The Isle of Wight is an island off the south coast of England; with half of the island being designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it makes it an Instagramers dream destination!
It’s extremely easy to get to this little slice of heaven, it’s just a short hop and a skip away. Hop on a 2-hour train from central London to Portsmouth, and then skip onto a 20 minute Wightlink ferry. Before you know it you’re surrounded by the ocean and beautiful coastlines.
Beautiful the whole year round, whatever the weather, you can really enjoy the fabulous scenery the Island has to offer, along with the many unique experiences we’ve helped list for you. So pack those bags and embark on your voyage of discovery on the Isle of Wight, you’ll be amazed at what’s waiting on the other side.

Day 1

1) Walk with the Alpacas & Llamas:

Fresh off the early morning boat at Fishbourne Terminal we make our way to 23-acres of picturesque countryside of the West Wight Alpacas farm. Home to a wonderful herd of over 70 unique Suri alpacas and woolly Suri llamas, as well as other cute farm animals like donkeys and pygmy goats. Visitors can enjoy a leisurely stroll around the farm or even walk with the llamas all year round. We were lucky enough to arrive on an auspicious day to see the newest li’l baby (cria) alpaca strut about, in the shadow of her mother. Cuteness overload! It was a beautiful fun morning made perfect by interacting with these gorgeous furry friends.

   

2) Dine by a pier:

With a coffee and cake crave kicking in, we make our way to the Yarmouth Pier to sit down for some breakfast. Situated on the Western side of the island, the Pier is the only one left on The British Isles that is constructed completely from wood, apart from bolts, screws and such like that hold it together. The view from the cafe is serene and the walk down the pier is tranquil.

3) Sail around The Needles and Scratchells Bay:

The Needles are perhaps the most distinctive coastal feature in the UK that lie in the designated area of outstanding natural beauty. Steep chairlifts that are a thrill ride by themselves, transport visitors from the cliff-top above on Alum Bay down to the beach below. The cliffs here have multicoloured layers of sand which compliment a beautiful beach stretch to laze or wander on. Boats for hire can allow a closer look at the chalk cliffs in the sea that are the Needles, and you can enjoy the wind in your hair while you sail around the beautiful white cliffs of Scrathells Bay. A contrast in comparison to the colourful Alum Bay.

We concluded our first day on Isle of Wight at The Waterfront, a beachside restaurant that makes a mean fish stew and finally retired to our cosy attic Airbnb

   

Day 2

4) Follow the Dinosaur footprint trail:

The dinosaurs of the Isle of Wight once roamed wild and free and you can now walk among a memory of them between Hanover point and Chilton Chine. Make sure you’re visiting around low tide because that’s when you’ll truly catch larger than life footprints on the stones in the sea.

  

5) Trek up to St Catherines Oratory:

An easy 15 min uphill climb to a medieval lighthouse way above the southern coast of the Isle of Wight. With breathtaking views of the coast, The Pepperpot, or St. Catherine’s Oratory, is a bit quirky, but also free and historic. The octagonal tower was built here in 1328 and is Britain’s only surviving medieval lighthouse.

    

6) Wander the old town of Shanklin:

Shanklin Old Village is a small part of Shanklin Town, which contains the majority of the oldest Thatched house dwellings on the Island. The stone-built cottages offer plenty of tea rooms and boutiques to welcome visitors and make it very worthwhile to visit. Enjoy a traditional Isle of Wight Cream Tea at the Old Thatch Teashop or shop at the all year round Christmas shop “Jingle Bells”. This tiny town is sure to cheer you up while meandering through its streets.

  

7) Feel like a giant at the Model Village:

Marvel at the wonders of Godshill’s Model Village, one of the oldest and most beautiful attractions on the Isle of Wight. Gorgeous landscaped gardens that let you feel like a giant as you tower over 1/10th scale models of Godshill and Shanklin Old Villages, where a closer look can catch a little Islander at work or play and dozens of delights like a bustling railway station with constantly moving trains. If those some of those fancy houses were real, I’d have moved in right away 😉 

    

Day 3

8) Tasting tour at the Garlic Farm:

UK’s largest specialist garlic grower is located in the Isle of Wight and growing garlic for over 30 years. You can learn a lot about garlic, how they are grown and even how to grow your own right here. Taste unique and delicious products from garlic spreads and chutneys to garlic fudge and beer. Wander freely around the garlic farm and spot different garlic varieties growing in the fields. We indulged in some delicious piping hot Garlic bread straight from the cafe here and it was scrumptious, and we also went back with a bag full of the following products:

• Garlic Mayonnaise
• Honey, Mustard and Garlic Salad Dressing
• Vampire Slayer Hot Garlic Salsa

   

9) Conquer the Carisbrooke Castle:

One of the Isle of Wight’s most fascinating attractions, the Carisbrooke Castle is both quintessential and romantic. The castle grounds have an ornate chapel, a beautiful Princess Beatrice garden and even a delightful tearoom. Worth a visit!

   

10) Walk down Bembridge beach and visit the Best Dressed Crab:

Bembridge has several quiet beaches of pebble, rock and sand. This section of coast offers spectacular scenery and great places to unwind or play, sunbathe and listen to the waves. A few shots after flying the drone around we made our way to the best-dressed crab. Tucked away and overlooking Bembridge Harbour, this is a delightful family run waterfront restaurant that does full justice to crabs, lobsters and most seafood. Simple menu done well you can tell by how pleased Damian looks.

   

The Isle of Wight makes a lovely getaway for a long bank holiday weekend. You can drive across the length and breadth of the island in 1 hour alone, that’s how small it is. But to truly explore it well and dedicate enough time for the above experiences I recommend this three-day itinerary.

Have you been to the Isle of Wight? What did you enjoy the most there?