Why You Should Visit the Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight, also known as IOW and is often incorrectly spelt as 'Isle of White', is the largest island in the British Isles with an area of 147 square miles and can be found about five miles off the south coast of England. Resembling a diamond it measures just 23 miles east to west and 13 miles north to south and has a population of around 140,000. The island has the largest population of any constituency in the UK and is represented by just one MP. The Island is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the UK, with around 2.5 million tourists visiting every year.

The Isle of Wight is popular for its diverse scenery which ranges from award winning sandy beaches to spectacular chalk cliffs and downland, over half of the Isle of Wight has been designated an area of outstanding natural beauty and half of the coastline named as Heritage Coast. The Isle of Wight was originally named Island of Vectis by the Romans and became part of the shire of Hampshire and has since been divided into two boroughs - Medina & South Wight. Its largest town Ryde is the main arrival/departure point however Newport is the county town. The centre of the Island is at Shide Corner, on the outskirts of the County town Newport and the highest point is St. Boniface Down at Ventnor standing an impressive 791 ft.With a fantastic climate and varied geography the Island has a large population of rare and endangered birds, sea life, animals and flowers. Red squirrels in particular have flourished on the Island which has become the final bastion in the south for these endangered creatures.

There is over 60 miles of coastline and more than 500 miles of public footpaths including dramatic coastal paths. The Islands climate is almost sub-tropical which gives the island its nick name 'the garden isle' and towns on the south of the Island such as Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor are regularly top the UK sunshine index.

As with all popular holiday destinations the Isle of Wight holiday maker is spoilt for choice when it comes to places to stay and the Island has a wide range of excellent accommodation available. Whatever your preference whether it be luxury hotels or family run B&B's, there is a wealth of superb accommodation to suite all tastes and budgets. Hotels on the Island range from cheap and cheerful to luxurious 4 star hotels each one with its very own character. There is also a large amount of superb bed and breakfasts, guest houses and self catering accommodation to choose from that will satisfy every taste and budget, with many boasting superb countryside or sea views.

In addition to great accommodation there is a wide range of pubs and restaurants to be found all over the Island. The Isle of Wight currently has around one pub for every square mile so the opportunity to quench your thirst is never too far away. Award winning Island brewed beers, wines made from locally grown grapes and potent ciders are all available to wash down the culinary delights served in Island eateries. Many pubs and restaurants specialise in locally grown produce and freshly caught seafoods.

There are over sixty top Isle of Wight attractions and events to be enjoyed all year round on the Island with Cowes Week one of the best known. Sailing is a big part of island life and Cowes Week is a celebration of all things sailing and sea faring. This famous week long regatta held on the Solent is one of the biggest international sailing events in the World and attracts 400.000 visitors from all over the globe and generates $50 million.

The Isle of Wight has been famous for its music festivals since 1970 when it played host to the largest rock music event ever held, in recent years many new events have been launch the most popular being 'The Isle of Wight Festival' and the 'Bestival', which attract world class acts such as Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Cold Play and David Bowie.

So if you haven't already visited the Isle of Wight what are you waiting for?

This article was written by Chris Holder on behalf of Isle of Wight Holidays, the online guide to Isle of Wight Hotels and Accommodation as part of a series of short articles to help visitors to the Isle of Wight plan their holiday.