Just off England’s Hampshire Coast, the Isle of Wight has been welcoming holiday makers to its miles of beaches and pastoral landscapes since the mid-19th century. The bustling port of Cowes is the island’s yachting center, famous for its annual regatta. Queen Victoria summered, and later died, here at Osborne House, her lemony Italianate palazzo, and Victorian style endures, especially in south coast resort towns and seaside promenades. The west coast is less developed, extending out to the landmark chalk stacks called the Needles. Much of the island has been designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Enjoy them via more than 500 miles of footpaths, 165 miles of bridleways, and cycling routes, visiting picturesque villages and charmingly quaint towns along the way. Wight is also renowned for its dinosaur finds. Take a fossil tour or search the beaches of Compton Bay and Yaverland for your own discovery.
