One of the Isle of Wight’s most famous residents was Queen Victoria who made her summer home on the Isle of Wight and, as a result, many other famous people of the time began to visit the Isle, including Alfred Lord Tennyson and Charles Dickens. Under Queen Victoria’s patronage, the island soon became a fashionable Victorian holiday resort for fashionable Victorians and members of European Royalty.
The island is full of spectacular natural geography and much of the Isle of White is denoted an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is renowned for its dramatic coastlines and the chalk ridge that ends in the famous Needles stacks. There is also plenty of indigenous wildlife to admire, including a flourishing population of Red Squirrels.
As well as the beautiful scenery, the Isle of Wight is perhaps best known for its sailing. The island plays host to several important racing regattas including Cowes Week, which is longest running sailing regatta in the world. Every year, thousands of sailing enthusiasts descend on Cowes for the Fastnet Race, The Admiral’s Cup, and many other important events in the sailing calendar. Cowes is also the home of world record sailor Dame Ellen Macarthur.
