Tiny, compact and brimming with history, St Peter Port is the capital and main port of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. A stroll along its steep, cobbled streets is like traipsing through the best of Europe: The 800-year-old Castle Cornet stands sentinel. A Town Church is housed in an historic chapel building. Candie Gardens offer breathtaking views across St Peter Port harbor. The Hauteville House, home to Victor Hugo from 1856-70, precisely preserves the Frenchman’s DIY surroundings when he wrote Les Misérables. And, of course, world-class dining and shopping options abound.

Enjoy the scenic trip through the rolling French countryside to Paris and spend the day savoring it’s gardens, museums and historic sites. Visit the Louvre, Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. Take a boat ride along the Seine and a stroll along the Champs Elysee. Or visit historic Rouen or the battlefields of Normandy.

Site of Operation Dynamo, the mass evacuation of Allied soldiers in May 1940 recently spotlighted by Christopher Nolan’s 2017 film, Dunkirk is awash in wartime history and Flemish-influenced cuisine. Visit the non-profit Mémorial du Souvenir to learn about the evacuation – it’s housed in Bastion 32, a 1874-built coastal defence base, that was Allied and French headquarters during Operation Dynamo. You’ll hear the chiming bells of Unesco World Heritage–listed Le Beffroi before you see its 50 bells for yourself; keep climbing for a view that stretches the English Channel. Nearby is Église St-Éloi and its glorious stained glass and massive pipe organ. If it’s a French beach you seek, head to Malo-Les-Bains for a swim and an appreciation of the shoreline’s history.

Made famous by its beautiful white cliffs, Dover is located on the Strait of Dover at England’s closest point to continental Europe. Steeped in history, Dover’s famous white chalk cliffs and its Medieval castle have guarded England from Roman to modern times. A tour of the castle offers views of the Secret Operations Room, the Communications Room, the Hospital and the Napoleonic casements. Stroll along the miles of National Trust countryside and coastline with its spectacular views of the white cliffs and the Dover Straits, and the landmark Victorian South Foreland Lighthouse. Visit the still working Crabble Corn Mill built in 1812 and the 3500 year old Bronze Age boat at the Dover Museum. Dover can be your gateway to London, with its exceptional museums, monuments, world-class shopping and restaurants.