A sunny island with beautiful beaches, cosy pubs and an easy drive from the UK ticked all of the boxes for a recent family holiday
(Image: Supplied)
I bet you – like me – have often dreamt of that perfect holiday destination that has it all within easy reach.
Good weather, a beach, great eating spots, cosy pubs, picturesque streets to potter around plus a hefty dose of history to keep the grey matter ticking over.
Sounds impossible. But I think I’ve found it and it’s St Peter Port on the tiny Channel Island of Guernsey.
With a population of nearly 20,000, St Peter Port could hardly describe itself as a city but it is the biggest town and main centre of Guernsey.
Thanks to generous tax allowances for residents, some quarters of the harbour town have a Canary Wharf vibe (plus seaside finance bros) but cast your gaze away from that and you will be met with nothing but bunting, cute cobbled shopping streets and harbour-front eating and drinking spots.
Guernsey has that hugely familiar British feel, with an ever so slightly French twist. There’s an M&S Food Hall but you can’t use your Sparks card (‘different franchise’ I am told) and even a Sports Direct. But beyond that you can feast every night on fresh crab, lobster and fish and you simply must find an excuse to indulge in some of the dairy produce the famous Guernsey cows produce.
Visiting St Peter Port as a family of four we were overwhelmed with options. Being history buffs we were in our element.
Guernsey was occupied by Nazi Germany for most of the Second World War, from June 1940 to May 1945. Across the island, and in St Peter Port in particular, there is a huge amount to see and learn relating to that time.
If you spend a day on foot in St Peter Port, you can start with a ride on the Petit Train, which departs at regular intervals from the Albert Pier and gives you a chance to get your bearings around the steep and winding streets.
From the pier it’s around a 20 minute walk to the top of town where you must visit the German Naval Signals HQ. This is the top-rated attraction in the town and my kids – 10 and 14 – were unanimous it was their top sight for the week we spent in Guernsey. Entry is just £13 for a family.
Invisible from the street and air, this perfectly-preserved underground bunker was the centre for all German naval signals during WWII.
Restored using many of the original fittings and based on advice from the former Naval Signals Officer himself, a visit here was undoubtedly brought to life for us by the extremely knowledgeable member of staff – or private tour guide as he became.
You can see where signals were received, where officers slept and even where they went to the toilet. Then before you know it, it’s out back onto the street and you can barely find where you just were.
Walking back into town, the Guernsey Museum at Candie is worth a look to give you the fascinating history of life in times gone by on the island. Surrounded by the lush Candie Gardens, a picnic here is ideal, overlooking the scenic harbour.
Back down at the harbour the world is your oyster. A trip to the beach might be on the cards (but watch out for the high and very quick tides!) or if you’re into your sea swimming, you can take a dip in one of the uber stylish La Valette seawater bathing pools.
We didn’t try them ourselves on this trip, but there are four pools to swim in, each with a changing area and a cafe and toilets by the ladies’ and children’s pool (anyone can swim in any of the pools).
Our reason to pass by the pools was for our next historical stop-off – the La Valette Underground Military Museum. We visited during the May heatwave and the cool cave of this treasure trove was extremely welcome.
The tunnels were originally built as a fuel storage facility for German U-boats during the occupation and are fascinating in themselves as an architectural phenomenon. They are now used to house a vast range of exhibits from Guernsey’s military history, including a truck used in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Family entry costs under £30 and opened our eyes to precisely what the Guernseymen and women went through during the difficult period of Occupation in WWII. All of this is probably more than enough for one day but there is much more to see.
The jewel in St Peter Port’s crown is Castle Cornet, which has sat on a spur guarding the harbour for 800 years.
Time your visit to catch the firing of the cannon by period uniformed soliders at midday, then explore the brick alleyways, high walls, four period gardens and four museums on site. That’s before I’ve even mentioned the stunning views out to the islands of Herm, Sark and Jethou.
Another fantastic way to get under the skin of St Peter Port and Guernsey is by taking a guided walk.
We were lucky enough to join Elizabeth Gardener-Wheeler of Guided Guernsey on a clifftop walk from the stunning Fermain Bay back to St Peter Port. What Elizabeth didn’t know about life on Guernsey probably isn’t worth mentioning but her stories really brought our trip to life. From the bomb found in bluebell woods, to the private steep bathing steps for the former Governor of Guernsey, you will discover some truly hidden gems.
Of course we all enjoyed noseying at the seaview, premium properties – many of them thatched – along our walk too.
For our evening meal, we dined slightly out of town (ok, a five minute drive…) at Nineteen Bar and Grill, situated on the St Pierre Park Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort.
It’s ideal for a family trip because you can combine your meal with a quick round of Pirate Bay Adventure Golf – a notch above your usual crazy golf thanks to real-life rafts on pools of water…
The food here was excellent with a huge choice from fresh local produce like the Guernsey crab salad which I enjoyed, over to the classic burgers, pizzas and steaks. Everyone in the family was happy.
If you buy a museum Discovery pass, you can visit Castle Cornet, Guernsey Museum, Fort Grey Shipwreck Museum and the German Naval Signals Headquarters for just £24 per named adult with all accompanying children going free. The pass is valid for 12 months’ unlimited access.
We travelled to Guernsey with Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth on their overnight service, staying in a cabin with breakfast on arrival.
While on the island, we stayed for the week at the wonderful, family run, La Bailloterie campsite. Sparkling clean showers and toilets, plus fresh pastries can be ordered for breakfast every day. If camping is not your thing, the site offers safari tents and wooden cabins too.
Book the holiday
Brittany Ferries offers Poole-Guernsey routes from £374 in July and £405 in August, based on two adults and two children travelling in a standard car on a Super Saver ticket. Find out more and book at brittany-ferries.co.uk.