Isle of Wight

Tucked into the south coast of England, the Isle of Wight is a rural backwater: it’s easy to reach – a short crossing from Lymington, Portsmouth or Southampton – and yet is a world apart from the mainland, with an array of diverse landscapes, unpretentious small towns and a pace to life that has more in common with the quieter corners of Devon or Cornwall than with Hampshire just across the water. The island boasts lots of family-friendly attractions: its crumbling chalk cliffs have exposed huge numbers of dinosaur fossils, while stately homes, historic sites, cycle and walking trails, and some glorious beaches, make it a perfect daytrip or weekend break destination. Get here while you can, though, because the island’s low-key charms are catching on fast.