How we spent a week in Guernsey
For a couple of years now, we’ve been spending a week each summer at a friend’s family home in Guernsey. It’s a stunning island, much smaller than neighbouring Jersey, that you can drive across in about 20 minutes. It’s a quiet spot for a holiday, but despite it’s size Guernsey has a lot of history, beautiful beaches, and quaint towns to explore.
Here’s our tips for a week in Guernsey.
How to get to Guernsey?
Guernsey, in the Channel Islands, is a self-governing British Crown dependency which means it technically isn’t part of the UK, although its residents are British by nationality and its official currency is GBP. It’s actually much closer to France than the UK, but the easiest way to get there is to fly from a UK airport.
From London City or London Gatwick, it takes about 45 minutes so it’s a very easy flight, and the airport is probably the quickest I’ve ever been to. You can be on the road within 15 minutes of touchdown.
You can also get a passenger or car ferry but this does take a lot longer.
Where to stay in Guernsey
We’re lucky to have friends who live in Guernsey, but since the island is small you won’t be far from things to do no matter where you stay. There are beachside villages, secluded Airbnbs, or the town of St Peter Port if you prefer to be within easy walking distance of pubs and restaurants.
What’s the weather like in Guernsey?
As a small island in the English Channel between the UK and France, Guernsey has unpredictable weather. But in summer, the days are often glorious and sunny. In June, we’ve been very lucky and only had brilliant sunshine in the mid- to high-20ºCs but of course, you can’t count on good weather all the time in this area of Europe!
What is there to do in Guernsey?
Though it’s small, you won’t run out of things to do in Guernsey. From historical sites to stunning beaches, and day trips to nearby islands, you can easily fill a week with activities.
These are our favourite things to do in Guernsey.
Go for a walk
As a rural island, Guernsey has endless walks to enjoy. One of our favourites is on the south coast from Icart to Saints Bay.
Watch the sunset on the west coast
Grandes Rocques Beach and Cobo Bay are perfect locations to watch the sun set over the sea. Pop into The Rockmount or The Beach Terrace at Cobo Bay Hotel for dinner and drinks afterwards.
Take a day trip to Herm or Sark
From the harbour in St Peter Port you can take a boat to the nearby islands or Herm or Sark. The boats leave multiple times per day and costs about £20 to £30 return for an adult. It takes 20 minutes to get to Herm and about 45 minutes to get to Sark.
Herm is a small island that you can easily walk the whole way around. From the port to Shell Beach on the opposite side of the island, you can take a 5km loop, or cut through the middle for a quicker route. Shell beach is stunning, and has a cafe/bar with toilets.
Sark is a larger island, so we hired electric bikes to get around. This cost £15 per person for the day from Sark Bike Hire . We spent hours cycling around all the beautiful paths on Sark, including over the famous La Coupée land bridge. Despite being tiny, there’s a lot of sites to see on Sark, as well as a few good restaurants like Nova’s Bistro where we stopped for lunch.
Explore the town
There’s a lot of history in Guernsey, so once you’re done wandering the quaint streets of small St Peter Port, you can visit the German Occupation Museum, Hauteville House where Victor Hugo lived when he was in exile, and Candie Gardens.
Go to the beach
Guernsey has no shortage of great beaches. From quaint coves to sprawling white sand bays, you can hit a different beach every day. Some even offer surfing lessons and kayak hire, and most have kiosks, cafes, or ice cream huts to keep you going throughout the day.
The best beaches in Guernsey
There are so many beaches in Guernsey, and almost all of them make a stunning spot to relax on hot days and swim in the cold sea.
These are some of our favourite beaches in Guernsey:
Cobo Beach
L'Ancresse Bay
Petit Port
Saints Bay
Grandes Rocques Beach
Rousse Pier
Shell Beach, Herm
Where to eat and drink in Guernsey
These are our favourite places to eat and drink in Guernsey:
The Rockmount
The Beach Terrace at Cobo Bay Hotel
Saints Bay Beach Kiosk
Pier 17
The Terrace Garden Cafe
Shell Beach Kiosk in Herm
Nova’s Bistro in Sark
What to pack for a week in Guernsey in June
When you’re deciding what to pack for a holiday in Guernsey, you should always check the forecast for the time of your trip. During our visits to Guernsey, we’ve been lucky with the weather but it’s still worth bringing layers, especially if you’re planning to take the ferry across to another island or be out after sunset.
Here’s what I packed for a week in Guernsey:
Three t-shirts
Two vest tops
Two dresses
Two pairs of shorts
One skirt
One pair of jeans
One long-sleeved top
One sweatshirt
One light jacket
Three bikinis
A pair of trainers
A pair of sandals
Enough underwear for the week
Sunglasses
A sun hat
A beach cover-up and towel
Regular toiletries plus SPF
Looking for getaways in the UK? Read our guide to holidays in West Cornwall here.