Car Hire Isle of Man - Mini guide to Isle of Man

The Isle of Man, situated in the Irish Sea midway between England and Ireland, is a wonderful place of beauty and history. This unique self-governing island, only 20 miles long, has something for everyone, from exploring Viking castles, diving on shipwrecks, to bird watching and playing golf.

The island is literally littered with attractions. Walking around the medieval castle in Castletown will transport you back in time. A visit to Laxey Wheel, a huge water wheel over 70m tall, offers rewarding views of the countryside. You can even ride on old tramcars up to the top of Snaefel, the island’s highest mountain, or witness the annual TT races, an exciting high speed motorcycle race on the public roads.

Although the island is predominantly rural, Douglas, its small capital city, is the thriving hub of most of the island’s activity. Douglas is small enough to walk around, although many people use the charming horse drawn trams to get around. A walk down Strand Street will take you past the modern shopping centres to the sea front with its hotels, piers and entertainment venues, such as the Edwardian Gaiety Theatre built in 1893, or the National Sports Centre, which offers a gym, swimming and various indoor and outdoor sports. Also nearby is the Manx Museum with its outstanding overview of the island’s cultural heritage.

Whilst Douglas is the centre for nightlife, fine dining is on offer across the island and everywhere there’s a wide range of seafood available, such a fresh crab, Manx Lobster, and the local delicacy, Queenies (a type of scallop).

Being so small, the island is ideal for exploring by car, so wherever you stay, you can visit the beaches, the mountains or enjoy the attractions of Douglas in an easy day trip.

The only airport, Ronaldsway (near Castletown), is a short bus ride or drive to anywhere on the island and there are direct flights from many UK cities.