The Isle of Wight is generally warmer than the South of the mainland.
If you travel down to the South of The Island itself (ie; Ventnor, Shanklin, Shanklin Old Village, Lake) it will be warmer still with Ventnor boasting sub-tropical plants which can thrive in the heat during the summer and survive the normally mild winters. An example of these sub-tropical plants are frequently seen in properties around Ventnor's Undercliff area and of course at The Botanical Gardens, Ventnor.
After the last two years especially I am convinced that the rich blue skies that turn up sometimes day after day are unique to The Island. The Island has many places of outstanding beauty and as a result is very 'green'. The Island also has plenty of history to absorb, from Dinosaurs, Smuggling, Roman villas, Castles, Historic houses, Lighthouses (Victorian and Medieval) to Shipwrecks and exhibitions and lots of museums, and not forgetting some really old and unique pubs. And where you have history you undoubtedly have GHOSTS and lots of them!
It is also excellent for Walkers and Ramblers with nearly 1 pub to every square mile and some supply some fantastic food. There are lots of small circular walks involving a public house along the way or even an attraction to see, books about these are available from the Tourist Information Points, bookshops, or papershops. We have found the pace of life is slower than on the mainland and the locals are genuinely friendly. There are plenty of gift shops and places to browse, with pubs serving excellent locally caught seafood and many with fine views it is no surprise that friends of ours that go to the Island for the first time return to visit again.
There are plenty of things to do even if you do not wish to see many of The Islands attractions. There are plenty of safe beaches for families and many have achieved water quality awards. The Island has 147 square miles of area and is a diamond shape. If it had not been for the introduction to The Island in 1989 I am sure that we would never have thought independently to pay it a visit, looking back I don't think I knew it existed!
Church and cottages in Godshill.
