WHEN you live in a city like London, there is nothing better than packing the car full of family and suitcases and leaving the city smog for the fresh air and the windswept beaches of Cornwall.

I absolutely love the rugged coastline of this county so when a long weekend came along I couldn't wait to take my parents and new pup away for some sunshine and rejuvenating walks.

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Typically, the sunshine wasn't that forthcoming, blue skies and 25C heat disappeared as soon as we drove past Exeter, but the chance to get some bracing air into our lungs made up for that. The south coast town of Falmouth was our destination. It's one of Cornwall's bigger settlements, boasting the third-largest deep water natural harbour in the world behind Sydney and Rio. So plenty to see for yachties and seadogs alike. There is a cosmopolitan air to the town thanks largely to its fledgling university, with numerous hip bars, cafés and galleries.

We stayed at the stylish, family-owned St Michael's Hotel and Spa, set amid several acres of beautiful subtropical gardens with lovely views over Blue Flag Gyllyngvase Beach, with its arc of sand.

Owners Nigel and Julie Carpenter have recently completed a £4 million refurbishment which included transforming the reception area and rooms into bright and airy havens, all decorated in blues and creams with wood panelling giving them a beach hut feel.
Many have balconies with sea views or overlooking the gardens.

The beds are good too: the same as those in the luxury Scottish golfing hotel Gleneagles, the Carpenters proudly told me.
Being so close to the beach and coastal paths, the hotel is a big hit with families. The indoor swimming pool is a great option for wet afternoons, although child-free residents might be hard-pressed to have a relaxing swim.

I headed for the spa where I enjoyed some time in the Finnish sauna and Jacuzzi before having a relaxing full-body massage.
For us the star attraction of St Michael's was the Flying Fish Restaurant, with modern Cornish art adorning the walls and a superb south-facing terrace, perfect for sundowners.

As my father said, even if we weren't staying at St Michael's, this is somewhere we would travel to for its food. The menu is focused on local, sustainable seafood. At £23 for two courses and £28 for three, it was excellent value.

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Highlights were a gorgeous grilled fillet of sea bass and half a kilo of juicy mussels plucked from the River Fal. The view's pretty knockout too, dining as you watch the ever-changing colours of the ocean in front of you.

WENDY was our incredibly helpful waitress and she was also able to give us the inside information on which beaches were off the beaten track. Gyllyngvase and Swanpool are both excellent, with the former having a very modern and swish caf?bar that's well known.
If you fancy exploring further afield head west to Praa Sands, a beautiful, long windswept beach without a soul in sight which we would never have found without Wendy's tip.

The beach at Marazion, overlooking the National Trust's St Michael's Mount is another gem.
Pendennis Castle, a 15-minute walk from our hotel, is not to be missed. This circular fortress, built by Henry VIII to defend against invasion, sits on top of a grassy headland from which there are terrific views.

The town's National Maritime Museum, situated on the piazza-like Discovery Quay, is another must-see attraction with a superb exhibition about what life was like for the keepers in offshore lighthouses, including Bishop Rock on the Isles of Scilly.

Visitors can see how they lived in a reconstruction of their living quarters, including some original curved furniture from Godrevy Lighthouse.
You can't visit Cornwall without a trip to the chippy, so after a slightly sand-blasted couple of hours on the beach we headed to the Harbour Lights in the centre of Falmouth.

We tucked into award-winning fish and chips which lived up to their billing, even though the teenagers serving us could probably have done with a quick course at charm college.

We were more than happy to return to the sanctuary of the hotel bar for a nightcap. A perfect end to a wonderfully revitalising break.

GETTING THERE:
St Michael's Hotel and Spa (01326 312 707/stmichaelshotel.co.uk) offers a three-night Three Wishes Spa Break from £289pp (two sharing), B&B.
Price includes three 30-minute spa treatments and full use of the spa facilities.
Doubles from £120 per night (two sharing), B&B. Visit Cornwall: 01872 322 900/visitcornwall.com