Penzance is the commercial and social centre of West Cornwall. Accordingly, the town has all the major facilities and services one would expect to serve its resident population of around 20,000 as well as the importantly large numbers of visitors and tourists.

Having been founded in the Middle Ages and granted a Royal Charter as an established town in the early 1500s, the town has a significant history and the present town centre remains based upon the "cross" layout of a historic market town. Among the main features of the town centre is the Terrace - a raised granite pavement running above the main street..

Shopping in the town focusses on the original four main streets (comprising the "cross" layout referred-to above) and there are many historic buildings both in, and adjacent to, the town centre. Other services are located within a few hundred metres of the town centre and all are listed in the various sections of this website.

Gardens are a feature of the town and these benefit from the mild climate created by the proximity to the sea on all sides. Resulting from this favourable climate, these gardens contain many sub-tropical and exotic plants.

One of the major features of the town is the recently restored "Art Deco" Jubilee Swimming Pool (one of very few in the country), which is located on the promenade and adjacent to the harbour.