The pretty capital of this tiny island nation sits on the shore of a beautiful bay into which the River Douglas flows. It is an easy town to walk around, including a three-kilometre promenade with excellent views of the harbour, bay and the Tower of Refuge on its tiny island. Attractive buildings line the streets, such as the Legislative Building, home of the Manx parliament, and the Villa Marina and Gardens, which hosts regular outdoor concerts. The Royal Hall and the excellent Gaiety Theatre are great venues for operas, shows and music. Some of the very best views on the Isle of Man can be enjoyed from Douglas Head, a rocky outcrop overlooking Douglas Harbour and accessible through the ornate gate of historic Marine Drive. Here you’ll also find the famous Great Union Camera Obscura, which uses natural light and a series of mirrors to project images of the surrounding area on to the darkened building’s walls to stunning effect. The Douglas Head Lighthouse, built in 1857, is a significant landmark on this headland and easily accessible by a public footpath. Other notable landmarks include the William Hillary Statue, a tribute to the founder of the RNLI and a long-time resident of the island. There is a wide range of other tourist attractions from horse-drawn trams and Victorian steam train journeys between Douglas and Port Erin, to great pubs, restaurants and cafes to sample the local food.
Photo credit “The Marina in Douglas – Isle of Man” by neilalderney123is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.
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