Do come and stay on the Isle of Wight, Queen Victoria’s favourite holiday destination. This small island is separated from the English mainland by the narrow channel called the Solent.

Outstanding scenery

Much of the island is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Its white cliffs, the Needles, good beaches and essentially rural interior are beautiful and unspoilt. Charming thatched cottages are one of the tourist attractions. Holidaymakers descend on the island to walk, especially those accompanied by dogs and rent pet-friendly holiday cottages.

Click to view holiday cottages in the Isle of Wight

Read more about holidays in the Isle of Wight

Good for holidays

Quiet roads with little traffic are suitable for cycling. Avoid the busier times of school summer holidays to enjoy virtually traffic free cycling. There are opportunities for horse riding along the many bridleways, fishing and wildlife spotting.

The various festivals gather the crowds during the summer – sometimes almost bringing the roads to a standstill. If you want to find a tranquil island, where you can go bird watching or spot red squirrels, then avoid the festival dates.

The island has been saved from the onslaught of roads and escalated building by that narrow stretch of Solent. Its sheltered waters are ideal for yachting, boating and watersports of all kinds, hence its appeal to people who like to sail.  An annual boat race brings another influx of visitors, many of them centre around Cowes and East Cowes (shown below).  

Rural backwater

Some people consider the Isle of Wight a bit of a backwater because of the slower pace of life. Attracted by a relaxed lifestyle and warmer climate, it has become a favourite place for retirees to move to.

Wild flowers are at their best in late spring and summer when even the grass verges sparkle with bright flashes of wild orchid, daisies, birds foot trefoil and many other English country plants.

Ferries from Portsmouth, Southampton and Lymington carry holidaymakers and their cars to the island. The journey takes little more than 30 minutes.