|
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Isle of Man
Many people who have never been to the Isle of Man are not sure exactly where it is! The answer is that it lies in the Irish Sea, between England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, less than 60 miles west of the Lancashire coastline, and it is easy to get to thanks to excellent air and sea services. You can find out more information about travelling to the Island in our how to get here pages.
Here are the answers to other questions often posed by first-time visitors to the Isle of Man.
Many things! The Island is a unique self-governing kingdom - a Crown dependency which belongs to neither the UK nor the European Union. It has its own parliament (called Tynwald), laws, traditions, culture, cuisine and postage stamps. But as a holiday island it is best known for its very agreeable and relaxed pace of life, along with a wealth of attractions and places to stay. And while other differences include the Manx language and currency (though English is the spoken tongue and English and UK currencies are accepted everywhere), there are also reassuring familiarities - such as driving on the left and road signs in English.
It is 33 miles long, 13 miles wide and covers an area of 227 square miles. More than 40% of the Island is uninhabited.
The thriving east coast town and port of Douglas is the capital of the Isle of Man. The hub of much Islandactivity, it offers a great variety of accommodation, holiday attractions and other visitor facilities such as first-class shopping, banks, building societies, and car hire. Douglas is 16 miles from the northern coastal town of Ramsey, 12 miles from Castletown on the south coast, and 11 miles from the west coast port of Peel.
You're spoilt for choice! Whatever your taste and budget - from campsites to first-class hotels - the Isle of Man can accommodate you comfortably. Other popular holiday towns and resorts are Port Erin, Ramsey, Peel, Castletown, Port St Mary and Laxey. There are also many lovely villages nestling in beautiful countryside and offering idyllic rural accommodation. The Tourist Information Centre in Douglas will be happy to advise you, or alternatively you can visit our accommodation section.
Yes! There are familiar High Street names, local speciality stores, the Woollen Mills at Laxey, heritage shops, excellent new facilities in Douglas and many other traditional shops across the Island. The superb Tynwald Mill Craft Centre at St John's is one of several outlets selling Manx rural craft products made right here on the Isle of Man.
Plenty! They can really let their hair down at fun attractions such as the Wet Zone, Manxland, Superbowl, Curraghs Wildlife Park, Onchan Pleasure Park, and the interactive hi-tech Manx Museum and House of Manannan. Not forgetting beaches, swimming pools, Mooragh Park at Ramsey and Silverdale's boating pool, carousel, picnic area and wildlife and nature trails.
Venues such as the beautifully restored Victorian Gaiety Theatre, Summerland, Palace Cinema, Erin Arts Centre and Douglas's many lively nightspots provide great holiday entertainment for all ages.
Any sort of holiday you want it to be. On the Isle of Man there's never a dull moment, whatever your age and interests.
Fabulous scenery, enchanting glens, miles of uncrowded beaches, medieval castles, Victorian railways and trams, beautiful parks and gardens, international motorsport, countless opportunities for first-class angling, golf and watersports and other activities, fascinating museums and heritage centres, delicious Manx wining and dining...
Just how much more can you pack into one holiday? Read on and find out!
Yes! Enjoy the freedom to explore this ancient kingdom at your leisure. Wherever you want to go there are plenty of ways to get there!
The Island has 688 miles of roads and car hire is widely available. So bring your own car or rent one at attractive rates.
There are frequent bus services on routes all over the Island. Money-saving Explorer Tickets can be used on buses, trains and horse trams for even easier and cheaper travel.
Not only trains but trams too! One of the unique aspects of the Isle of Man heritage is the Island's remarkable Victorian transport system - still going strong after more than 100 years of sterling service. We guarantee that wherever else you go in the world, you won't find anything quite like this!
In addition to the Isle of Man Steam Railway, Manx Electric Railway, Snaefell Mountain Railway and Douglas horse trams, you can enjoy summer trips on the clifftop Groudle Glen Railway and combine a visit to Curraghs Wildlife Park with a memorable ride on the Orchid Line - the smallest passenger-carrying railway on the Island.
No problem! For example, cycle hire is widely available, and in addition to miles of quiet country lanes there are six designated cycle trails to explore. If you prefer travelling by horse or pony, stables and riding schools can be found at various locations across the Island. But if you want to catch every viewpoint, every sunset, there's probably no greater Island adventure than discovering the
Isle of Man on foot!
In 1995 the Isle of Man Government entered the film industry and has quickly established a well-respected worldwide reputation for co-financing and co-producing feature film and television dramas. Producing many films & TV dramas the Isle of Man its boasts its own 11,000 plus square foot sound stage and has become one of the busiest areas of film production in the British Isles.
The Island's tremendously varied scenery and architecture disguises itself as almost anywhere in the British Isles or Ireland, and in particular lends itself to period productions. Another significant advantage is that the Isle of Man offers a highly attractive production finance program making it a desirable location to shoot film.
Famous movie and television stars enjoy relative anonymity on the Isle of Man so keep a close eye when visiting as you never know who's sitting next to you in a restaurant or pub!
The Three Legs of Man is the island's symbol of Independence. While there is much local argument about which way the legs run (officially it is clockwise), the symbol's meaning is undisputed: Quocunque Jeceris Stabit - 'Whichever way you throw me I stand'.
Acknowledgement: DOTL.
|
What makes the Isle of Man different from anywhere else in the British Isles? Many things! The Island is a unique self-governing kingdom - a Crown dependency which belongs to neither the UK nor the European Union. It has its own parliament (called Tynwald), laws, traditions, culture, cuisine and postage stamps. But as a holiday island it is best known for its very agreeable and relaxed pace of life, along with a wealth of 
Where is the main centre of the Island?
Are there fun places for kids?
Does the Island have its own railways?