Published 7 September 2026 · Planning links updated 11 September 2026
Scilly is small enough to understand quickly and varied enough that you can return for years without exhausting it. The best experiences are not all ticketed attractions; many are walks, beaches, boat rides and small moments shaped by the sea.
This list is intentionally broad. Availability for organised activities varies by season, weather and operator, so use it as inspiration and check the official details before booking anything specific.
On St Mary's
- Walk part of the Garrison coastline.
- Spend time on Porthcressa Beach.
- Explore Hugh Town on foot.
- Walk towards Old Town and Old Town Bay.
- Visit Bant's Carn and Halangy Down ancient sites.
- Take a coastal walk around a quieter part of the island.
- Hire a bike for a wider island loop.
- Use a local bus, taxi or buggy to reach more of the island.
- Watch boats coming and going from St Mary's Harbour.
- Start an inter-island day from the quay.
Island-hop
Find your kind of Scilly holiday →
- Take a boat to Tresco.
- Walk around Bryher.
- Spend a beach day on St Martin's.
- Cross the sandbar from St Agnes to Gugh at low tide when conditions are safe.
- Take a wildlife or sightseeing boat trip.
- Look for Atlantic grey seals from an appropriate wildlife trip.
- See the Eastern Isles from the water.
- Experience how tides change the inter-island landscape.
- Ask the Tourist Information Centre what boats are running that day.
- Give yourself one day with no fixed island-hopping plan until you see the weather.
Tresco, Bryher, St Martin's and St Agnes
- Visit Tresco Abbey Garden.
- Explore Tresco's castle ruins.
- Cycle or walk across Tresco.
- See the wild Atlantic side of Bryher at Hell Bay from a safe coastal viewpoint.
- Enjoy one of Bryher's sheltered beaches.
- Walk to St Martin's Daymark.
- Visit St Martin's vineyard when open.
- Try a seal-snorkelling experience with an authorised operator if it suits you.
- Explore St Agnes on foot.
- Visit Gugh's ancient landscape when tidal access allows.
Food, culture and slower moments
- Build a picnic from island produce.
- Eat local seafood.
- Have an ice cream on St Agnes.
- Visit an island gallery or artist studio.
- Try a vineyard or distillery experience where available.
- Attend Taste of Scilly if your trip falls in September.
- Join a guided walk or heritage tour.
- Visit during Walk Scilly if walking is your thing.
- See the World Pilot Gig Championships once in your life.
- Watch a gig crew train or race when local schedules allow.
Nature and the sea
- Go kayaking.
- Try paddleboarding.
- Take binoculars for seabirds and migrants.
- Look for puffins in the appropriate season and from responsible viewing points or trips.
- Watch a Scilly sunset from the west-facing coast.
- Get up for a quiet early-morning beach walk.
- Stargaze away from bright lights.
- Photograph the changing colours of the water between islands.
- Walk a full island coastline if your fitness and time allow.
- Do absolutely nothing on a beach for an hour — this one is underrated.
History worth seeking out
English Heritage documents an extraordinary prehistoric landscape on St Mary's, including Bant's Carn Burial Chamber and the nearby Halangy Down settlement, with other burial chambers and standing stones across the island. Scilly's history is not a side attraction; it is embedded in the paths and headlands you walk through.
Sources and accuracy
We use official tourism bodies, transport operators and public heritage organisations for factual claims in this guide. Timetables, fares, opening times and weather-dependent services can change, so always confirm time-sensitive details directly before travelling.
Keep planning