Hello everyone and welcome to a new blog post!
This is the first in a series of articles in which I will tell you about my trip to the Isle of Wight, England.
For those not familiar with the Isle of Wight, it is located in the English Channel, south of Southampton, and it impresses with the incredible variety of its landscapes.
Sandy beaches, unspoiled nature and wonderful cliffs overlooking the sea: the Isle of Wight is a small jewel of England, perfect for restoring the spirit in the contemplation of nature.
Perhaps you’ll have heard about its rock music festival that takes place every summer in Newport!
Getting there is quite simple, although the trip takes half a day.
From London just take a bus to Portsmouth and from there hop on a ferry that, in less than 15 minutes, will make you dock at Ryde, one of the many towns on the island.
If you are interested, I can publish a dedicated article on how to get to the island and with other useful informations!
Let me know in the comments!
The first island town I want to talk about is Shanklin.
Shanklin is one of the most traditional and charming seaside resorts on the island, with its golden beaches and breathtaking cliffs overlooking the sea.
There are many things to do in this beautiful town: sipping a good tea in one of the many tea rooms, shopping in the other shops of the”Old Village”, having fun in one of the arcades on the seaside or just relax on the beach.
It didn’t end there! There are plenty of pubs and restaurants to enjoy local specialties or a good English beer.
One of my favorite places is definitely the Shanklin Chine.
It is stream cutting back into a soft cliff.
Inside there is dense vegetation and a wonderful waterfall. The English romantic poet John Keats also found inspiration for some of his finest poems, during his time in Shanklin.
He wrote this:
“The wondrous Chine here is a very great Lion; I wish I had as many guineas as there have been spy-glasses in it.”
In fact, it is a lovely place, especially at night, when the paths and waterways are illuminated by lots of colorful lights, making the atmosphere even more magical.
Another place I love is the Old Village.
It is a small part of Shanklin Town, it contains some of the oldest dwellings on the Island of which the majority are Thatched.
In addition, to the south of the village, there is an immense green park within which there is a pretty duck pond, located just behind the church of St Blasius.
One of the things I like to do in Shanklin is certainly to walk along the long sea, or on one of the many paths immersed in nature. Not to mention relaxing on the beach or having fun in the evening in the arcade.
Shanklin is a wonderful seaside town and suitable for everyone.
The air you breathe is almost surreal and magical. Live in close contact with nature and in a tranquility that only a place like that can give you. All enriched by a huge variety of activities that you can do without ever getting bored!
If you’re going to the Isle of Wight I highly recommend you take a trip to Shanklin. You won’t regret it!