It’s hard to believe it but these beaches really do exist in the UK (Picture: Shutterstock / La suerte prod) If you’re searching for an end-of-summer break and want to combine friendly locals with stunning scenery, we’ve got just the place. The Isles of Scilly — a scattering of islands 28 miles off the Cornish coast — have officially been named the friendliest place in the UK. It’s thanks to a new index using government data to measure how often people chat to neighbours, feelings of loneliness, local pride, and levels of participation in civic life. The islands achieved a near-perfect score for almost all of the eight ‘connection barometers,’ with 95.4% saying different backgrounds get on well and 88.8% feeling they belong to their neighbourhood. Elsewhere, 87.3% of residents said that their neighbours can be trusted, while 86.5% are proud to live in their local area. Scilly was followed by South Hams in south Devon, West Devon, Derbyshire Dales and Richmond upon Thames. The area named least friendly was Barking and Dagenham. As this beautiful archipelago adds another string to its bow, here’s everything the Isles of Scilly have to offer. Rankings based on community life survey put the Isles of Scilly on top (Picture: Aerial Essex/Getty Images) A subtropical paradise The words ‘UK’ and ‘tropical’ don’t tend to go hand-in-hand, but the Isles of Scilly make an exception. The ‘sunshine isles’ are warmed by the Gulf Stream, meaning they enjoy higher sunshine hours and milder winters than the rest of the UK. While there are 140+ islands, only five are inhabited. These are: St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s, Bryher, and St Agnes. Tresco is known for its lush, subtropical 19th-century Tresco Abbey Garden, where over 20,000 exotic plants from 80 countries thrive in the mild microclimate. The family-owned island also features spectacular beaches like Appletree Bay, a half-mile crescent of soft, near-white sand and crystal-clear azure waters. The subtropical microclimate allows Mediterranean and tropical plants to grow here (Picture: Shutterstock / Kath Watson) In St Mary’s, the largest island and main hub, sub-tropical flora grows freely, while Pelistry Bay and Bar Point on the remote eastern shore offer prime snorkelling conditions. Meanwhile, Great and Little Bay on St. Martin’s could easily be mistaken for its Caribbean isle namesake, as The Bar in St Agnes is a breathtaking sandbar where dolphin sightings are common. Ancient villages The Isles of Scilly offer more than just dazzling beaches. The islands are steeped in history, too. Bant’s Carn is a free-to-visit Bronze Age burial mound on St Mary’s, and one of the best examples of a Scillonian entrance grave. Ancient villages and spectacular hiking routes await (Picture: Shutterstock / Roger Driscoll) The historical landmark is in the care of English Heritage and located on a hilltop with sweeping views of the ocean. Below the graves you’ll find the remains of the Iron Age village of Halangy Down. This prehistoric settlement dates back to around 200BC, and features a courtyard house and garden plots. You can also walk along the coast to Innisidgen Burial Chambers, two more Bronze Age ceremonial monuments. If you feel like combining hiking and history, St Mary’s offers a two-hour trek along the Garrison Walls, which date to the 16th to 18th centuries. @wirth.a.trip Can we all just take a moment to appreciate that this is actually England?! 🏝️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 And the wildest part? You can get there in around 20 minutes with @Isles of Scilly Travel on their Skybus from Land’s End 🛩️ Here are all the details you need: Getting there: 🛩️ Skybus for the unreal aerial views over Cornwall and the islands (from Land‘s End, Newquay or Exeter) ⛴️ Or the Scillonian ferry if you fancy sea air, slower travel and possible dolphin spotting Activities: 🚲 Cycling sandy lanes around Tresco with no traffic lights anywhere 🌿 Wandering through the Tresco Abbey Gardens (Tropical vibes!) 🏰 Exploring Cromwell’s Castle & King Charles’ Castle 🦀 Rock pooling at Appletree Bay and Gimble Porth 🌅 Coastal walks from Old Grimsby to Pentle Bay 🦭 Spotting seals, oyster catchers and shags along the shoreline 💆‍♀️ Relaxing at the Tresco spa 🏊‍♂️ Swimming pool dips 🍕 Sunset dinner at The Ruin Beach Café ⛵️ Island hopping by boat between the islands 🧺 Picnic lunches from the Island Bakery 🤿 Snorkelling with wild seals ✨ Stargazing with COSMOS under some of the darkest skies in the UK 🛶 Morning kayaking around the islands 🍷 Wine Tasting at St. Martin‘s vineyard Where we’d recommend staying: 🌴 Tresco island for peaceful beaches, bike rides and proper switch-off mode 💙 Karma St. Martins for sea views, cosy evenings and slow island mornings There’s just something about the Isles of Scilly that feels so different from the rest of the UK. Clear water, tiny boats in the harbour, barely any cars and beaches that genuinely look tropical 🌴 Safe to say we left already planning a trip back 💙 #islesofscilly #islesofscillytravel #tresco #karmastmartins #familytravel ♬ original sound – The Wirths | Family Travel On Tresco, visit the ruined 16th-century King Charles’ Castle, overlooking the New Grimsby Harbour. Again, free to enter, it was built between 1548 and 1551 during the reign of King Edward VI to defend against French and Spanish threats. A surprising wine paradise It doesn’t have the clout of Provence or Tuscany, but the islands’ mild maritime climate means a small-scale, boutique winemaking scene has emerged. There are two wine producers on the archipelago: Holy Vale Vineyard on St Mary’s and St Martin’s Vineyard on St Martin’s. The former is a small, family-run vineyard set in a sheltered valley, that produces Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The latter offers tours and wine tastings where guests can visit the wildflower-filled vineyard above the dunes of Par Beach. Head to the Isles of Scilly to get away from it all (Picture: Shutterstock / Stephen Rees) It won’t break the bank, either. A self-guided tour with tasting costs £12 per person and under-16’s are free. If you just want to explore the vineyard, it’s £6 per person. Not a wine lover? St Martin’s Vineyard also boasts a ‘boozy farm shop’ where they sell everything from sparkling cider to their own beers, produced in their nano-brewery. And of course, being an archipelago, there is plenty of fresh Atlantic seafood to enjoy alongside the wine. Expect everything from fresh crab and lobster to scallops and mussels. Be honest, you thought this was Greece, right? (Picture: Shutterstock / Neil Duggan) How to get to the Isles of Scilly There are myriad ways to get to the Isles of Scilly from London. The cheapest way is to take a five-hour train from Paddington to Penzance for around £62 one-way. Then, take a 2-hour and 45-minute ferry to St Mary’s. A day-trip ferry foot passenger fare costs £35. Note: The ferries only operate in season, between March and November. You can also fly or sail from Penzance Harbour, Land’s End, Newquay or Exeter Airports with Isles of Scilly Travel. While there, island-hopping is a non-negotiable. Catch daily local boats from St Mary’s quay to explore the quieter outer islands of St Martin’s, St Agnes, Bryher, and Tresco. Iconic UK ferry to stop sailing after 49 years at sea Cornwall is preparing to bid ‘adieu’ to a ship that has been part of the furniture for almost 50 years. Since its maiden voyage in 1977, the Scillonian III has ferried over five million passengers from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly, an idyllic archipelago 28 miles off the Cornish coast. In that time, the vessel has completed some 10,000 return journeys and travelled more than 688,500 nautical miles. But now, the Scillonian III is in its final season, and will set sail for the last time in November. From March 2027, the Scillonian III will be replaced with the Scillonian IV, which will carry more passengers and give them a faster ride.