Newport
Newport is the shopping centre of the Isle of Wight and considered by most to be the Islands capital offering plenty of things to do. It is a great place for shopping with a number of well-known chain stores mixing with smaller independent shops across the two main squares, Newport High Street and the side streets. The town square holds a regular farmers market on a Tuesday where you can pick up Island produce from cheese and relishes to salad, fruit and vegetables.
The Quay Arts Centre offers a varied programme of events throughout the year as well as gallery space for artists from around the world. The Newport Museum & Art Gallery has an ever-changing collection of art and ceramics, while Newport Harbour, just a short walk from the town centre, is home to a number of craft studios.
Newport Roman Villa was built in 280 AD, it was discovered when a couple sunk some foundations for a garage. Subsequent excavations revealed that this was a major find and told archaeologists more about the Roman way of life on the Isle of Wight. Newport Roman Villa features fantastically preserved Roman bath suites with hypocaust underfloor heating. It is open to the public from 1 April until 31 October
For entertainment you will find a multi-screen cinema, two thriving theatre’s; the Medina and Apollo and host a number of fairs and events throughout the year. The town has some great bars and restaurants making it a good choice for going out in the evening and some are late night venues. Eateries for day and night dining are a plenty within the town, from Olivo’s serving Italian and Mediterranean cuisine to The Bargemans Rest serving traditional pub food.
The town is also home to the Isle of Wight Music Festival which takes place every year in Seaclose Park attracting thousands of visitors over the course of 4 days. Further out from the town you will find the Owl & Monkey Haven and towards the East you will find Robin Hill Adventure Park both of which are great places to take the kids for a day out. There is Carisbrooke Castle to the West of the town centre which is the 12th century fort most famous for imprisoning Charles I after his defeat in the English Civil War
The Islands main bus station can be found on Nelson Road, from here you can catch a bus to almost anywhere on the Island making it a great base from which to explore the many attractions the Isle of Wight has to offer.
On the quayside you will find the Isle of Wight Bus & Coach Museum containing an impressive display of vintage buses and coaches, collected to display the Island’s transport heritage, while the Classic Boat Museum is a collection of beautifully restored classic sailing and power boats dating back to the 19th century.