Douglas is one of those rare towns that has as much fascinating history as it does natural beauty. Many towns that are pristine and idyllic wonderlands are often very boring to learn about. This makes sense when you think about the fact that most towns surrounded by gorgeous countryside stay that way because nothing major happens in them that would cause things like infrastructure or logging to take place. Similarly, some of the most unattractive and dingy cities in the United Kingdom in fact have some of the most fascinating stories and landmarks ever. Birmingham and Glasgow are two perfect examples of this concept. Douglas, however, manages to walk that tightrope with poise and ease and it is a town filled to the brim with rich and relevant history yet it also maintains its stately grace in regards to its lush and bountiful landscape.

It helps that Douglas is located on the Isle of Man; the lovely Irish Sea serves as a stellar backdrop to the rocky and magnificent land of the Isle. Many smaller isles jut up around the Isle of Man so nearly every location offers a fantastic view of lush islands set amid a looming and beautiful sea and skyline. Over eighty thousand people live on this paradise and Douglas, its capital, is home to over a quarter of these people. It is in Douglas that the people of the Isle come to forget about their troubles and take part in the exciting and thrilling nightlife of "Capital City". If an exciting concert or celebration is to take place on the Isle you can bet that it will be hosted in Douglas. The famed National Sports Centre hosts nearly every major sporting event you can think of and the King George V Bowl ensures that multiple exciting games can occur at the same time. After all, there are over nine different football organizations in Douglas alone, to speak nothing of the rest of the Isle. Keep in mind that people on the Isle absolutely love sporting events and you can bet that a mediocre match between middling rivals will far outsell a Madonna performance.

This isn't to say that Douglas is only good for its entertainment value, though. It has played a major role in transport and trade for centuries on end and without it cities like Liverpool may not be as prominent as they are now. Bits of history can be found all throughout Douglas simply by walking the beautiful streets. You might stumble upon the Manx Museum, which is considered by many to be the most in-depth summary of the Manx Culture ever created. The famed Victoria Road Prison is another remarkable site: As the first prison ever built in the Isle of Man, a large hoopla erupted when it was shut down a couple of years ago. This turned out to be a good thing, though, as now the prison is open to the public and it is quite a fascinating adventure. Rest easy, though: the prisoners were transported to a newer and more secure prison. By all accounts Douglas is the place to be if you're on the Isle of Man but even if you're in Ireland or England the place is well worth a visit.

Dialling the UK from Abroad

To dial the telephone and fax numbers shown from outside the UK, dial your international access code (check with your telecoms provider if you do not know what to dial), then 44, then the rest of the number except the zero shown in brackets.

Guest House & Hotel Owners

If you run a hotel, guest house or bed & breakfast and would like to be included in 4Hotels.co.uk's Hotel & Guest House Directory, please e-mail info@4hotels.co.uk.

Other accommodation close to Douglas: