Sheltered by the Islands highest point St Boniface Down, Ventnor has developed from a small fishing village to an attractive seaside resort with a unique character. Famed as a health resort in the Victorian era, the mild microclimate was claimed to be ideal for those suffering from pulmonary diseases such as tuberculosis. Sufferers came from all over the country to the Royal National Hospital for Diseases of the Chest that stood on the site which is now home to the Botanical Gardens.

The famous 22 acre Botanical Gardens at Ventnor are home to sub-tropical species of plants from around the world and a modern visitor centre. It also encompasses the Smuggling Museum that tells the story of Ventnors dark past time of ‘Owling’.  The Longshoreman’s Museum offers a glimpse into Ventnors nautical past, with photographs and models.

To the east of Ventnor is the charming village of Bonchurch.  With its quaint cottages, duck pond and wooded hills, the appeal of Bonchurch once attracted great writers such as Dickens, Thackeray and Swinburne.  To the west is St Lawerence, hiding in the wooded hillside.  Here you can visit the Isle of Wight Glass Studios and see the glass blowers in action.