Sunny days often last right through till December thanks to the mild climate. The summer holiday crowds have gone, so you’ll be able to pick up enticing seasonal accommodation deals.
The island offers a particularly wide range of high quality places to stay, from romantic castles to hideaway seaside shacks.
Do you want sea views or a rural hideaway? All you’ve got to do is decide what sort of break you want. This classic holiday island has the lot.
The active can opt for exploring deserted rocky coves by paddleboard and kayak, while party lovers can join locals as they celebrate the season of carnivals, concerts and festivals of music, literature and walking.
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Isle of sights
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Foodies will enjoy fine local produce served at wonderful places to eat – while shopaholics won’t be able to get enough of the variety of independent shops and boutiques: head to Cowes and Newport for some real gems.
History fans will be spoilt for choice thanks to fascinating sights like Queen Victoria’s favourite home Osborne House, and the 12th-century Carisbrooke Castle where Charles I tried to escape by climbing through a window – but got stuck.
And there are plenty more amazing stories at Yarmouth Castle, the Needles Old Battery and Brading Roman Villa.
It may be England’s largest island but nowhere is far away and the roads are gloriously quiet – in fact, there’s so little traffic, there is no motorway and only half a mile of dual carriageway. Or if you fancy a break from driving altogether, public transport is cheap, reliable and plentiful.
That makes it easy to head for sights such as the chalky white teeth of the Needles, dramatically poking out of the blue sea.
Walk to the grassy crest of Tennyson Down to see them at their best. The whale-backed ridge is named after Lord Tennyson and is near the Victorian Poet Laureate’s home, Farringford House.
Fans of slow travel appreciate that the Isle of Wight is a popular destination for walkers and cyclists. There’s an incredible 500 miles of footpaths and cycle trails. These routes are often at their best in autumn.
Try sections of the coastal path or tackle the whole 68-mile route over a few days. Walking is such a part of island life that the council provides a list of downloadable routes, and the National Trust offers its own selection specifically designed for autumn rambles.
It’s not hard to find great walking and cycling routes, as much of the island is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Paths wind through swathes of purple heather up on the chalky downs and trails lead between ancient trees overhanging river estuaries. Or you may prefer aimless strolling on empty beaches and period promenades.
Wherever you go, keep an eye on the sky as at this time of year the island is a prime spot for the awe-inspiring displays of starling murmurations. Or if you’re down in the woods as the trees change colour, look out for red squirrels gathering nuts for winter.
They’ve found that the Isle of Wight is one of the last parts of the UK where they can relax and flourish in the wild. Perhaps it’s no surprise that visitors often get to the end of their own island break and feel exactly the same.
These award-winning, eco-friendly ferries ensure smooth, comfortable and guilt-free journeys. You might even get to ride on the country’s first super-green hybrid ferry, Victoria of Wight.
It’s a chance to relax and enjoy the journey. Start your holiday as you mean to go on – by forgetting your stresses as you leave the mainland behind. Take a deep breath of the fresh salty sea breeze out on the sun deck.
Have your smartphone ready: there are amazing 360-degree views for the whole crossing. Or take in those amazing Solent panoramas from a window seat in the lounge while enjoying a taste of local produce from one of the onboard cafés.
And when you step ashore on to one of the island’s historic cobbled harboursides just two hours after leaving London, you’ll find autumn is the best time to arrive here.
Take in amazing panoramas of the Solent from the lounge while enjoying a taste of local produce from one of the onboard cafés
HAVE YOU heard of the sunny European island that offers a spectacular coastline, scores of pretty towns and villages – and is so naturally beautiful that the whole place has been declared a Unesco Biosphere Reserve?
Best of all, it’s easy to escape there without having to go anywhere near an airport. Let’s face it, if the Isle of Wight stood off the coast of France it would be one of the continent’s coolest holiday spots.
Thankfully it’s much closer – just off our own South Coast. That means the island is ridiculously quick to get to.
Forget all those airport queues, delays and flight cancellations – just hop on one of 100 Wightlink ferry sailings a day along three different routes.
From a walker’s wonderland and historian’s heaven to a shopper’s Shangri-La, this surprising holiday gem is just a merry ferry ride away
The Wight stuff ... sandy beaches, family fun and romantic escapes are just a ferry ride away – and the island shines in autumn
This may be England’s largest island but nowhere is too far away and the roads
here remain gloriously quiet
Red squirrels have found that the Isle of Wight is one of the last parts of the UK where they can flourish in the wild
Ferry smart ... will your sailing take you aboard the Victoria of Wight, the UK’s first super-green hybrid ferry?
Have a breather ... with nearly 70 miles of coastal path, you’ll always find a spot to take in the island’s beauty
Sea that? Every trip on a Wightlink ferry comes with a dramatic Solent view as standard
