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- Destinations
- Europe
- United Kingdom
- England
- Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a British island in the English Channel,
located about 4 miles (6km) from the south coast Hampshire County.
The island's natural beauty and Victorian architecture is popular
with holidaymakers and it has been the home of eminent Britons
including Queen Victoria, acclaimed 19th century poet Lord Alfred
Tennyson, and more recently Dame Ellen MacArthur, the
record-breaking sailor.
The origin of the world's first hovercraft, and a key player in
the testing and development of Britain's space rockets, the Isle of
Wight also has a number of resorts and towns that host hundreds of
visitors each year. The most developed towns are Newport and Ryde,
both with a wide range of facilities for tourists to enjoy, and
popular seaside resorts include the towns of Sandown, Cowes,
Yarmouth and Ventnor.
The island has an array of tourist attractions, with everything
from regal homes to dinosaur fossils to see, and is a popular
destination for upmarket seaside holidays from mainland England.
The international sailing centre in Cowes is a popular destination,
as are the Newport Quay galleries and museums, and Sandown's
Dinosaur Isle Geological Museum. The Ryde waterfront boasts an 800m
long pier, the waterfalls of Shanklin Chine are an awe-inspiring
sight and Osborne House, Queen Victoria's summer residence in
Cowes, is another excellent sightseeing destination. The Isle of
Wight Needles - protruding chalk formations off the western coast -
are another famous attraction.
Information & Facts
Climate
Located in one of the UK's most southerly regions, the Isle of
Wight has a milder climate than other areas in England, making it a
popular holiday destination for sun-seekers. Boasting relatively
mild winters and a surprisingly low annual rainfall average the
climate borders on sub-tropical with occasional Mediterranean
hints, evident in the vegetation. The south coast of the Isle of
Wight features the main seaside resorts of Sandown, Shanklin and
Ventnor which regularly top the British league for recorded hours
of sunshine.
Language
English is the official language, though visitors will be
astonished by the variety of regional accents.
Money
The currency is the pound (GBP), which is divided into 100
pence. ATMs are available in all towns and Visa, MasterCard and
American Express are widely accepted; visitors with other cards
should check with their credit card companies in advance. Foreign
currency can be exchanged at bureaux de change and large hotels,
however better exchange rates are likely to be found at banks.
Travellers cheques are accepted in all areas frequented by
tourists; they are best taken in Pounds Sterling to avoid
additional charges.
Time
Local time in the United Kingdom is GMT (GMT +1 from last
Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).