UK island is the sunniest place in the UK with more winter sun than Italy or France

You may assume that to enjoy winter sun, you'd have to travel far across the globe. However, there's a UK island that offers delightful mid-winter sunshine - the Isle of Wight.

Recently, the Met Office named it as the sunniest place in the UK, boasting more hours of light than some parts of Italy. According to research from Isle Escapes, during November, December, January and February, the Isle of Wight enjoys an average of 78 hours of sunshine per month.

This is a staggering 12 percent more than Milan's average of 70 hours, 15 percent more than Geneva's 68 hours, and 20 percent more than Paris's average of 65 winter sunshine hours. The Solent, the strait separating the Isle of Wight from mainland England, could be responsible for this warm weather.

The island has its own micro-climate, which typically avoids extreme weather conditions like heavy snowfall and thunderstorms during the winter season. It's already been crowned the sunniest place in the UK, but this is particularly evident during winter when the Isle of Wight receives 42 percent more sunshine hours than the rest of the country.

If you're keen on experiencing some of this sunshine yourself, the Isle of Wight is an excellent choice for an island getaway while staying close to home. Located just off the coast of Hampshire, the island is renowned as Britain's dinosaur capital, with the remains of over 20 species discovered on the island.

The Isle of Wight is a fantastic destination for cycling enthusiasts, with numerous tracks and paths crisscrossing the island. In fact, it's considered one of the top cycling destinations globally.

For those up to the challenge, you can cycle a loop of the island in a day - a well-signposted route of approximately 105km. While