Isles of Scilly

The Isles of Scilly are located 47 km off the southwest coast of Cornwall. The archipelago consists of 140 islands, of which only five are inhabited. St. Marys is the largest inhabited island, with ferries from the mainland and an airport. Tresco is the second largest island, but it is visited much more often, as it is home to the Abbey Garden, built on the site of a Benedictine abbey of the X century. Myths and legends are part of the island’s folklore. They say that Tresco was part of the country of Lyonnais, the legendary “land beyond the sea” where King Arthur is buried.

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General information

The Isles of Sillie are so situated that all of England’s wars have affected them in one way or another, bringing ruin, poverty and hardship. In 1834, however, Augustus Smith acquired the islands and was appointed Lord Ruler of the archipelago. He settled on Tresco Island and introduced many innovations. A keen botanist, he understood the unique climatic conditions of the islands and designed the Abbey Garden, now world famous. Terraces were built on the rocky mountainside and walls were erected around the abbey ruins.

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Today, the park is home to some 20,000 species of exotic plants from There are only 150 people living on Tresco, the island is still owned by the Smith family. Tresco attracts many vacationers who return year after year to get away from civilization and enjoy the wonderful scenery, sandy beaches, sparkling sea and unique atmosphere here.