Douglas

Douglas (Manx: Doolish) is the capital city of the Isle of Man. It has the island's greatest concentration of visitor facilities along its promenade, so it's the main base for tourism. In 2021 Douglas had a population of 26,677.

Understand

In Gaelic dub glais means "dark stream", from peaty waters. The River Douglas is formed here by the confluence of the Dhoo and Glass streams, but those names may be a back-formation. In the Middle Ages it was a fishing hamlet, with only 13 households when first counted in 1511. In early modern times its harbour made it more important for herring fishing, for maritime defence, for trade with England, and above all for smuggling. The British were so irked by this that they took tighter control, with the Revestment Act of 1765 establishing the island's present status under the crown. Better shipping and more avenues for legitimate trade meant that Douglas outgrew Castletown, until in the 1860s the law courts, parliament and executive offices all moved here.

Douglas retained its medieval streets until then, authentically smelly and diseased, but a combination of Victorian civic reformist zeal and the prospect of tourism led to its re-building, with the great sweep of hotels, guest houses and other visitor amenities lining its two-mile promenade. It's the island's ferry port, with the airport 9 miles southwest, within a short drive of the rest of the island, and is the obvious base for a tourist stay on the Isle of Man.

In 2022 Douglas and seven other towns were accorded city status, marking the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth. The flummery formalities of this were not quite complete when the good queen died, so this is high on King Charles' to-do list.

Get in

54°9′22″N 4°28′48″W

Map of Douglas (Isle of Man)

Isle of Man Airport (IOM^IATA) is in Ronaldsway 9 miles south of Douglas. It has flights to several UK cities and to Dublin, see Isle of Man#Get in.

54.148-4.4711 Sea Terminal at the south end of town is the landing point for ferries from Britain and Ireland. See Isle of Man#Get in for routes, some are seasonal.

Douglas is the hub for all the island's roads and transport. The principal bus routes are #1 and #2 from Port Erin, Port St Mary, Castletown and the airport, #3 from Ramsey and Laxey, and #4, #5 and #6 from Peel - see individual towns for details.

54.1484-4.47782 Lord Street Interchange a block inland from the Sea Terminal is the turnaround point for island buses, which make multiple stops through town. It's just a car park with no passenger facilities.

54.148-4.48543 Douglas Station is the terminus of the narrow-gauge steam-hauled railway from Port Erin via Port St Mary and Castletown, running mid-March to Oct: see Isle of Man#Get around.

54.1671-4.46054 Derby Castle is the terminus of the electric tramway from Ramsey and Laxey, from where a branch line ascends Snaefell. It too runs mid-March to Oct: see Isle of Man#Get around.

Get around

Douglas is easily walkable.

The horse-drawn tram, established in 1876, plods the length of Douglas promenade Apr-Oct, from Derby Castle to the north to the Sea Terminal and railway station south. However in 2023 because of road works along the promenade, it only plies the northern half, from Broadway to Derby Castle.

Several out-of-town bus routes make stops along the prom.

See

54.1504-4.46871 Tower of Refuge is the little offshore mock-castle near the ferry terminal. It was built in 1832 on the reef of St Mary's Island (or Conister Rock) after several shipwrecks, notably the mail ship St George. The idea was that survivors cast up on the reef could find shelter until the lifeboat could take them off - there was even a bell to call for assistance and a regularly-replenished loaf of bread to sustain them. The reef is only covered at the highest tides, and at the lowest springs you can wade out to it.
54.1492-4.4762 Jubilee clock near the Sea Terminal commemorates the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria's reign in 1887. This spot was the terminus of the Upper Douglas Cable Tramway, which from 1896 to 1929 hauled people up the stiff gradient to the western neighbourhoods. In the 1970s, the best remaining bits of Trams 72 and 73 were cobbled together as a frankentram 72 / 73 which occasionally has outings on the horse-drawn tramway, and normally lives in Jurby Transport Museum.

54.1508-4.48143 Tynwald, Prospect Hill, ☏ +44 1624 685500. Tour at M 14:00 and F 10:00. The Isle of Man reckons to have the oldest parliament in the world, harking back to 979 AD. That date was pretty-much invented by officialdom without any evidence, a salutary lesson in small-nation politics. What you see today looks like a snooty Victorian hotel, the Legislative Building occupied from 1874 when Tynwald moved from Castletown. As well as the 90 minute tour, you can attend sessions. Free. (updated Mar 2023)
54.1494-4.48364 St George's Church, 10 Hope St IM1 1LB. Work on this started in 1762 but was hobbled when a crackdown on smuggling reduced the fortunes of its benefactors, and an insolvent bishop mingled those funds with his own. It opened in 1781 and was extended in the 19th century to become the island's senior Anglican church. However the well-to-do had burial rights elsewhere, so its graveyard caters to the more raffish or transient. (updated Mar 2023)
54.1544-4.48195 Manx Museum, Kingswood Grove IM1 3LY, ☏ +44 1624 648000. Daily 09:30-16:30. Fascinating museum of the history and the natural history of the Isle of Man, plus the national art gallery. Displays include the Viking reign, Tynwald, Mann at War, the TT races, and island tourism. Free. (updated Mar 2023)
54.1619-4.47336 Castle Mona is a work in progress, or less kindly a bit of a mess. It was completed in 1804 as the Governor General's residence, a castellated square mansion. It became a swanky hotel in 1831, later adding a casino and entertainment complex. From the 1990s it was tatty and lowlife, closing in 2006. It's been acquired by Tevir, an IOM-based property company, who have stripped away some of the tacky modern additions but haven't announced their plans for it.

Further out

54.1433-4.46737 Camera Obscura on Douglas Head was built in the 1890s: it projects a panorama of its surroundings onto the walls of its darkened interior. It remains closed in 2023.
The lighthouse just below the camera obscura was built by the Stevensons in 1857, and automated in 1986. There's no public access.
54.1786-4.42918 Groudle Glen Waterwheel is a twee dinky version of Laxey Wheel, part of a Victorian effort to prettify the glen into a tourist spot. The zoo has disappeared but the miniature railway still runs, see below.
54.1424-4.53529 Home of Rest for Old Horses, Richmond Hill IM4 1JH, ☏ +44 7624 463198. Apr-Sep: Tu-Su 10:00-16:00; Jan-Mar: Sa Su 10:00-15:00. Petting farm with horses retired from hauling the trams, and other beasts, all of which appreciate being suitably fed. Donation. (updated Mar 2023)
Murray's Motorcycle Museum: see Castletown, it's on A5 just before Fairy Bridge.

Do

Cinema: Broadway Cinema is midway along the prom. Palace Cinema is north near the Best Western.
Gaiety Theatre, Harris Promenade IM1 2HP (by war memorial), ☏ +44 1624 600555. Opened in 1900 and one of the few remaining theatres designed by Frank Matcham, it has a richly detailed interior. It fell derelict in the 1950s / 60s but was restored from 1976. (updated Mar 2023)
Villa Marina is the entertainment complex hosting Gaiety Theatre and Broadway Cinema. It also has Dragon's Castle, a children's play area, and hosts tournaments such as darts.
TT motorbike races: 54.1678-4.47791 Nobles Park has the grandstand, paddock and scoreboard. The next TT races are 1-8 June 2024, with practice and qualifying laps over the preceding week.

Manx Grand Prix are more races, held 20-28 Aug 2023 then 18-26 Aug 2024.

Groudle Glen Railway runs Apr-Oct plus "Santa specials". It's 2 ft / 610 mm gauge, built in 1896 to link to the long-gone zoo and pleasure park. It was scrapped in the 1960s but rebuilt from 1981.
Golf: Douglas GC^{[dead link]} is on Pulrose Rd southwest edge of town. White tees 5922 yards, par 69, visitor round £13.

King Edward Bay GC is on Groundle Rd northeast edge of town. White tees 5231 yards, par 67. visitor round £25.

Mount Murray GC is at the Comis Hotel southwest along A5, see Sleep.

Football: 54.1517-4.50172 The Bowl, capacity 3350, is multi-use but mostly for soccer. It's the home ground of FC Isle of Man (which plays in the northwest England amateur leagues) and half-a-dozen minor teams. The Isle of Man is regarded as a county within the English FA system and doesn't field a national team, except for occasional beer matches against the likes of Guernsey.
Isle of Man Beer & Cider Festival is held in Villa Marina in early April.
Manx Music Festival is locally known as "The Guild". It's held at Villa Marina, with the next on 22-29 April 2023.
Full Moon Festival is a family-friendly music festival launched in 2023. It's on F 30 June - Su 2 July 2023.
Southern Agricultural Show is in July, half a mile south of Fairy Bridge, see Castletown.
Food and Drink Festival is in Villa Marina, with the next on 16-17 Sep 2023.
Chess tournaments are held at Villa Marina, with the next FIDE event on 23 Oct - 6 Nov 2023.

Buy

Tesco is on Lake Rd just south of Douglas Station, open M-Sa 08:00-23:00, Su 09:00-18:00.
Farmers Market is held on Regent St, second Saturday of the month Apr-Nov, 10:00-16:00.

Eat

Local specialties are Manx Kippers (herring fillets smoked over hot oak chips), Queenies (Manx Queen Scallops) and Loaghtan Lamb (from an unusual horned sheep). Manx Bonnag (or bannock) was traditionally a simple barley bread but is nowadays enriched with dried fruit.

Budget

Capone's, 84 Strand Street IM1 2EP (by Ellan Vannin Hotel), ☏ +44 1624 616323. Daily 10:00-16:00. Retro-styled like a US diner, but it's trad British fare in a friendly atmosphere. (updated Mar 2023)
Star Grill & Pizza, 6 Marina Rd IM1 2HE (by Sefton Hotel), ☏ +44 1624 613822. Su-Th 16:00-00:00, F Sa 16:00-02:00. Takeaway serving good quality pizza, kebabs, burgers and the like. (updated Mar 2023)
Downtown Cafe, 40 Duke St IM1 2AX (corner with Victoria St), ☏ +44 1624 678669. Su-F 10:00-16:00, Sa 09:00-17:00. Cosy friendly place for breakfast and pancakes. (updated Mar 2023)
Just Pizza & Pasta, Clinch’s Court, North Quay IM1 4LH (opposite 14 North), ☏ +44 1624 627185. Tu 17:00-22:00, W-Sa 12:00-14:30, 17:00-22:00, Su 12:00-21:00. Good pizza and calzone, and you can concoct your own. Filling portions. (updated Mar 2023)

Mid-range

54.1477-4.48051 Little Fish Cafe, 30 North Quay IM1 4LB, ☏ +44 1624 622518. Tu-Sa 12:00-14:00,17:00-21:00. Brilliant little seafood restaurant, excellent food in a friendly atmosphere. (updated Mar 2023)
La Piazza Restaurant, Loch Promenade IM1 2BT (next to Sea Terminal), ☏ +44 1624 672136. W-F 12:00-14:00, 17:00-21:30, Tu, Sa 17:00-21:30. Great reviews for this traditional Italian restaurant. (updated Mar 2023)
54.1527-4.47842 Jak's Bar & Smokehouse, 43 Loch Promenade IM1 2LZ, ☏ +44 1624 663786. M-Th 11:00-01:00, F Sa 11:00-03:00, Su 12:00-01:00. Sports bar and restaurant with great service and food, filling portions. (updated Mar 2023)
Barbary Coast Grill & Bar, North Quay (quay by bus interchange), ☏ +44 1624 679297. M-W 17:00-23:00, Th-Su 12:00-23:00. Consistently good grill by the marina. Beware their website has been colonised by a rival outfit. (updated Mar 2023)
54.1582-4.47923 Titan Broadway, 42 Broadway IM2 4EW, ☏ +44 1624 613647. Tu-Th 17:00-21:00, F Sa 17:00-22:00. Quality continental fare, mostly steak but has vegetarian options. (updated Mar 2023)

Splurge

54.1478-4.48284 14 North Restaurant, 14 North Quay IM1 4LE, ☏ +44 1624 664414. W-Sa 12:00-14:30, 18:00-21:30. Excellent British and European cuisine. (updated Mar 2023)
54.1493-4.47925 Oscar's, 28 Victoria St IM1 2LE, ☏ +44 1624 667917. Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 12:00-14:00. Restaurant and bar on two floors, quirky decor. Good vibe, drinks and food. (updated Mar 2023)

Drink

The Rovers Return, 11 Church St IM1 2AG, ☏ +44 1624 676459. Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 12:00-00:00. Friendly straightforward pub, one of the oldest in Douglas. Lots of fire brigade memorabilia as it was the station's watering hole, and a back room is a shrine to Blackburn Rovers. (updated Mar 2023)
Thirsty Pigeon, 38 Victoria St IM2 1LB, ☏ +44 1624 675584. M-Sa 12:00-00:00, Su 13:00-23:00. Welcoming trad place with food. (updated Mar 2023)
Nag's Head is a trad place just east of Thirsty Pigeon.
The British, North Quay IM1 4LB, ☏ +44 1624 616663. Su-Tu 12:00-22:00, W Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 12:00-00:00. Cosy place for pub food near Sea Terminal. (updated Mar 2023)
The Market on Chapel Row near The British is dog-free and food-free.
Bar George is a wine bar at 1 Hill St, open M-Th 11:00-23:00, F Sa 11:00-01:30, Su 17:00-23:00.
Brendan O'Donnell's, 16 Castle St IM1 2EU (next to Jak's Smokehouse), ☏ +44 1624 621566. Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 12:00-00:00. Authentic Irish pub. (updated Mar 2023)
The Original Quids Inn has live music and dancing at 56 Loch Promenade. It's open M-Th 17:00-00:00, F Sa 17:00-01:00, Su 14:30-00:00.
Breweries near town are Okells on Old Castletown Rd, Radical Brewing at Fairy Bridge, Bushy's on A5 near Comis Hotel, and Kaneen's on Peel Rd.
Distillery: Seven Kingdom is at Banks Circus just south of Douglas Station. They make gin and vodka and offer tours.