Whether you’re an active couple looking for walking trails and sea sports to experience, a pair wanting to let their creativity flow or just want to spend time relaxing in each other's company, a short break to our Islands has it all. With a travel time from just 40 minutes flying with Aurigny or 3 hours on the boat with Condor Ferries, getting here is easy.
During the day, make the most of the sun on hikes, wild swimming adventures and exploring the Island's restaurants and independent shop scene. At night, with stars shining clearly due to our unpolluted sky, head out for delicious food, try a wine-tasting or cider tour, or watch a film at the top of the castle.
We've put together this short-break itinerary to help you get the most out of your trip.
Where to stay
If sleeping under the stars is for you, then take a look at our glamping accommodation options, from nordic and safari tents to shepherd's huts by the coast. Whether you want to be in the middle of a quiet valley or next to a picturesque marina, you’ll find the perfect location.
For another unique experience, you could sleep in a renovated lookout tower overlooking one of Guernsey’s prettiest bays, high above the ground in treehouses or in a traditional Scandinavian-style log cabin. Whichever you choose, our unique accommodations will make this getaway one to remember.
We also have a range of boutique hotels either in the heart of St Peter Port or along our coast with stunning views out to sea.
For a full list of accommodation on our Islands, click here.
Day 1 - Friday
Head out on a walk or cycle
Our country lanes are perfect for exploring hidden gems including hedge veg and rustic pubs, or you can head towards the coastline and admire the views from our cliff and coastal path network. For route inspiration, download the VisitGuernsey Walking App, with routes filtered by difficulty and duration, or learn more here. You could also book a guided walking tour with one of our knowledgeable tour guides from the Bailiwick of Guernsey Guild of Accredited Guides or Tours of Guernsey. You’ll find nature tours, ghost tours, coastal tours, historical tours and more.
If you’d prefer to travel on two wheels, you can hire a range of bikes from Go Guernsey and Adventure Cycles on Guernsey. Cycling is a great way to see our Islands, letting you take in the sights while getting to places easily and quickly. Outdoor Guernsey also offer cycling tours, where one of their guides will take you around parts of the Island you may not have seen before.
If you head to our other Islands then A to B Cycles, Avenue Cycles and Bam’s Bikes on Sark, and Cycle and Surf on Alderney are the best places for bike hire.
Enjoy a long lunch
For lunch, we have a range of relaxed tearooms and cafés suitable for light bites, sandwiches, hot meals or whatever else takes your fancy.
- Along the coast, visit Cobo tea rooms, offering delicious homemade cakes, sandwiches and views out across Cobo Bay.
- The Imperial Hotel Restaurant has stunning views of Rocquaine Bay and meals made with locally sourced ingredients wherever possible.
- The Hideaway offers a range of fresh sandwiches, salads and hot meals on their terrace above St Peter Port.
- Dix Neuf is a popular destination with a menu that caters to all tastes and dietary requirements with the option of al fresco dining.
Discover Guernsey's history and culture
Spend a few hours discovering the unique heritage of our Islands. From learning about the history of Guernsey to our wartime past or neolithic chambers, there are lots of historical sites and museums to explore. You can learn all about them here.
For those more interesting in the arts scene, you'll find pop up exhibitions around our Islands, at the Art for Guernsey Gallery and in the Guernsey Museum at Candie.
Wine tasting in St Peter Port
For the first evening of your summer weekend away, enjoy a wine-tasting experience in St Peter Port.
- Rouge, a walk-in wine and cheese bar has a Tasting Table for a custom wine and cheese tasting experience.
- The Crown Club at the OGH offers wine, gin and whisky tasting, dependent on your tastes.
If you're looking for something a little more traditional The OGH’s afternoon teas are also incredibly popular, with homemade sandwiches, cakes, scones and more. All afternoon teas come with tea and coffee and you can upgrade to a prosecco or champagne afternoon tea.
A film under the stars
Castle Cornet, a museum that documents our Island's history, hosts Castle Film Nights throughout the summer. On select evenings, they show a film on a big screen in the highest garden on top of the Castle. Bring drinks and snacks with you and settle down to watch a film as the sun sets.
KPMG, Guernsey Arts and Guernsey Museums and Galleries also host the KPMG Castle Nights, where you can experience an evening of great local music and entertainment in the grounds of Castle Cornet. There will be a variety of acts performing throughout the historic castle grounds in the South Battery, Outer Ward and Middle Ward.
Day 2 - Saturday
An early breakfast
To set you up for a day of activities, an early breakfast is what’s required.
- If you’re in St Peter Port, Coco Mini Brasserie, opposite Havelet Bay, has everything from French classics, like a croissant or croque monsieur, to a full English or their range of pastries and coffees.
- Perfect for breakfast after a swim in the bathing pools, the Bathing Pools Cafe at La Vallette has breakfast options to enjoy from the terrace or inside the building with views across the bathing pools and Havelet Bay.
- Muse, a bright and airy café located along South Esplanade has everything from pancakes and waffles to eggs, porridge and more.
- Out of town, The Kiln, found at Oatlands Village, has an expansive menu that will set you up well for the day ahead.
Find more places for breakfast here.
Beach day
Spend time unwinding and trying something new at the beach. Whilst at the beach, why not enjoy a picnic on the sand or enjoy an ice cream from one of our beach cafes and kiosks?
- Outdoor Guernsey, Go Guernsey, Guernsey SUP, the Alderney Wildlife Trust and Adventure Sark all have kayaks and paddleboards available to hire. There are also guided tours available, where you can explore areas of our coastline with an experienced and knowledgeable tour guide.
- Vazon Bay, Port Soif and Portinfer are our best beaches for surfing. Guernsey Surf School at Vazon Bay offers private lessons or you can hire the boards and wetsuits and enjoy.
- If you want to have an ocean adventure but don’t want to get in, Island Rib Voyages has a range of tours to suit all interests. You can see the puffins and seals up close, delve deep into our Island’s past or explore from a new perspective.
Get creative with pottery
For those who enjoy being creative, Iris and Dora is the next stop. The studio has walls lined with pottery to paint, so select your pieces and take a seat, relaxing as you paint. You can also have a go at crafting your own item with their potter's wheel experiences and classes.
Island hopping
If you'd like to explore more of our archipelago, spend your second day Island hopping instead. Walk around the miles of country lanes in Alderney, hire bikes and explore Sark or relax on the beaches in Herm.
- Alderney - the third largest Channel Island, Alderney has a lot to explore. Wander the streets of St Anne’s, head to the beaches, walk around their seemingly endless nature trails or join the Alderney Wildlife Trust on an excursion to see animals native to the Island.
- Sark - enjoy meals in Sark from Stocks, Hathaways, Nova’s Bistro or one of their other restaurants. Adventure Sark offers a range of water activities, such as kayaking and coasteering, or archery, activiquiz and more on land. The world-renowned Caragh’s Chocolates is found on Sark, where you can take part in a chocolate-making session. Sark is a car-free Island, so cycling is the best way to see all that the Island has to offer.
- Herm - Herm is known for its beaches. Fisherman’s Bay is perfect if you want the beach to yourself, or you can venture to the busier Shell Beach or Belvoir Bay; both incredibly popular with kiosks stocked with everything you could need for a day at the beach. Don’t forget to stop in at the Mermaid Tavern or the Ship Inn for a bite to eat and a drink before heading home.
- Lihou - the smallest of our Islands, Lihou is only accessible at certain tides. Walk around the Island and experience its unique nature and wildlife, jumping into the beautiful Venus pool for a unique wild swimming experience.
Take a local cider tour
For your second evening in Guernsey, get to know one of our Island's most popular artisan products. The Rocquette Cider Tour and Tasting Experience takes place at a family-run organic farm nestled in Fauxquets Valley, which has over 5,500 trees in the orchard. Enjoy the beautiful scenery, learn about the history of cider making and how Rocquette cider and other products are made during guided walk through the orchards.
Tours last 90 minutes and include a tasting of their ciders, fruit liqueurs and apple chutneys paired with local cheeses from the Guernsey Dairy and Torteval Cheese.
Dine along the coast
For your evening meal, we're heading to the coast for delicious food with stunning views of our coastline and beaches.
- If you want a traditional bar meal in a relaxed setting, try the Rockmount, where you can sit inside or out on their decking.
- La Reunion provides delicious, locally caught seafood with views of the sea.
- A tasty meal with a cask-conditioned ale out on the terrace is what you can expect at the Puffin and Oyster.
- For cliffside views at the top of Fermain Valley, enjoy Buho, Guernsey’s premiere Mexican restaurant.
Evening stargazing
Taking a walk at night on any of our Islands is a wonderful experience. The beauty of less populated areas of the world is the clarity of the night sky and the stars above. Many know our Islands for their wonderful views, scenic walks and temperate climate, but what surprises many is the wonder of the night skies once the sun goes down.
It's easy to find places without any artificial light. Head out with a torch in more rural areas and simply look up. On Guernsey, the Astronomy Section of La Société Guernesiaise holds regular talks and stargazing events with telescopes at the Astronomical Observatory.
For a unique experience head to Sark, the world's first Dark Sky Island. Sensible shoes are advised on island pathways in the dark. On Sark, visitors welcomed to borrow telescopes from the Sark Astronomy Society or to enjoy the views from the Sark observatory.
Day 3 - Sunday
A sunrise swim
Start your day with an early morning swim in the sea. The mornings tend to be quieter, so you could end up with a peaceful beach all to yourselves. Refreshing and sure to wake you up, wild swimming has proclaimed health benefits, such as a boosted immune system, and is proven to increase dopamine levels and improve your mood. All you need to get going is your swimming gear and a towel. This guide has everything you need to know about which beaches are the safest to swim at and our recommendations for wild swimming on the Islands of Guernsey.
A leisurely brunch
The perfect treat after a swim, brunch on Guernsey is the perfect way to spend a relaxed morning.
- Christies Brasserie in St Peter Port is a great spot for a long brunch, good coffee and maybe a mimosa if you're tempted. The menu includes English classics, lighter bites and everything in between, offering views out over the harbour from their terrace.
- Cafe Emilia in the heart of town offers a wide range of brunch classics with a Portuguese twist. Whether it’s a freshly baked cake and coffee or a full English you’re looking for, they cater for all tastes and dietary requirements.
- Good Rebel has fresh, healthy and (some) rebellious options for brunch. Alongside a mix of wellness juices and shots is a creative and modern menu catering to a variety of tastes. At the weekend, the brunch menu is available until 3pm, giving you plenty of time to relax inside or in the al fresco dining area.
- St Pierre Park boasts some of the most extensive hotel grounds on the Island, with a golf course, driving range, swimming pool and play area all situated within the grounds. A 20-minute walk outside of town, the hotel is a great spot for brunch. The in-house chef’s specialities include Scottish smoked salmon with sourdough, butter and lemon as well as smashed avocado on toast and more.
Click here for more ideas for where to enjoy brunch on Guernsey.
Stroll along Seafront Sunday
A classic part of Guernsey summer, on select Sundays from March-September the town seafront is closed to traffic and sets up stalls celebrating independent businesses, artists and local charities for our local Seafront Sundays. Take a walk around the stalls and appreciate the range of local talent, creativity and craftsmanship.
Embrace your competitive side with mini golf
Mini golf is next on the agenda. Guernsey has two mini-golf courses. The 18-hole mini golf course at Oatlands Village is great fun and Pirate Bay at Nineteen Bar and Grill is a unique pirate themed 12 hole mini golf course. Whilst at nineteen, head upstairs and have a go at the driving range.
Have fun at a Cobo Balcony Gig
Another Guernsey tradition, The Cobo Balcony Gigs are a summer staple, bringing live music to the Cobo seafront whilst raising money for local charities. The acts, both local and international, perform on the Balcony of Cobo Bay Hotel to crowds that fill the road and beach below. You can bring a picnic to sit on the beach or book to have lunch at Cobo Bay Hotel Beach Terrace and be right in the heart of the fun.
