The Channel Islands are a stunning archipelago of small islands located right in the heart of the English Channel between southern Great Britain and Northern France and include Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney, Sark and Herm and also many much smaller islands. The Channel Islands make an excellent destination for a holiday as they combine a cosmopolitan, laid back way of life with some stunning natural scenery and a pleasantly warm climate and there are plenty of things to see and do for all ages.

Beauport Bay, Jersey

Jersey
Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands and is a beautiful place with a romantic, windswept coastline and miles of green, lush farmland. You can easily cycle around Jersey in just a few hours and as there is hardly any traffic this is one of the best ways to explore this peaceful and idyllic island. Jersey is famous for its wonderful seasonal foods, and there are many excellent country pubs and Michelin-starred restaurants where you can enjoy some of the delicious cuisine exquisitely prepared from the freshest local ingredients including excellent seafood and fruit and vegetables (such as the world renowned Jersey Royal potatoes). There are many things to see and do on Jersey and there are two prominent golf courses, the La Moye in St Brelade and Royal Jersey in Grouville which are members only and also Les Mielles and Les Ormes which are both 18-hole courses that are open to the public. Fishing is also very popular in Jersey and you can charter boats out from the harbor which will take you to the best spots and also provide you with all the equipment you need as well. Jersey has some stunning beaches, ideal for romantic strolls, swimming and sunbathing, and there are also plenty of watersports on offer including windsurfing, waterskiing and surfing, which are available at locations such as St Brelade’s Bay and St Ouen’s Bay.

Guernsey
Guernsey is another beautiful destination in the Channel Islands, and has a warm, almost tropical feel with some wonderful beaches and botanical gardens to enjoy. Guernsey is just 28 miles off the coast of France and has a distinctly Gallic way of life and the laid back atmosphere is ideal for relaxing on holiday and there are a number of amazing restaurants and bistros serving finely prepared local cuisine. Guernsey holds a strategic position in the Channel and has been occupied many times in its long history and there are a number of fortifications around the island including Ivy Castle (close to Le Bouet), which was once a Norman stronghold. There are also various remnants from WWII such as the German Underground Hospital at St Andrew. Guernsey also has a thriving arts community and the Guernsey Eisteddfod Society Annual Festival (www.guernseyeisteddfod.co.uk) is a popular event which is held throughout January, February and March each year and celebrates the best of local arts and entertainments.

Rome is one of the world’s most iconic cities, and there are so many wonderful things to see and do in this vibrant, romantic metropolis that visitors will be spoilt for choice.  Rome was once the centre of the civilized world and although its influence no longer dominants global events, this is still one of the most impressive cultural and artistic cities in the world with much to offer travelers of all ages.

Climate and Weather
Rome has a typically Mediterranean climate which means long, hot summers and mild, dry winters.  High humidity is common in the summer months and this combined with temperatures reaching as high as 37°C can make things very hot and sticky, so if you are visiting Rome during the summer remember to make sure your hotel has full air conditioning.  The winter season in Rome is moderate and this is a good time to come if you want to avoid the crowds and the heat, but colder conditions can strike the city at times with temperatures falling under the average 10°C mark with some rainy dull periods.

Rome, Italy

 
Getting Around
Getting around Rome is fairly easy, but there is little or no parking and some of the streets are very narrow so it is not a good idea to hire a car if you are intending to stay in the main city area.  Taxis are widely available and make sure you select a licensed company (these will be white or yellow vehicles with SPQR on the side), and also check out the official rates before you go which are posted on the website www.romaturismo.it, so you will know what charges to expect.  You cannot hail a cab in Rome, so you must go to a designated taxi rank or telephone a company directly to order one.  Buses and trams provide a cheap and efficient service all over the city and the main bus station is at the Stazione Termini on Piazza dei Cinquecento.  Buses usually run until around midnight, although limited services may be available after this on the main routes.  Trains run frequently to and from the main station at Stazione Termini, taking you all over Rome, Italy and on to many other European destinations.  Rome also has a metro system which is cheap and efficient and if you are feeling brave then cycling is another option, although you will have to negotiate the treacherous cobbled streets, steep hills and hectic traffic.

Money
Like any major tourist destination Rome can be an expensive place to visit and you should budget to spend around €40 a day minimum (on top of your accommodation) if you want to eat out and visit some of the main sights.  The currency is Euros and many of the museums are free to EU citizens under 18 or over 65, and there are also some sight seeing passes you can buy such as the Museo Nazionale Romano Card, which make visiting multiple tourist spots much cheaper.

The Pitcairn Islands is the last British territory in the pacific and it’s located in the southern Pacific Ocean. Prior to the 15th century when the first Polynesians settlers arrived there, the Islands remained uninhabited. The island offers an enjoyably moderate climate all year round.

To get to the Pitcairn islands, one must first fly to Mangareva in the Gambier Islands. Because the islands has no airstrips, one must approach the Islands by water and that may well mark the beginning of one’s vacation in the Pitcairn islands by boarding different cruise ships. Private yachts are available to ferry tourists to and from the islands.

The island is populated with barely fifty permanent residents who are descendants of the early Polynesian settlers. Due to a lack of ports of any kind, the island remains largely unexplored and is thus quite wild. There is no secure anchorage or lodging on the island and permission from the administration in Auckland must be sought and once granted, one will be furnished with lodging and other conveniences.

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A lovely place set in between the UK and Ireland, the Isle of Man offers plentiful attractions to keep all visitors happy every year. The island offers everything from steam engines to beautiful mountains and oceans bustling with exotic wildlife. Arguably the major attraction in this small island is Motorcycle racing which attracts thousands of bikers from all over the world.

Island Glens is a virgin island and it has lovely and pleasant natural gardens. The coastal regions have a lot of great beaches and pools, which are always a sight to behold and a location to revel and indulge in. There are about 17 National gardens here, each with its own beautiful milieu and cool and comfortable walkways.

There are museums in every town which informs tourists on the rich history and the importance of this place. The Manx museum is where all the national prizes are kept. Art collections and artifacts describing life as it had been much earlier, gives the visitors a good basis for comparison and a very good idea of how the island has evolved.
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Located close to the French Normandy, Jersey is a British Island that puzzle people as to how such a small place can offer such a wide range of attractions. Jersey is a Crown possession and does not really belong to the UK nor is it a part of the European Union. Amongst all the British Channel islands it is found to be the largest; the climatic conditions here are moderate and pleasant throughout the year. Winters and summers are mild.
If you plan to visit the Island of Jersey, this list of five must visit places will prove invaluable while planning.

The Jersey Art Center is where every kind of art related activity including performing art takes place and thus it is a very popular tourist destination. Shows, plays, and performances take place here on a daily basis. The performance, either by professionals or by amateurs, promises to be very entertaining. The royal view, interiors and the amount of information evident and deducible from the walls will awe any person visiting this center.

The Royal Jersey Show-ground is the location for almost all conferences and get-together here. The beautiful vista of the whole area can be enjoyed from the calm countryside which allows tourists to select places they want to visit. Family meetings and all such other events are held in the halls within the campus here and they are a frequent occurrence. The halls are a stone’s throw from St. Helier, the capital town, thereby making it easily accessible to all the residents on the islands.

The Jersey Zoo, founded by Gerald Durrell, occupies hundreds of acres and has many rare and exotic animals and birds on exhibition some of which are on the endangered species list. The animals within the perimeter of the zoo have full freedom to roam the length and breath of the place, with no inhibiting fences or cages. Viewing the animals in such a state gives one a glimpse into their behavior in their natural habitat. The center also engages in the breeding of some of the endangered species of wild life and frees them in the wild, once they can be reasonably sure that the released animals can survive on their own. This program helps the ecology survive and flourish by replenishing its fauna.

The Jersey War Tunnels is a delightful museum and it relates accurately the history of the German occupation of the islands during World War II. It also tells of the island’s growth and transition since then. This education makes the Jersey War tunnels so attractive and irresistible to the tourists.

Hauteville House once hosted the legendary Victor Hugo during his exile and is a popular attraction for tourists. Hugo is said to have gotten his inspiration from here and written Les Miserables. The house, furniture, books, and other items used by Hugo is well preserved within the Hauteville House. There are holiday villas, self catering holiday apartments and holiday cottages available to the tourists and they can rent these homes directly from their owners.

They are so many beautiful things to see in Jersey. You might get here and decide never to return home.