Jersey is a small Island but there are lots of places to see and things to do. Much of this builds on the Island’s history as a tourist destination but there’s a lot more on offer than buckets and spades.
A Quick Guided Tour
Start off in St Helier where you can pick up armloads of brochures and leaflets from the Jersey Tourism Visitors’ Centre. The Jersey Museum, which is a good introduction to the Island, is just a short walk away, and across the busy road in a converted warehouse is the exciting Maritime Museum.
If you’ve got time you can follow the Maritime Trail around the Waterfront, starting at Liberation Square, going along the New North Quay and the Albert Pier where Jersey’s longitude and latitude is marked on the seawall, and where signal stones interpret maritime signals. Then catch a bus to various interesting attractions dotted around the Island.
You can have a full day in Gorey, visiting Mont Orgueil and stopping for lunch at one of the many restaurants and bistros nearby. At the end of the jetty below the castle is Discovery Pier where you can learn about the Island’s marine environment and the many shipwrecks dotted around the coast. A short walk away is the Jersey Pottery, which is also a good place for lunch, but is mainly a working pottery where you can see items being made and then buy from a huge selection.
Samares Manor
On the way back to town through St Clement you could stop off at Samarès Manor to view the gardens, including one of the biggest herb gardens in Britain. There are also plenty of other attractions, including a working farmyard and Jersey Woodturners.
Back in St Helier, you can walk or ride westwards along the length of St Aubin’s Bay seafront, stopping off at the Glass Church at Millbrook where the interior is made largely of Lalique glass. Continuing along the coast you come to the tiny port of St Aubin, which has many fine restaurants and pubs. This is also the location of the Harbour Galley, which is a very attractive arts and crafts centre where plenty of events are held.
Heading for St Brelade’s Beach, which is one of the most popular in the Island, you can stop off and view the medieval wall paintings in the Fisherman’s Chapel.
Further west you come to the sandy expanse of St Ouen’s Bay. Towards L’Etacq in the north west, you will find a group of attractions, including a jewellery centre, Jersey Woollen Mills, the Channel Island Military Museum and, on the other side of the road, Jersey Pearl. Well worth a visit is the Battle of Flowers Museum just off the Five Mile Road at Mont des Corvées. It has been created by Florence Bechelet, who has been a strong supporter of this huge floral festival for more than 70 years, and includes a history of the Battle of Flowers and many of the exhibits she has made from harestails and marram grass. Back on La Route de L’Etacq, there are fascinating geological exhibits at the Treasures of the Earth and further inland, Bouchet Agateware, close to St Ouen’s Church, is an exhibition centre and shop for this unique type of pottery.
Sunset Nurseries at La Route du Moulin, St Peter is a flower centre but also home to a sand sculpture park. The Living Legend in the heart of St Peter, includes a multi-media presentation called the Jersey Experience, adventure golf courses, a karting complex and a shopping village. Also in St Peter you will find several attractions – the aMaizin Maze and the Catherine Best jewellery workshop and showrooms at the Windmill.
Pallot Steam Museum
The parish of Trinity, further to the east, has the Pallot Steam Museum, the world-class Eric Young Orchid Foundation and, of course, Durrell, run by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Then in St Lawrence, there’s the Lion Park with a collection of attractions including Jersey Goldsmith’s and activities for children, and the historic farm at Hamptonne Country Life Museum.
The tiny parish of St Mary has La Mare Wine estate, where you can see the complete wine-making process and sample the results. There’s more besides, but that should give you plenty of ideas to keep you busy for a good deal longer than a day!
You can find out more about many of the attractions listed here in the rest of our Lifestyle section.
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