You do not always have to travel halfway around the world for fascinating cultural disco-veries – sometimes a UK holiday on your doorstep can provide you with unique cultural experiences. The Guernsey Heritage Festival is an excellent example of this; it’s a great way to learn about this beautiful island found just off the coast of Normandy. In addition to its picturesque setting, Guernsey is an island with a long and important history, from its Neolithic origins to the German occupation of the island during World War II. This makes it a superb place for an insightful and slightly different UK holiday.
The Festival
The Guernsey Heritage Festival takes place each year towards the end of March right through to the start of May. It creates a unique atmosphere on the island and there are over 300 individual events to keep you busy. This year, the focus will be on the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II. It will allow visitors the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of the occupation and explore fortifications built here during the time.
From Book to Big Screen
Book lovers may associate the island with the wonderful international bestseller The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, in which Guernsey’s role in the war was commemorated. This fascinating tale has been adapted on to the big screen and will be reaching cinemas in April, so what better way to get to grips with the story than to take a trip to the setting? A scenic walk has been put together by the locals that will take you to all the key spots, or a rewarding bike route for more active types. The museum exhibition centred around the book is highly worth visiting too.
Liberation Day
If possible, coincide your UK holiday here with the end of the festival when the island will be celebrating Liberation Day. This celebrates the liberation of the Channel Islands with parades, live music and a huge fireworks display! It is sure to be an incredible atmos-phere and a great way to finish off your trip.
Other Highlights
There are many non-war related cultural discoveries waiting for you here, including:
-Sampling the delicious local cuisine
-Wet your whistle on the Rocquette Cider Tour
-Exploring Neolithic burial tombs
Where to Stay
Old Government House is the best place to stay for the festival as it is conveniently lo-cated in the centre of St Peter’s Port and has all the facilities that you need after a long day of culture. The historic and beautifully decorated hotel has spacious and comfortable rooms, a health club complete with a sauna and steam room and a heated outdoor pool. There is nothing better than a relaxing sauna after a day of exploring followed by a cock-tail at the cool Crown Club Bar before dinner.
The Guernsey Heritage Festival looks set to be a terrific event this year; any culture vul-ture should consider a UK holiday to this picturesque, historic and cultured island.
John Dixon is an experienced world traveller and the Managing Director of Prestige Holidays. For over 30 years, he has been providing luxury UK holiday accommodation in the Channel Islands, as well as holidays in Bermuda, Croatia and many other destinations around the globe. John tries to visit each of the destinations regularly in order to ensure the quality of his properties, and stay up-to-date about the latest local news and events. He has a taste for the finer things in life and has an interest in arts, history and culture.
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