Guernsey Travel Guide

Guernsey OVERVIEW

Bounce it off anyone who's been there and they'll tell you Guernsey is one of a kind. Floating just off the coast of Normandy, it remains loyal to the British crown, but rather than a jewel on the insignia, it reminds a best taken care of flower in the vast royal garden. For Guernsey's ability to look after its fiscal interests is as outstanding as the green fingers of its gardeners, which holds the tiny Channel Island virtually in bloom both economically and literally.

A stunning mix of architectural tapestry and awesome scenery composed of rural interior, cosmopolitan coast and endless cliff paths means that little Guernsey can keep you surprisingly busy throughout your stay. St Peter Port, with its excellent dining variety and yacht-packed harbor, will first feed you well, let you spend a couple of pennies in its numerous posh boutiques and then take you for a cruise to the neighboring islets. Come back here late at night, though, to see the floodlit Castle Cornet looming in the distance and guarding the entrance to the port since the 13th century.

There's no end to brilliant walking opportunities on the island. Quaint towns, dramatic cliffs, wooded valleys, romantic coves, all connected by means of narrow roads winding up and down the hills, yield their best kept secrets to sensitive, thoughtful visitors. Step in the Little Chapel of Les Vauxbelets, take a look around the ancient defense point of Vale Castle and take part in its annual Earth Fair, see if you make anything out of the mysterious carving in Dehus (a neolithic tomb comprising a 10-meter long passage and chamber grave) or just savor the subtle smell of salty breeze in Moulin Huet if you're looking for a heavenly retreat so as to forget about the humdrum reality of a down-to-earth existence.