Experience the best of Guernsey

Guernsey lies in the Gulf of St Malo, closer to France than to England. St Peter Port, its capital, climbs from a working harbour up steep cobbled streets, with Castle Cornet guarding the harbour mouth and Hauteville House, where Victor Hugo lived in exile for about fifteen years, high above the town.

The south coast rises to high cliffs with paths above the sea, and the west coast has long sandy bays such as Cobo and Vazon. German forces occupied the island from 1940 to 1945, and concrete towers, bunkers and an underground hospital remain, with a museum of the occupation. The Little Chapel, a tiny church covered in pebbles, shells and bits of china, draws many visitors, and boats cross to Herm and Sark, two smaller islands without cars.

Guernsey's dairy cattle, with their rich golden milk, give the island its butter and cream. Local dishes include the bean jar, a baked stew of beans and pork, gâche, a fruit loaf, and ormers, a shellfish traditionally stewed slowly. The island is one of the sunnier corners of the British Isles, and winters are rarely cold.