We embarked on our tour of Guernsey aboard "Twinkle," a beautifully restored 1954 Albion bus - one of the original buses that traveled around the island in the 1950s. The bus was lovingly restored and was just the right transportation for our tour of this charming island. Unfortunately, neither Fran nor I took a picture of the bus, but I did manage to find a picture of the bus online. Our guide was very knowledgeable and provided us with many fascinating insights as we traveled around the island.
We learned that Guernsey holds a fascinating position in the world - it's not part of the UK nor the European Union, but rather a self-governing Crown dependency. This unique status dates back to 1204, when the island pledged allegiance to the English crown. The island maintains its own government, sets its own laws, and decides its own taxes, giving it remarkable autonomy.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Guernsey's history is that the island built its wealth through privateering. Due to its strategic location just 27 miles from France, Guernsey ships were able to raid French and Spanish galleons traveling along the French coast. The treasure captured was shared between ship owners, crews, captains, and the English crown, but much of it remained on the island, creating the foundation for Guernsey's prosperity.
Guernsey's pride and joy are the Guernsey cows and their exceptional dairy products. Remarkably, each cow has its own individual name (with no repeating names allowed!), and local school children help come up with creative names and themes. The cows live about 25 years and are extremely well cared for. Guernsey is the only place in the world that can guarantee pure Guernsey dairy products - a distinction they're very proud of.
The finance industry is the island's second-largest employer (after government) and generates an impressive 80% of all tax revenue. This industry attracts wealthy individuals due to Guernsey's beneficial tax arrangements, including:
- No inheritance tax
- No capital gains tax
- Maximum income tax cap of £220,000 for qualifying residents
- 20% flat rate tax for locals
- Maximum corporate tax of 10%
One of the highlights of our tour was visiting the "Little Chapel." Thought to be the smallest consecrated church in the world, the original version was built by Brother Déodat in 1914. The one today is actually the 3rd version built in 1923 and it measures 16 feet by 9 feet and has room for around 8 people.. Brother Déodat's plan was to create a miniature version of the famous grotto and basilica at Lourdes in France. The chapel is decorated with seashells, pebbles, and broken china creating a stunning mosaic effect.
The German occupation during WWII represents one of the most significant periods in Guernsey's modern history. The Channel Islands were the only de jure part of the British Empire in Europe to be occupied by Nazi Germany during the war, lasting from 30 June 1940 until liberation on 9 May 1944. Although Winston Churchill was hesitant to make the decision, the British Government decided to de-militarize Guernsey as the Islands offered no strategic benefit, thus leaving it undefended.
Evacuation to the UK took place amidst chaos and panic. On 19th June, parents were told to register their children for evacuation and prepare to say goodbye the next morning. The in-laws of our guide were both children evacuated during WWII.
Seventeen thousand people were evacuated from Guernsey and 25,000 were left behind including many elderly residents and those who felt they couldn't leave their homes and livelihoods.
German planes bombed the harbor in Guernsey's capital parish of St Peter Port after mistaking a group of tomato lorries for a convoy of troop carriers. Tragically, thirty-four people were killed in this bombing on 28 June 1940, and there is now a monument to commemorate them.
During the Occupation, identity and ration cards were issued and a population census was conducted. Radios were confiscated and people were banned from going on the beaches. Fishing boats could only go out with a guard aboard to stop the men escaping. By 1944, Guernsey's coastline was covered in concrete fortifications. Hundreds of reinforced bunkers, gun emplacements and tunnels were constructed, transforming the tiny archipelago into the most fortified place on earth.
On 8th May 1945 the war in Europe ended and the British sent HMS Bulldog to Guernsey to receive the surrender of the German forces. On May 9th, British soldiers from 'Force 135' landed and took back control of the island. May 9th is now celebrated as Liberation Day.
There are still some fortifications remaining:
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The island has a beautiful granite landscape and the pristine marine environment.
As we continued our journey around the island, we saw the blue Victorian style postboxes...
- And the last little tidbits, there are no foxes, squirrels, or snakes on the island.
- The island has a maritime climate with mild temperatures (doesn't go below 5°C/40°F)
- The former tomato and cut flower industry collapsed in the 1980s due to European competition (there are many empty greenhouses scattered throughout the island.
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| St. Peter's Port |
Guernsey's tidal range of 33 feet is one of the largest in the world.
Guernsey has an interesting two-tier housing system consisting of:- Local market: Average house price of £650,000, only available to locals with residential qualifications
- Open market: About 1,600 properties available to anyone with sufficient funds. The guide mentioned a property in St. George's that sold for £24.4 million, demonstrating the premium wealthy buyers pay for tax residency benefits.
As a crown dependency, Guernsey has its own parliament with 38 seats and each resident gets 38 votes. There were 82 candidates for the June 18, 2025 election. It takes a lot of research to vote in Guernsey!!
We had an enjoyable day in Guernsey for our last excursion of the cruise. It is a beautiful, picturesque island and worth a visit!
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