Isle of Wight (Cowes, England)

Isle of Wight is England's largest and 2nd-most populous island. It is located in the English Channel, approx 6 km (4 ml) off Hampshire's coast (mainland England). Wight Island has total area approx 384 km2 (148 ml2) and population around 140,000.

Isle of Wight has resorts (among England's best holiday vacation destinations) since the Victorian era (1840s). It is popular for its mild climate, verdant landscape, pleasant coastal scenery, good transportation links with mainland England. On Wight Island, Queen Victoria (1819-1901, the UK's monarch between 1837-1901) built her summer residence palace - the Osborne House royal residence (East Cowes).

The island has a well established industrial and maritime tradition including sail making, boat building, manufacturing of flying boats, hovercraft and space rockets. Here are hosted several annual music festivals. The island has well-conserved wildlife and some of Europe's richest quarries for dinosaur fossils.

Island's heritage has for many years supported its tourist economy. Holiday travel vacations themed on natural heritage (including geology and wildlife) are becoming an alternative to the UK's traditional seaside holidays due to their affordability. Wight Island is a major destination for bus tours out of other parts of the UK.

Tourism is island's largest industry and most of its towns and villages have hotels, hostels, camping sites. In 1999, the island was visited by nearly 2,7 million people, of which 1,5 million stayed overnight and the other 1,2 million were day visits. Just around 150,000 of the tourists were foreigners.

Isle of Wight is often visited for cycling or walking tour holidays due to its attractive scenery. The annual walking festival attracts considerable interest. The 113 km (70 ml) long Coastal Path follows island's coastline and deviates onto roads where the route is impassable. The fastest public transport link to mainland England (Southsea) is by hovercraft out of Ryde. Three ferries and 2 catamarans service the island, crossing the Solent Strait to Lymington, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Isle of Wight cruise terminal