Sees what the guidebooks said to see (6)
I believe the answer is:
sights
'sees' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with perception as well as being verbs in their -s form.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sights that I've seen before include "Things worth seeing" , "Places of interest for tourists" , "Visual perceptions" , "they look ridiculous" , "Spectacles" .)