Full Day Cultural Tour of Guernsey
Duration 8 hours
4.5 hours by car/ minivan/ coach + 3.5 hours walking tour
Driving around Guernsey ( 4.5 hours), first part of the tour.
This tour is a great introduction to Guernsey and combines stunning scenery, Island culture and history dating back to the Neolithic times. Stop at Pleinmont Point, where Renoir painted some of his most famous paintings.
The tour starts at Sausmarez Manor house. We will walk around the garden and see Sausmarez Manor from outside. The history of the Manor dates back almost 700 hundreds years and the visit will explore the history of the family and Guernsey Island’s history. The first mention of the de Sausmarez family in relation to Guernsey is in a letter dated 1254 from Prince Edward. The present Manor contains a wealth of fascinating items, including a captain’s log from a voyage around the world in the mid-eighteenth century, which culminated in the capture of the world’s richest treasure ship. Depends on time of arrival, we might be joining to guided tour inside this magnificent traditional Guernsey house.
(entrance fee for adult £7.50, child from 5 years old £5.50)
We will continue through the country lanes to the beautiful Little Chapel, a unique miniature church set in the quiet Guernsey countryside. Just 19 by 15 feet in size and decorated with seashells, pebbles and colorful pieces of china, its tiny alcoves barely hold 3 people at any one time. The Little Chapel was built by hand over many years by Brother Deodat of the Christian Brothers.
Continue on the Gold and Silversmiths Workshops. The workshops are situated in a converted barn, which dates back to 1582 surrounded by beautiful gardens. Take in a close-up view of the traditional craft being carried out before your eyes. After you can have a time for traditional cup of tea or browse around the gift shop.
Next travel through the magical bays and sandy beaches where you will breath the sea air. We will stop and explore a “Dolmen” the upright stone remains from the Neolithic people who inhabited Guernsey.
Walking tour: 3.5 hour around St Peter port with Castle Cornet Visit, part 2
St Peter Port is Guernsey’s capital and has a rich and interesting history from Roman times, smuggling and privateering to occupation by Germany in WWII.
You will pass near to where Victor Hugo wrote Les Miserables, see Liberation monument, Guernsey parliament, Clock tower and breathtaking panoramic views on St Peter port.
You will visit Candy gardens and Medieval Town cathedral.
Walk along the waterfront towards the Castle Cornet. St. Peter’s port is hiding centuries of storms and shipwrecks, smugglers and privateers stories. Castle Cornet is one of the famous Guernsey’s symbols. First built in the 13th century, was rebuilt and expanded by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I in the years after 1600 to adapt the change in warfare from bows and arrows to artillery and guns.
The walkway which connect Castle Cornet to St. Peter’s port was built in 1860.
We will finish our tour with visit at Castle Cornet ( entrance fee £10.50)
Option for first part of the tour:
if client has special interest in history of German occupation during the Second World War II, we can swap visit at Sausmarez Manor to German Occupation museum and the Underground hospital
We will visit German Occupation Museum – each room dedicated to particular theme (kitchen, prison, a fortress room and others) and the Underground hospital, which tunnels cover around 75,000 square feet and from all arrangements and atmosphere you will get a good understanding and feeling, how everything has been organised back during the occupation
Afternoon option:
There is a home museum of Victor Hugo, it can be visited during the second part of the tour instead of Castle Cornet.
It’s possible to arrange 2 days tour at different parts on Guernsey if client has time.