Although Cornwall might look and feel like another world sometimes, it’s just an hour’s flight from Gatwick to Newquay Airport which, in turn, is about 40 minutes from Truro. Every train from Paddington stops here, too; Truro is the county’s commercial and administrative centre, and sits very centrally, so nowhere within the narrow but very long borders of Cornwall feels too far away.

By the time you find yourself as far into Cornwall as Truro, you’ll notice how close the north and south coasts are (no more than roughly 12 miles from the town centre). This handy geographical quirk means that those based in Truro can get the best out of everything the sea has to offer. The south coast (tree-lined creeks, inlets, sheltered coves, the English channel) is a haven for boating, while the north (vast beaches, towering cliffs, surf, drama, the Atlantic) is more of an adrenalin-and-wetsuit junkie destination.

Not that Truro’s attractions start and end with nearby coasts. It’s home to excellent state and private primary and secondary schools, as well as the very large and thriving Truro and Penwith College, which offers a huge range of courses to thousands of students from across the region.

Much as the city is well placed to take advantage of what Cornwall offers, it’s not short of its own attractions and distractions, whether cultural (theatre and cinema), gastronomic (restaurants, pubs and bars), or architectural (fantastic cathedral, and old streets lined with distinctively coloured Georgian houses).

Truro may not be one of Cornwall’s best known towns, a city actually, but it is undoubtedly one of its finest. With a bit of everything to choose from and great access to just about everywhere in Cornwall, you’ll have no trouble occupying yourself.