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Isle of Wight

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5 days From £579 £529 per person
4.2 stars(92 reviews)
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Discover the enduring charm of the Isle of Wight, filled with royal heritage, scenic landscapes and a nostalgic steam railway

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Save up to £200pp on British Isles 2025 holidays when you book by 31st October 2024.

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Mobility Rating 2

2025 Tour code: 25IWS

About the tour

Experience a five-day holiday to the lovely Isle of Wight. With half of the island designated an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty', this tour takes in the best of its scenic gems.

From the iconic Needles to historic Carisbrooke Castle, embrace the diverse delights of this timeless island. With beautiful beach views from our base in the seaside town of Sandown, set out to discover Osborne House - Queen Victoria's family retreat - and step back in time aboard the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, admiring the picturesque countryside enroute.

Unforgettable Experiences

Journeying on the historic Isle of Wight Steam Railway
Journeying on the historic Isle of Wight Steam Railway
Embark on a nostalgic trip in restored Victorian and Edwardian carriages, soaking up scenic views and enjoying the evocative sounds and scents of a steam railway.
Visiting Queen Victoria’s beloved Osborne House and Gardens
Visiting Queen Victoria’s beloved Osborne House and Gardens
Designed by Prince Albert in the style of an Italian Renaissance palazzo and cherished by Queen Victoria, Osborne House and the vast gardens provide an insight into royal Victorian life.
Seeing the iconic Needles and working lighthouse
Seeing the iconic Needles and working lighthouse
One of southern England’s most spectacular natural wonders, enjoy a visit to the Needles to admire the dramatic chalk stacks and historic lighthouse dating from 1859.
Uncovering the storied past of Carisbrooke Castle
Uncovering the storied past of Carisbrooke Castle
With a long history stretching back to the Norman invasion, this archetype of a romantic castle has been a fortress, a royal summer residence and a prison that once held Charles I.
Exploring Godshill and the harbour town of Yarmouth
Exploring Godshill and the harbour town of Yarmouth
With thatched cottages, tea rooms and a model village, pretty Godshill exudes charm, while the small harbour town of Yarmouth brims with coastal character.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 – Sailing to the Isle of Wight and Sandown’s golden coast

This afternoon, we gather in Portsmouth to meet our Tour Manager and fellow travellers before boarding the catamaran to Ryde. After a short journey over the Solent, we arrive on the picturesque Isle of Wight. From Ryde, we join the local rail service down the scenic east coast to Sandown, our base for four nights. Until 2021, the Island Line's rolling stock comprised of London Underground trains built in 1938, however the new fleet features converted tube trains with modern interiors and equipment.

After checking in to our hotel on the seafront in Sandown, there's time to freshen up or take a leisurely stroll before our first dinner as a group this evening. Due to its location, the Isle of Wight benefits from one of the mildest climates in the UK and the traditional seaside resort of Sandown has long attracted visitors due to its long sandy beaches and great views over the English Channel, including from our hotel.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 – A royal experience at Osborne House

After breakfast, we head out by coach to St Mildred's Church in Whippingham, an ornate church with close links to the royal family. The current structure was partly designed by Prince Albert and the five striking pinnacles of the exterior are said to resemble castles of the Rhine. Inside, the Battenberg Chapel is a shrine to Prince Henry of Battenberg, the husband of Queen Victoria's daughter Beatrice.

After time to look around, we continue to Queen Victoria's family home, Osborne House. Designed by Prince Albert to mirror an Italian Renaissance palazzo, it was a favourite retreat for Queen Victoria. With time to explore, you can view the exquisite state rooms and private royal apartments at leisure. As you wander the rooms, you'll notice a difference between the opulence of the Pavilion wing and the more homely apartments. Outside, you can stroll through the manicured gardens and make your way to Victoria's private beach. For lunch, you could dine in the elegant Terrace Restaurant and Orangery before we return to our hotel for time at leisure before dinner.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 – Discovering the Isle of Wight’s greatest treasures

Today, we tour the isle's most renowned attractions. After breakfast, we travel to the western reaches of the Isle of Wight to view the iconic Needles. From the cliffs, we admire these striking stacks of chalk rising out of the sea. On the furthest 'needle' is a circular lighthouse, built in 1859 and still operational today.

Heading to nearby Yarmouth, we soak up the atmosphere of this charming harbour town. Brimming with history, there is time to explore the cobbled streets, quaint shops, cafés and main square, overlooked by the town's church. From here, we head inland to historic Carisbrooke Castle. Famous for serving as a royal prison to Charles I during the English Civil War, today it's the location of the Edwardian-style Princess Beatrice Garden.

Our final visit is to picturesque Godshill, a quintessentially English village with historic architecture. There's time to discover its thatched buildings, medieval church and even its own model village, with scale models of Shanklin and Godshill as they were in the 1920s. Returning to Sandown, we enjoy dinner at our hotel this evening.

Please Note - For departure 11/08/2025 we will visit the Ventor Botanic Gardens in the morning instead of visiting Carisbrooke Castle.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 – Riding the Isle of Wight Steam Railway

An enjoyable journey on the Isle of Wight's heritage railway awaits after breakfast today. Travelling by local rail to Smallbrook Junction, we board the Isle of Wight Steam Railway for a return journey to Wootton. This line dates from 1862 and winds through unspoilt countryside, traversing the heart of the island past scenic woodland, lush meadows and picture-book towns. Hauled by a charming steam locomotive, this is a wonderful way to explore the Isle of Wight as we relive the Golden Age of rail travel. Along the way, there's a stop at Havenstreet where you can visit the interesting Carriage and Wagon Workshop.

Returning to our hotel, the afternoon is at leisure. The Revetment is a two-mile seawall walk from Sandown to Shanklin and a great way to admire the vistas of the bay. Alternatively, take in the traditional seaside atmosphere on Sandown Pier or find a peaceful spot along the miles of golden sand to spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach.

This evening, we gather at the hotel for our final dinner as a group.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 – Homeward bound

Our delightful exploration of the Isle of Wight comes to an end after breakfast today as we begin our journey home. Leaving Sandown, we travel by local rail to Ryde, catching the catamaran back to Portsmouth.

Back on the mainland, we say farewell to our Tour Manager and fellow travellers and make our way home - or continue exploring independently. Recalling our holiday, we can look back on the memories the Isle of Wight has provided. We discovered Osborne House, a favourite of Queen Victoria, while Carisbrooke Castle helped reveal the island's history and its picturesque charm was showcased during explorations of Godshill and Yarmouth. We saw the Isle of Wight's impressive natural beauty at the Needles and during the nostalgic journey on a heritage railway, and our base in seaside Sandown showed why the island has been such an enduring draw for generations of visitors.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Please note

Please note that while every departure of this tour features the same excursions, they may not necessarily be in the order listed above.

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

Trouville Hotel, Sandown

Trouville Hotel, Sandown

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Train

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Reviews

4.2 stars4.2 / 5 · 92 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (43)
  2. 4 stars
    (35)
  3. 3 stars
    (10)
  4. 2 stars
    (2)
  5. 1 star
    (2)

B White

4 stars

Submitted 28/Aug

Thoroughly good holiday, only issue hotel breakfast opening times.

Collected by Trustpilot

E Warburton

5 stars

Submitted 23/Aug

Quality tour manager lead the group successfully and coped when changes to itinery arose

Collected by Trustpilot

Marion Lacey

5 stars

Submitted 19/Jul

Osborne House was wonderful

Collected by Trustpilot

Alan Sheppard

2 stars

Submitted 16/Jul

We had a nice seaview room. However that was the only recommendation for the hotel. Sometimes the staff were quite rude at speaking and dealing with people. The food was definitely 2 tar. We were advised that no transport was included to the train station on two occasions and we would have to pay for that, but commonsense prevailed and we did not have to pay. It may only be a 20min walk but uphill and most guests could not walk that.. The return ferry was changed at the last minute. The leader was very good and very helpful. Would not go back to the Isle of Wight again.

Collected by Trustpilot

Lynne Kear

5 stars

Submitted 14/Jul

Very good holiday and rep.

Collected by Trustpilot

Madeleine Cooper

3 stars

Submitted 14/Jul

Unfortunately the weather wasn’t brilliant. The hotel only had one lift and people were always queuing for the lift. The food was ok but could have been better.

Collected by Trustpilot

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