Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is a county and island off the southern coast of England, separated from Hampshire by the Solent strait. The island is roughly diamond-shaped and measures about 23 miles east to west and 13 miles north to south. Much of the coastline is dramatic, featuring the iconic Needles, a row of chalk stacks extending into the sea at the western tip, and multicoloured sandstone cliffs at Alum Bay. The island has a notably mild climate and a strong Victorian heritage, as Queen Victoria made Osborne House near Cowes her preferred summer residence.