The Beatles sang-well, almost-"A ticket to Ryde"- a ticket and a trip that drops ferry passengers on to the second-largest pier in Britain, jutting half a mile into the waters of the Solent.

The travellers who disembarked from the first steamer ferry in 1825 would scarcely recognise the town today, which has shed its Victorian past and embraced the present. An entertainment complex lines the waterfront, offering: ice hockey and skating; LA Bowls; a marina; a skate park for boards, blades and BMXs; a boating lake; a swimming pool; and a nightclub. At night teens to 30-somethings site outside late opening cafes in the faded Regency grandeur of Union Street, with the sea as a backdrop, to eat, drink and chat before clubbing.

During the day the town is quieter. Those who enjoy the panorama of the sea can relax or swim from Ryde's six miles of sandy beach, while taking in the spectacle of sailing boats, catamarans, hovercrafts and ocean-going cruiseships. Portsmouth Spinnaker Tower, makes a perfect backdrop.

Ryde reputedly hosts the oldest carnival in the country (August Bank Holiday), and while you're here for that weekend you'll be able to enjoy the Scooter Rally, which attracts hundreds of Vespas and other two-wheelers revving up at Smallbrook Stadium.

Originally separate villages, the two parts of Ryde are now linked by steep roads, Union Street being the main one. Old-fashioned sweet shops, book shops and boutiques all mingle happily together here. The famous Minghella Isle of Wight Ice Cream is sold in upmarket venues in the town and superb continental-style eating is available at Liberty's Cafe Bar and Joe's Cafe Bar in Union Street