GET AWAY TO GUERNSEY

With its stunning scenery, rich history and fabulous food, this island is bursting with things to see, do and discover

- LAUREN JARVIS

WHY GO?

Cast out off the coast of Normandy-geographically much closer to France than England enchanting Guernsey is a holiday classic. It offers spectacular beaches, accessible outdoor adventures and a sprinkling of history plus day trips to the car-free (and carefree) islands of Sark and Herm. Smaller than its glitzier Channel Islands neighbour Jersey, Guernsey's laid-back atmosphere will soon have you switching to island time and embracing life like a local.

EXPLORE THE ISLAND

Fancy an adventure? A Land Rover safari with Tour Guernsey (tourguernsey.com) is a fun way to tick off some of the island’s highlights. Starting in the pretty main town of St Peter Port, you’ll pass Hauteville House – the one-time home of Les Misérables author Victor Hugo – then onwards to the Little Chapel. This is one of the biggest attractions and, ironically, also one of the tiniest. A mini version of the grotto and basilica at Lourdes, it’s decorated mosaic-like inside and out with broken china, shells and pebbles. You’ll also pause at Napoleonic fortifications and ancient Neolithic standing stones, and visit the Second World War German Occupation Museum, with its moving stories from the island’s challenging period under Nazi rule.