Book a ferry ticket to the Isle of Man

Although the landscapes are wonderful, the island's main tourist draw is the TT (Tourist Trophy) motorcycle races in the first two weeks in June, a frenzy of speed and burning rubber that's shattered the island's peace annually since 1907. This is only the most famous of a summer-long list of rallies and races on the island's roads, from the Manx Rally (May), International Rally and Manx Classic (both Sept) to the Kart Racing Festival (July), when go-karts buzz through the streets of Peel. If you want to stay on the island at these times, book your accommodation well in advance.

The island has a mountain range down the middle, the highest peak being Snaefell at 620m (2036ft) and a flat northern plain to the Point of Ayre, the most northerly point. The Calf of Man, an islet off the southwest coast, is administered as a nature reserve and bird sanctuary by the Manx Museum and National Trust.

Although the landscape is spectacular the island's main tourist draw is the TT motorcycle races which take place in the first two weeks of June each year and has been held annually since the early 20 th century. This exciting race takes place on the highways and byways of the islands rounds and draws thousands upon thousands of speed enthusiasts every year. This is not the only event of its kind in the annual calendar and other high octane events include the Manx Rally, the Manx Classic and the Kart Racing Festival.

The original inhabitants of the island were the Neolithic and Mesolithic tribes, followed by the people of the Bronze Age and the Celts whose civilisation is the basis of Manx culture. Christianity was introduced during the fifth and sixth centuries. The Scandinavian Vikings arrived over 1000 years ago and from 979 to 1266 Norse rule prevailed.

It was the Vikings who founded the Tynwald Parliament which has been established for over a 1000 years and celebrated its millennium in 1979. The Isle of Man is not constitutionally part of the UK ; it is a self-governed dependency of the crown within the British Commonwealth . The parliamentary institution of Tynwald (a word which comes from the Old Norse ‘thing' meaning assembly and ‘vollr' meaning field) comprising the Legislative Council and the 24 elected members of the House of Keys legislates for the island, levies taxation and has control of the island's finances. A contribution is paid annually to the UK Treasury. The Acts of Tynwald require the royal assent, and are proclaimed to the people in July each year at the open-air assembly on Tynwald Hill at St John's , thus maintaining the Norse tradition. The Government of the Isle of Man maintains its own education, health, national insurance, social security, police, postal and other public services.