Those hunting for a staycation spot can look no further – the best islands in the UK have been named. Topping a new list is Anglesey, off the coast of northwest Wales.
The island has a population of just 70,000, meaning residents are outnumbered by the million tourists who visit every year. But don’t let this number scare you off; it never feels like there are lots of people around. Quite the opposite, it is the perfect place for a peaceful getaway, for slowing down and unplugging from the busyness of life. The Telegraph compared 35 factors for more than 40 islands, and Anglesey beat out more popular holiday spots like Jersey, Skye, and the Isle of Wight.
There is plenty to do, including exploring the 140-mile coastal path that circles the island, visiting the romantic outcrop of Llandwyn Island, and spotting puffins and other wildlife at South Stack Lighthouse. Even just exploring the sealife-packed rockpools at the closest beach is enough fun for an afternoon.
If hiking and nature spotting aren’t your thing, Anglesey is also home to the 13th-century Beaumaris Castle and the Halen Môn sea salt company’s visitor centre.
There is also the Copper Kingdom – once the largest copper mine in the world, and Holy Island, where there’s a high concentration of standing stones, burial chambers and other religious sites.
There is one Unesco World Heritage site: GeoMôn – a region of exceptional geological significance with 1.8 billion years of Earth history, the oldest fossils in England and Wales, and rock types from almost every geological period.
According to the publication, “Wales’s biggest island romped to the top of the ranking”, boasting 25 historic sites and Michelin-starred cuisine at Sosban and the Old Butchers in Menai Strait.
A short drive from the island are the beauties of Eryri National Park (previously Snowdonia). Those interested in steep hikes can test their mettle on one of the park’s mountains, including Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), which is the tallest mountain in the UK outside of Scotland.
You can easily get to Anglesey by car or train via Bangor to Holyhead, which is a cruise and ferry dock with regular journeys to Dublin. The island has lots of places to stay, including holiday lets, hotels and B&Bs.
Also included on The Telegraph’s list of the UK’s best islands are the Isle of Wight, Jersey, Mull, Skye, Guernsey, Mainland (Orkney), St Mary (Isles of Scilly), Isle of Man, and Arran.