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TravelTips24 : Europe : Western Europe : Channel Islands : Guernsey

Guernsey

Guernsey [1] is a group of islands in the English Channel, part of the Channel Islands.

Islands

  • Guernsey - the main island
  • Alderney - an island just 8 miles from the coast of France
  • Sark - historic and car-free island
  • Herm - popular day trip or overnight from other Channel Islands
  • Lihou - smallest island, accessible only at low tide

Cities

Culture and History

The islands of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops during World War II.

Travel to Guernsey & Visa Requirements

Guernsey can only be reached by plane or boat.

Flights and airtickets to Guernsey

Guernsey airport [2] has flight links to

Flybe link Guernsey to 22 destinations including:- Scotland (Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness), Ireland (Belfast and Dublin), England (Birmingham, Exeter, Leeds/Bradford, London Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich and Southampton), Switzerland (Geneva), Germany (Frankfurt), France (Chambery and Paris CDG), Netherlands (Amsterdam), Spain (Malaga), Isle of Man and Jersey.

By boat

Ferries run from St Peter Port to the UK, France and other Channel Islands. There is a conventional ferry year round from Portsmouth, and high speed catamarans from Weymouth and Poole in the summer. The conventional ferry runs in all weather, the catamarans can be delayed or cancelled by high seas.

The two ferry operators between the Channel Isands and the UK/France are Condor Ferries [3] and HD Ferries [4]

Tours & Getting around Guernsey

There are no trains on the island; roads are small but not busy. The island is 9 miles long x 3 miles wide, so a bicycle is a good way to get around. Alternately there are hire cars available, taxis and a frequent bus service during the day.

The other Channel Islands can all be reached by ferry from St Peter Port. Jersey and Alderney can also be reached by plane.

Talk

Languages: Overwhelmingly English. Norman-French Guernesais is taught in schools, in a bid to preserve it.

Guernsey souvenirs & shopping

Economy

Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the rules of the game under which Guernsey operates.

Guernsey Pound on parity with British pound (GBP); Notes from Jersey are also accepted. Note - Guernsey pounds are not accepted in the UK and should be changed for UK pounds before leaving the islands. ATMs generally describe which currency is being dispensed - 'Local' or 'English'

Guernsey Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Guernsey nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs

There are lots of pubs to be visited all over the island, in town the pubs are easy to find and are along a couple of main streets.

Guernsey cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels & lodging

Learn

Work

Stay safe

Stay healthy

Respect

Contact

This page was last edited at 14:33, on 8 August 2008 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Sietse Snel, Todd VerBeek, Ryan Holliday, Colin Jensen, Evan Prodromou and David Le Brun, Wikitravel user(s) Episteme and InterLangBot, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

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