When many people think of Europe’s hottest beach destinations, what springs to mind is places like Mallorca, Ibiza, Saint-Tropez, Nice, Santorini or Dubrovnik. But Europe’s latest beachside hotspot isn’t where you might expect. But thanks to an upcoming cameo in one of the year’s biggest TV shows, this unexpected destination looks set to rocket to the top of travel bucket lists everywhere. 

Cornwall, on England’s southwestern tip, is a peninsula that boasts hundreds of sandy beaches, towering cliffs and smugglers’ coves. It’s also home to one of the royals favourite holiday locations, the Isles of Scilly. 

Its dramatic coastline, charming seaside villages, mediaeval castles and wild moors have stood in for everything from North Korea (in James Bond: Die Another Day) to the Yucatan (in Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto) to Wonderland (in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland) to a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies (in 28 Days Later and World War Z.) 

Most recently, the English county has featured in House of the Dragon, the much-anticipated Game of Thrones prequel that tells the story of the Targaryen civil war, some 300 years before the events of the wildly successful HBO series. 

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The series’ filmed extensively at St. Michael’s Mount, a tidal island just off the southern coast of Cornwall, connected to the mainland by a causeway at low tide. It’s believed that the island castle will depict Driftmark, the ancestral home of House Velaryon. 

Other scenes were filmed at Holywell Beach, Penhale Point, and the striking rock formations of Kynance Cove.

St Michael’s Mount isn’t the only mysterious island castle in the county. There’s also 13th century Tintagel Castle, on the rugged northern coastline and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, which contains the ruins of 12th century monastery, Lindisfarne Priory. 

Mediaeval castles and striking coastline aside, there’s plenty of other reasons that Cornwall is making waves as a must-visit destination.

For nature lovers, the Lost Gardens of Heligan offer a unique experience. Spanning over 200 acres, the 13th century manor was lost and all-but-forgotten after World War One. The secret garden remained lost until the 90s, when it was reawakened as Europe’s largest garden restoration project. 

Meanwhile, the UNESCO World Heritage site Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is the most biodiverse place on Earth, the biomes of the Eden Project have transformed a disused china clay pit into a world-renowned sustainability project, and the subtropical Abbey Garden on Tresco Island spans 20,000 plants from more than 80 countries.

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And that’s not all, Cornwall is also home to Britain’s largest seawater lido and geothermically heated pool, the Jubilee Pool in Penzance, as well as the Bude Sea Pool, a semi-natural part man-made swimming pool nestled in the rocks at Summerleaze Beach and the historic Art Deco Saltdean Lido in Brighton. 

Striking natural beauty abounds here. Among the gasp-worthy and snap-worthy destinations: Fistral Beach and Bay (widely considered to be one of the UK’s best surfing locations), St Nectan’s Glen (which is home to an awe-inspiring a sixty-foot waterfall known as Waterfall One), Land’s End (a striking coastal, clifftop area replete with footpaths that offer stunning views out to sea), the charming seaside towns of St Ives and Polperro (among countless others), and the eerie natural beauty of Bodmin Moor, which has a history dating back to as early as the Bronze Age. 

There’s plenty to keep the foodies happy too. Not only is Cornwall famous for its Cornish pasties and Cornish Cream tea, there’s also a plethora of fresh, local produce, wineries, distilleries, and countless food and drink festivals throughout the year. If you’re looking to stay, Scarborough Hotel, Bodmin Jail and Artist Residence Penzance are great options. 

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The Mariners is North Cornwall is ideal for seafood lovers, serving up unpretentious yet exceptional local seafood like scallops, Porthilly oysters and breaded sardines. Rick Stein’s flagship The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow is a must-visit for fresh local fish and shellfish. Add Stein’s Patisserie in St Tudy to your itinerary for moreish pasties. 

The Gurnard’s Head, on the approach to Land’s End in Zennor is a favourite haunt of food writers like Diana Henry, and gourmands highly recommend a pit stop at Moomaid of Zennor for ice cream. Of course, there’s plenty of local pubs, restaurants, cafes and tea rooms, not to mention those gasp-worthy views you’ll savour along the way. 

House Of The Dragon will be on Binge and Foxtel from August 22; the original Game Of Thrones seasons are available now on both platforms.

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