. There were a few places we tried to eat but they were either closed or not serving food at the time. We learned from our time in Cornwall that you often need more planning or patience to find a place to eat in the UK.’

And would they recommend Cornwall?

They said, ‘Cornwall exceeded our expectations. I would highly recommend a trip to Cornwall. There is so much more to see and do than what we saw during our short stay. We would like to go back for a longer trip.’

Cara and Jeremy post on social media as The Magic Geekdom. They can be found at www.instagram.com/themagicgeekdom; twitter.com/magicgeekdom; www.tiktok.com/@themagicgeekdom; And www.facebook.com/themagicgeekdom. The original Cornwall video can be found here.