Every year, we flock in our thousands to visit the beautiful Isle of Wight, affectionately known as the Diamond Isle. And it’s with good reason it has this precious name, not only because it’s shaped like a diamond, it’s the many other features of this popular holiday resort that make it such a gem of an attraction.
The Climate
The island just off the south coast of England has its own microclimate, enjoying more sunshine on average than the rest of the UK – in fact it’s the sunniest place in the UK with an average of 36.9 hours per week, that’s a 22% average sunshine ratio on a weekly basis!
The Beaches
All of that sunshine means you have plenty of time to explore the abundance of golden beaches on the island. Every beach is unique, filled with character, offering magical views out over the crystal blue sea.
Alum Bay is one particular spot of great beauty with the impressively colourful cliffs, perfectly contrasting the clear turquoise sea.
The History
The Isle of Wight is a prehistoric place, there is literally hundreds of fossils buried within the cliffs, hidden in the sandy beaches and maybe even washed up ready for you to find. In the last 3 years a whole Brachiosaurus vertebrae was found, with another dinosaur footprint within it! That’s certainly a monster find.
It’s not just dinosaur fossils that you can discover, it’s the rich heritage of the island with Queen Victoria’s former home, Osborne House, proving to be a very popular tourist attraction, especially since the release of TV drama, Victoria.
Carisbrooke Castle, which dates back to the Norman era, brings history alive with its exhibitions in the museum, walks around the grounds and talks about the Royal connections.
The Delicacies
The Isle of Wight is famous for its production of garlic and tomatoes! They produce some of the most flavoursome garlic, and even have a festival to celebrate it, combining the herb masterfully in exquisite dishes…and even ice cream!
As well as these quirks, the Diamond Isle offers delicious fresh seafood, and boy do the locals know how to cook it! Many of the restaurants offer local fresh seafood to tingle your tastebuds, complimented by locally produced wine from one of the many vineyards on the island, such as Rosemary Vineyard.
The Gardens
The unique microclimate has helped rare, sub-tropical and exotic plants thrive in the Ventnor Botanic Gardens, making them one of the best places to peacefully stroll and admire nature.
If you are a keen gardener, you should also consider visiting Mottistone Manor Gardens, Rylstone Gardens or Robin Hill – stunning walks around beautiful places with plenty of flora to appreciate.