The largest island off the English coast and is a delightful, self-contained community covering an area of 147 square miles, half of which is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The 67 miles of coastline of the Isle of Wight include chalk and sandstone cliffs, sandy beaches, marshes and estuaries and deep coastal ravines, while inland there are ancient forests, farmland, downs and river valleys. The Isle of Wight is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing break, at any time of the year. It is a stunning Island with unspoilt scenery and a wealth of fascinating attractions.
The island has been a holiday destination since Victorian times, and is known for its mild climate, coastal scenery, and verdant landscape of fields, downland and chines. The island is designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The island has been home to the poets Swinburne and Tennyson and to Queen Victoria, who built her much-loved summer residence and final home Osborne House at East Cowes. It has a maritime and industrial tradition including boat-building, sail-making, the manufacture of flying boats, the hovercraft, and Britain’s space rockets. It has well-conserved wildlife and some of the richest cliffs and quarries for dinosaur fossils in Europe.
