Channel Islands 7-day itinerary: Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, and Herm
The case for a slow week in the British Channel Islands
Seven days is the ideal length for the British Channel Islands if you want depth rather than a tick-the-box tour. This itinerary covers four of the five islands — Jersey (the largest, three nights), Guernsey (the most charming capital, two nights), Sark (car-free, medieval, extraordinary), and Herm (entirely on foot, a single afternoon of rare quiet). Only Alderney is excluded; add two days at the end if bird watching, wartime fortifications, and truly remote isolation appeal. See our full island-hopping itinerary for the all-five version.
The British Channel Islands are Crown Dependencies in the English Channel — not to be confused with the Channel Islands National Park in California. They are closer to France than England, and they have their own parliaments, currencies (Jersey and Guernsey pounds at par with GBP), and laws. You will need a passport (EU citizens post-Brexit), and you will drive on the left at modest speed limits (40 mph maximum on Jersey).
Quick facts
| Duration | 7 days / 6 nights |
| Islands | Jersey (3n), Guernsey (2n), Sark (1n), Herm (day trip from Guernsey) |
| Best season | May–September (all accommodation open, full ferry schedule) |
| Transport | Hire car on Jersey and Guernsey; bicycles/walking on Sark; walking on Herm |
| Budget | £160–220/day per person mid-range |
| Difficulty | Moderate (cliff walks on Sark; some longer days) |
Day 1 — Jersey: arrival and the east
Fly into Jersey Airport or arrive by ferry. Collect your hire car — our car rental in Jersey guide covers the best options near the airport.
10:00 — St Helier: begin at the Central Market, a Victorian cast-iron market hall selling local produce, fresh fish, flowers, and coffee. Buy a Jersey Royal potato to understand why islanders are possessive about them (season: April–June).
11:00 — Drive east to Gorey and Mont Orgueil Castle. This is the largest and most impressive castle in the Channel Islands, with multiple exhibitions covering Norman rule, the Wars of the Roses, and the WWII occupation. Allow 2 hours.
13:30 — Lunch in Gorey harbour — the Boat House or Castle Green have excellent fresh crab and lobster. Prices are high (£25–35 for a main) but it is some of the freshest shellfish you will find in the British Isles.
15:00 — Drive south along the coast to St Clement’s Bay. Stop at the German observation bunkers — the Channel Islands were the only British territory occupied by Germany (1940–1945) and the coastline is strewn with Atlantic Wall structures. See our WWII occupation guide.
17:00 — Check in to St Helier hotel. Early evening walk along the harbourfront; the Liberation Monument in Liberation Square commemorates 9 May 1945 — the day the islands were freed.
Accommodation (nights 1–3): Pomme d’Or Hotel (historic, Liberation Square location); Atlantic Hotel (St Brelade, 20 min west, spectacular pool); Budget: Samares Manor self-catering.
Day 2 — Jersey: the west coast and surf
09:00 — Drive west to St Aubin for breakfast. The harbour here is one of the most photographed in Jersey.
10:00 — Continue to Corbière Lighthouse — arrive within two hours of low tide to walk the causeway. The lighthouse has been here since 1874; the view from the headland north to St Ouen’s Bay is exceptional.
11:30 — Drive north along St Ouen’s Bay. Five kilometres of Atlantic-facing sand; surfers are here year-round. The Watersplash bar at the southern end is a Jersey institution.
Jersey West Coast open-top bus tour — Corbière to Plémont, ideal if you prefer not to drive13:00 — Plémont Bay at the northwest corner. Arrive at low tide; descend the cliff path to the beach. Check tides the evening before via our tide times guide.
15:00 — La Mare Wine Estate — Jersey’s commercial vineyard in St Mary. Produces wine, cider, brandy, and the famous Jersey Black Butter preserve. Book ahead.
La Mare Wine Estate classic tour and tasting17:00 — Drive back through the inland green lanes. St Mary, St John, and Trinity parishes have well-signposted cycling and walking routes through hedgerow countryside.
Evening — Dinner at St Brelade or St Aubin. For a splurge, Tassili at the Atlantic Hotel is one of the best restaurants in the Channel Islands.
Day 3 — Jersey: south coast, WWII, and the Jersey Royals trail
09:00 — Jersey War Tunnels (Ho8) at St Lawrence — the most significant WWII underground site on Jersey. Carved by forced labour from occupied Europe, the tunnels were designed as a hospital; now a comprehensive museum covering the occupation. Allow 2 hours. See our WWII heritage guide.
11:30 — Drive to Noirmont Point on the south coast for the Atlantic Wall gun battery that is open to visitors. The coastal viewpoint here gives perspective on why the Germans invested so heavily in Jersey’s fortification — it is directly visible from the Normandy coast.
13:00 — Lunch in St Brelade village. Try the freshly cooked crab sandwich at the Old Portelet Inn.
14:30 — St Brelade’s Bay: Jersey’s most popular beach. In summer it is busy; in spring or autumn it is magical. St Brelade’s Church at the western end of the bay is one of the oldest buildings in Jersey (Norman-era granite walls, 12th century).
16:30 — Drive back through St Peter to St Helier. Stop at the Jersey Museum and Art Gallery on The Weighbridge for an overview of island history — included in the Liberation Square area redevelopment.
Evening — Farewell Jersey dinner. Pack light for Guernsey (you change accommodation tomorrow). Return hire car to the hotel (keep overnight or arrange ferry terminal return).
Day 4 — Guernsey: crossing and the south coast cliffs
08:30 — Condor fast ferry from St Helier to St Peter Port (~1 hour). Book in advance. Arrive 09:30.
10:00 — Pick up hire car in Guernsey. Drive south immediately — the south coast is Guernsey’s showstopper and easily missed by visitors who stay in St Peter Port.
10:30 — Moulin Huet Bay (where Renoir painted en plein air in 1883) and Saints Bay. The cliffs along this stretch are the steepest in Guernsey — up to 100 metres above sea level. Park at Les Piques and walk the cliff path east.
12:00 — Petit Bot Bay for lunch (cliff-backed cove, seafood café, excellent views).
13:30 — Pleinmont Point at the southwest corner — the most westerly point of Guernsey. The German observation tower here is the best-preserved example of its type in the Channel Islands. Walk the coastal path north to Portelet Harbour.
15:30 — Drive to the German Underground Hospital at La Vassalerie. The largest underground structure in the Channel Islands — built by Organisation Todt with forced labour. One-hour guided tour.
Guernsey German Underground Hospital guided tour — the most important WWII site in Guernsey17:30 — Check in to St Peter Port hotel. Evening stroll through the Pollet and Hauteville streets.
Accommodation (nights 4–5): Old Government House Hotel (best views); Duke of Normandie Hotel (good value); Les Douvres Hotel (south coast, quieter).
Day 5 — Guernsey: Herm day trip and St Peter Port
Today is structured around the Travel Trident ferry to Herm — a tiny island (1.5 miles long) that is entirely car-free, has no roads, and one of the best beaches in the Channel Islands.
09:00 — Board the Travel Trident ferry from St Peter Port to Herm (~20 minutes). Multiple crossings daily in summer. Book at traveltrident.com.
09:30 — Arrive Herm. Walk north to Shell Beach — a kilometre of beach covered entirely in tiny shells washed up by the tidal currents. No rocks, no seaweed, just shells in every colour. See our full Herm day trip guide for a complete schedule.
11:00 — Walk the island perimeter (3 hours approximately) — north coast cliffs, Bear’s Beach, the Rosière steps, and back via the common. Seals are sometimes visible on the eastern rocks.
13:00 — Lunch at The Mermaid pub (the island’s only pub, serving simple food and local beers).
14:30 — Take the afternoon ferry back to Guernsey. Arrive St Peter Port at 14:50.
15:30 — St Peter Port: explore Hauteville House (Victor Hugo’s 15-year exile home, one of the most extraordinary house museums in the Channel Islands — pre-book), then the Market Halls for local produce.
17:30 — Castle Cornet at the harbour entrance: five museums in one ticket, including the maritime history of the Channel Islands and the Royal Guernsey Militia. The medieval battlements are excellent at golden hour.
Evening — Dinner in St Peter Port. The Mora restaurant is known for locally sourced fish; Da Nello Italian on the Pollet is also excellent.
Day 6 — Sark: the island with no cars
09:00 — Walk to St Peter Port White Rock terminal for the Sark Shipping ferry. The crossing takes ~50 minutes. As the boat approaches, the cliffs ahead rise sheer from the sea — Sark has no natural harbour, just a tiny stone jetty at Maseline.
10:00 — Tractor-hauled bus from the harbour to the island plateau. Hire a bicycle at the top (£12–15/day) or walk. See our Sark itinerary for the detailed schedule.
11:00 — Cycle or walk to La Coupée — the 3-metre-wide ridge connecting Big Sark to Little Sark, with 70-metre drops either side, now protected by railings. One of the most dramatic walks in the British Isles.
13:00 — Lunch at Stocks Hotel or the Bel Air Inn (both serve local lobster).
14:30 — Explore Little Sark: the Venus Pool (tidal rock pool, accessible low tide only), Port du Moulin (the Window in the Rock archway above the sea), and the silver mine ruins.
Sark guided kayak tour — the sea caves and rock arches are only accessible by water17:00 — Evening ferry back to Guernsey OR stay overnight on Sark (highly recommended). If staying: the Sark sky after dark is legitimately spectacular — no street lighting anywhere on the island. See our Sark dark sky guide.
Accommodation (night 6, if staying): Stocks Hotel (best facilities); La Moinerie Hotel (more rural, excellent garden); Petit Champ (small, good value). All fill fast — book months ahead.
Day 7 — Return day: Guernsey or onward
Morning ferry from Sark to Guernsey (if you stayed overnight), then a final morning in St Peter Port before flying home or taking the ferry.
09:00 — Return to St Peter Port. Return hire car. Final coffee and pastry at one of the harbourfront cafés.
10:30 — Last visit: the Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery in Candie Gardens (strong collection on island history, free admission for the gardens). Or the Parish Church of St Peter Port, with Guernsey’s famous memorial to those lost in WWII.
Fly from Guernsey Airport (routes to London, Bristol, Southampton, Manchester) or take the Condor ferry to Poole or Portsmouth.
Practical add-ons
Ferry summary for this itinerary
| Route | Operator | Duration | Book via |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jersey → Guernsey | Condor Ferries | ~1 hour | condorferries.com |
| Guernsey → Herm | Travel Trident | ~20 min | traveltrident.com |
| Guernsey → Sark | Sark Shipping | ~50 min | sarkshipping.com |
See our how to travel between the Channel Islands guide for full logistics.
When to go: the seasonal logic for a 7-day itinerary
May and early June: Wildflowers on the cliff paths; Jersey Royals in season; quieter roads. The best time for walkers and those who prefer to avoid summer crowds. All ferries running. Herm and Sark open. The sea is still cool for swimming (14–16°C).
July and August: Peak season. School holidays bring busy ferries, full restaurant reservations, and the highest prices. Book everything — accommodation, Condor ferry, Sark Shipping, La Mare — months ahead. The Battle of Flowers on Jersey (August) is worth planning around if you are interested in large outdoor spectacles. Sea temperature hits 18–20°C.
September and October: The ideal window for a 7-day trip if you can travel in term time. Quieter roads, lower prices, and warm sea until mid-October. The Tennerfest food festival on Guernsey (October) is an excellent reason to visit in autumn. The cliff paths have their best light at this time of year.
November–April: Reduced Sark and Herm ferry schedules; some accommodation closes. Jersey and Guernsey remain fully operational year-round with all main attractions open. A 7-day winter trip to Jersey and Guernsey only (skipping Sark/Herm) can be exceptional — no crowds, mild weather, and very good value. See Channel Islands in winter.
What to pack
- Tide table (essential for Plémont, Corbière, Venus Pool on Sark)
- Comfortable walking shoes (cliff paths on Sark are uneven)
- Small day bag for Sark and Herm (no cars)
- Rain jacket (even in summer, the Channel Islands are Atlantic-influenced)
- Cash for Sark (card accepted at most places, but limited ATM options)
Frequently asked questions — Channel Islands 7-day itinerary
How do I structure 7 days in the Channel Islands most logically?
The sequence in this itinerary — Jersey first, then Guernsey, then the smaller islands from Guernsey — is the most logical because the main ferry routes favour this direction. Jersey has the best airport connections for arrival and departure; Guernsey is the gateway to Sark and Herm. See our Channel Islands island-hopping guide for alternatives.
Can I do this without a hire car?
On Jersey and Guernsey, it is possible but more limiting. Jersey without a car and Guernsey without a car are both covered in our guides. Bus networks exist on both islands, but reaching the west coast of Jersey and south coast of Guernsey without a car requires planning. On Sark and Herm, no cars exist at all.
When should I book the Sark ferry?
As early as possible for summer travel (July–August). Sark Shipping has limited capacity and popular summer crossings sell out. If you are staying overnight, book your accommodation on Sark simultaneously — there are very few beds.
What if I miss a ferry connection?
Build half-day buffers into your itinerary, especially around the Guernsey–Sark crossing, which is most affected by sea conditions. The Condor Jersey–Guernsey service is generally more frequent and reliable. See our Channel Islands transport guide.
Is 7 days enough to see all five Channel Islands?
Not comfortably. Our 7-day itinerary covers four (skipping Alderney). To include Alderney, you need at least 8–9 days. See the island-hopping itinerary for the all-five version in six days (fast pace).
Are the Channel Islands accessible for walkers with mobility issues?
Jersey and Guernsey are largely accessible; most main attractions have paved access. Sark is challenging — uneven cliff paths, no cars — but the island plateau itself is flat and bike-friendly. Herm is entirely on foot and the paths are unpaved but generally manageable. See our Channel Islands with kids guide for more on accessibility.