Destinations

The best things to do on the Isle of Wight

These are the highlights awaiting visitors on one of the UK's sunniest islands, from grand castles to garlic farms
The best things to do on the Isle of Wight
Matthew Buck

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Lord Tennyson described the air on the Isle of Wight as "worth sixpence a pint", and, as you cross the Solent, it proves impossible not to lift your face to the sky and draw in a deep breath of the stuff. The island, just off the south coast of England, is just a 40-minute ferry (or three-minute hovercraft) from the mainland. Yet as you drift toward the undulating cliffs and greenery-enfolded hills, most voyagers are met with the distinct feeling that they are travelling backwards, into an almost romanticised version of yesteryear.

The coast is a study in blue and green and the water can segue from dazzling turquoise to slate-grey in the passing of one morning. Inland, cattle and sheep graze in jade fields sheltered by giant oaks; winding roads edged with hedgerows and wild grasses evoke Enid Blyton's adventures.

Hiring wheels is by far the best way to explore, and since the phone signal is notoriously patchy it's also a good idea to brush up on old-school map-reading skills. Despite the wholesome nostalgia, there's also a mini food revolution happening, reflected in a gentrified locavore spirit, and a palpable effort to move with the tides, so to speak. So savour the chintzy tearooms and fresh crab sandwiches, the candy-coloured ice cream outposts and the peppered patchwork of beach huts, for this is an island where slowing down, switching off and just letting the sea air wash over you is very much the order of the day.

  • Garlic Farm Newchurch

    Garlic Farm, Newchurch

    Most of us will only have thought about garlic only so much as to know it heightens the flavour of a dish or has faintly heard of its mystical health benefits from a quirky aunt, but a trip to the Garlic Farm will turn even the most apathetic allium explorer into a full fan club member. Reminiscent of rural France, the cluster of outbuildings set just back from the road make up an extensive farm shop complete with I Love Garlic t-shirts and more homemade garlic-based products than one could ever want or need. Plus, there's a restaurant, coffee shop and mini-museum on the history of the plant. Outside, a chicken coop, playground area and field-after-field of the crop, ripe and ready for exploring via a guided walk, make for a wholesome activity.

    Address: The Garlic Farm Shop And Restaurant, Mersley Lane, Newchurch, Sandown PO36 0NR
    Website: thegarlicfarm.co.uk

  • Dylan Garcia / Alamy Stock Photo

    Arreton Craft Village, Newport

    Slow travel, and slow living in general, have – rather ironically – fast become the antidote to modern life, and the ancient Arreton Craft Village nestles perfectly into this newly-heralded brief. Here, at the island’s largest arts and crafts centre, you can watch glass blowers, sweet makers and ceramicists hone their craft, pop into the retro arcade with vintage machines and nostalgic games. Visit the onsite pub – The Dairyman’s Daughter – a traditional free house, decorated in authentic countryside memorabilia. A 12th-century church, medieval fish pond and Maltings Tea Rooms complete the enchanting feel. You’ll find stocks in the courtyard and historic detailing flanking the cobblestone walkways, in short, as a local put it, “you’re shopping in a museum.”

    Address: Arreton Barns, Main Road, Arreton, Newport PO30 3AA
    Website: arretonbarns.co.uk

  • Heritage Images/Getty Images

    Osborne House, East Cowes

    The former summer residence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Osborne House is one of the most famous landmarks on the island. Built in 1845, the elegant stately home enjoys a lofty location on the seafront, reaping the spoils of its private beach. Prince Albert was inspired by Italian Renaissance palazzos when he designed the house and the flamboyant interiors are reflective of the royal family’s interest in foreign cultures. Make sure to pay close attention to the Durbar Room – built as the house’s banqueting hall – where intricate, Indian-style carvings, designed by John Lockwood Kipling (yes, the father of author Rudyard Kipling) help to create the elaborate feel of the space. Meandering the grounds here is a must, including the charming Swiss cottage built by Prince Albert for his children to learn about horticulture, before you end your tour with a refreshing toe dip on the beach where the royal children learned to swim.

    Address: Osborne House, York Avenue, East Cowes PO32 6JX
    Website: english-heritage.org.uk

  • Getty Images 

    The Needles, Alum Bay

    This trio of pointy chalk rocks enjoy iconic status on the Isle of Wight, and for good reason. These unique chalk mounds create a striking silhouette just off the western tip of the island and are accompanied by a lone lighthouse that’s stood at the edge of the rocks since the 19th century. Get a birds-eye view of the Needles via chairlift, which also provides a quick route down to the beach, or hop on a boat tour around the base of the rocks to appreciate their magnitude from below. Throughout the season, boats leave Yarmouth Harbour or Alum Bay beach on these short, up-close, cruises, plus panoramic views of the coloured sands of Alum Bay.

    Address: The Needles Landmark Attraction, Alum Bay New Road, Alum Bay, Totland Bay PO39 0JD
    Website: theneedles.co.uk

  • Steven Sheppardson / Alamy Stock Photo

    Adgestone Vineyard, Sandown

    Adgestone Vineyard is one of the UK's oldest working vineyards and is known across the island for its award-winning sparkling wines, and farther afield for helping put the Isle of Wight on the map as one of the UK's best wine-growing regions. And even wine novices will be hard-pressed to stave off the enchantment of the sloping hillside setting overlooking the sea below. Here, guided tours of the grape rows will whet your appetite for a taste back at base, where you’re also able to visit one of the last remaining subterranean commercial cellars to see the vast array of fermentation vats and bottling equipment, along with the grape press and labelling process. There’s live music every weekend across the summer months too, so order a picnic and top up your glass, here’s to the fruits of a holiday not far from home.

    Address: Adgestone Vineyard, Upper Road, Brading, Sandown PO36 0ES
    Website: adgestonevineyard.co.uk

  • Andrew Duke / Alamy Stock Photo

    Yarmouth Castle, Yarmouth

    The quirky seaside town of Yarmouth is a must-visit during any trip to the Isle of Wight, even if it’s just for ice cream or a drink at The George (incidentally, one of our best restaurant recommendations on the island). However, those keen to fully immerse themselves in the history behind the crumbling medieval walls here will want to pay a visit to Yarmouth Castle, once one of Henry VIII’s most sophisticated coastal fortresses, and today, one of the best picnic spots on the island. Soak up the breathtaking view across the crystal waters of the Solent over sandwiches, before stepping inside for an atmospheric recreation of how the castle was used in the 16th century. And the history tour spans offshore too, with an ongoing exhibition telling the story of the many shipwrecks that have occurred in the treacherous stretch of sea overlooked by the castle.

    Address: Yarmouth Castle, Quay Street, Yarmouth PO41 0PB
    Website: english-heritage.org.uk

TopicsUKIsle of WightEurope