What was once the holiday home of Queen Victoria in the 1800s, this island off the coast of England has since become associated with a rock music festival. The Isle of Wight has had a music festival since 1968, which became the largest rock concert in the world in 1970. While lineups for 2018 include The Killers and Liam Gallagher, that’s not all you can do in this island!
Why travel here?
In addition to the festival held every summer, this island has a lot more in its stride! It is a popular holiday resort. Known for its milder weather than the rest of the UK, it makes an ideal place to enjoy the summer. Some of the top places to visit in the island are –
One of the main castles of the isle and of England, explore this medieval castle and get a feel of the medieval life. There is also a museum in the complex and tickets start at £11 for the whole complex.
The main town in the island, this quaint little place is an ideal stop for lunch and a pint of beer in the evening.
This small town on the western edge of the isle is a treat for hikers. It is surrounded with hiking trails and views of the bay and on a clear day you can also see the mainland from here. If you want a feel of living in a small English country village, this is the right place to do so.
The festival
Every year since 2002, the island has revived the 1968 original rock festival. Thousands of people from the UK and all over head to this island for this crazy rock festival. You can check out the tickets and details for the festival here. It starts on the 21st of June in 2018.
Cuisine
The best food on this island is seafood – grilled fish to be particular. The island has a lot of old pubs. Fish and chips are a really good option here as well. Newport Ale house or the Bargemans Rest in Newport are some good places to get food with live music. Other than that, basic English pub food is also okay here.
Visa
A UK visa is required to enter this island. Legally a part of England, if you’ve entered the UK, you can just hop on a ferry to come here. You can apply for a UK visa here. It costs about INR 8000 and usually you are issued with a multiple entry six month visa.
When to go
Usually, the most of the UK is rainy all year round, so the best time to visit the island is from May to September, in the summer. Unless you really like windy and rainy weather, stick to visiting in summer.
Getting there
By Air: There’s a direct flight from New Delhi/Mumbai to London.
Once you’ve reached London, take a train to Southampton (costs about £20 or 1800 INR) from where you can get a ferry to get to the island. It takes less than an hour to reach the harbor on the island and the ticket will cost you around £10 or INR 850.
Getting Around
Since the island is fairly small, you can cover the whole island by its public bus system. Most buses start or end in Newport and they are very convenient. So unless you’ve brought your own car in the ferry, the bus is the way to go. A whole day ticket is available for just £10.
Costs
Flights – Return from INR 45000
Train to Southampton – INR 1800
Local Bus Ticket (day long) – INR 850
Hotel – Stay in an old country house – The Grange for INR 10000
Meals – INR 800
A pint of beer – INR 300
Accommodation
Anywhere in the island is a good place to stay, but if you’re looking to stay in town, then Newport is a good choice. Having a lot of options from townhouses to business hotels, Newport is a safe bet for day one. Yarmouth and Shanklin are small villages on the coast and have great country cottages and guesthouses, ranging from budget ones like Jireh Guest house in Yarmouth (about £15 a night ) to swanky ones like The Grange in Shanklin.
Have you been to the Isle of Wight before? Write about it and the festival to help other travellers plan their trip!