With a ceiling draped in sails and ships’ figureheads lining the walls, The Mermaid Inn will make you want to uncork a bottle of rum with your teeth like the sailors of old. This pub is a Scillonian institution and a must-visit if you’re on the islands for the World Pilot Gig Championships. Outside of weekends, it has plenty of atmosphere on Thursday nights when the St Mary’s cricket team typically descends on the pub after playing. The sheer volume of ships’ artefacts that the pub houses is even more impressive than the extensive gin collection.

Rather more sedate than The Mermaid, the quaint little Atlantic Inn has the homely feeling of going for drinks with wealthy relatives with impeccable taste. The terrace is the perfect location for an alfresco sundowner overlooking Hugh Town harbour.

In the old coastguard’s house, this pub is so close to the quay that you could practically roll back to the boat home if you enjoy one pint of Tribute too many. As the island’s only pub, it’s always busy and tables outside are a hot commodity. The food is nothing to write home about but the location makes up for this. Coincide your visit with one of the gig rowing nights for a guaranteed great atmosphere.

The vineyard on St Martin’s spills down the hill to meet white-sand beaches. Sipping a chilled white wine by the sea, you could be forgiven for thinking that you’re in the Mediterranean. The wine may not blow your mind, but the experience is novel and the bottle labels are so beautiful that you’ll want to keep them on your table as candle holders for years to come.

The New Inn may just enjoy the most enviable location on the Isles of Scilly: right on Tresco’s seafront. Time your visit to coincide with when one of the local bands is playing to enjoy live music over a glass of wine. On chilly, windswept evenings, curl up next to the log burner to feel as though you’re home from home. You can also stay at The New Inn, a visit which includes access to the famous Tresco Abbey Garden and the Island Spa.

When they said that good things came in small packages, they must have been talking about Fraggle Rock. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in charm and superb sea views. Friday here is always fish-and-chips night, and as much produce as possible is sourced from local suppliers.