Travel and Tours A guided tour of the island’s best bits

Road to discovery

Jersey may be small, but it has a lot to offer, so make sure you don’t miss out!

Although Jersey is modest in size, its winding leafy lanes and coastal roads provide over 350 miles of routes for visitors to explore. Whether you traverse the island by hire-car, coach, bus or pushbike, there are plenty of places to see on your journey. So, sit back and relax while we take you on a tour of the highlights.

If you want to travel in style visit Le Riche Restorers, home of Jersey Classic Car Hire, and pick from their range of classic cars, which include the Citroën 2CV Dolly, Triumph Stag and MG Sprite, as well as VW Campervans to get you from A to B.

Our first stop is a family favourite, Jersey Zoo – home of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Situated four miles north of St Helier, in the parish of Trinity, it is easily accessible by car, bicycle, bus or coach. Here you will find a range of animals including apes, bears, lemurs, meerkats, reptiles and birds in addition to seasonal activities.

If you fancy a meander around the east coast, start at St Catherine’s Breakwater where you can find the Sandwizard, Simon Smith’s giant sandcastle sculpture, and the popular Breakwater Café, with its award-winning ice cream.

Next head west towards St Clements to The Botanic Gardens at Samarès Manor, where you’ll find unique plant collections which thrive in Jersey’s exceptionally fertile soil. It’s also home to one of the largest herb gardens in the UK.

Now time for some history as you move onto Mont Orgueil Castle in Gorey, one of the world’s finest medieval castles. Here you can discover secret rooms, gruesome tales and hidden treasures.

No tour of Jersey would be complete without driving down Five Mile Road, which is, believe it or not, one of the longest roads on the island. This road, which runs

alongside St Ouen’s bay, not only provides travellers with beautiful vistas along the way, but also a range of eateries where you can grab a drink or light bite while soaking up scenery and fresh sea air.

If you want to let someone else take the wheel, Jersey’s public transport network is the perfect way to get around. The bus services from Liberation Station are linked with the island’s main locations and attractions, so you won’t miss a thing.

Coach tours are also a great way to navigate the island’s top spots while taking in the sights. Visitors can choose from modern fleets to beautifully restored, open-top vintage buses, so take your pick and enjoy Jersey!

Top spots

There are so many places of interest around the island we’d hate for you to miss them, so here are our popular picks...

South Coast

✓ St Aubin’s Harbour and village – Home to one of the island’s original harbours, this quaint fishing village is a mixture of historic houses, great restaurants and steep winding streets, with panoramic views of the sea. ✓ Elizabeth Castle – You can’t visit St Aubin’s Bay without going to see the castle that defended Jersey for more than 300 years. If you time it right you can walk across at low tide or alternatively take the amphibious ferry.

West Coast

✓ The Orchid Field – Experience a riot of colour in the orchid meadows at Le Noir Pré, one of the last remaining strongholds of the Jersey orchid. Located near St Ouen’s Pond and the Wetland Centre, off Chemin de L’Ouzière.

North Coast

✓ Grève de Lecq beach – This beach straddles the border between St Mary and St Ouen. Its sandy shores and selection of cafés, restaurants and pubs make it a popular destination for all. ✓ Bonne Nuit beach – This small fishing harbour in St John has an exceptionally quiet beach that’s well protected from the wind by the hills surrounding it. At low tide you’ll find a small stretch of sand between the harbour and the pebble beach.

St Helier

✓ Jersey Museum and Art Gallery – Learn about the island’s history with a free viewing of ‘The Story of Jersey’. The museum showcases the island’s history through the centuries, exploring the factors that have shaped Jersey and its people. ✓ Maritime Museum – This interactive museum is great fun for little and big kids!

Country

✓ Hamptonne Country Life Museum – Costumed characters re-enact rural Jersey life at this traditional 15th century house and farm in St Lawrence. ✓ Catherine Best – Visit the southernmost windmill in the British Isles and see the beautiful handcrafted jewellery being made. Visitors can also sit and relax on the sunny terrace beneath the café. St Peter. ✓ Jersey Hospice Shop – Bag a bargain at the charity warehouse that raises funds for local hospice care. There’s plenty of parking. Beau Pre, St Ouen.

Samarès Manor

Time to refuel

South Coast

✓ Lookout Beach Café –Al fresco and inside seating, spectacular views, plenty of seafood and salads and amazing burgers, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Victoria Avenue, St Helier – park in layby 4 or 5 going west from St Helier. ✓ Seafish Café & Restaurant – Find all your fish and chip favourites with locally caught fresh fish. St Aubin’s harbour, and Café in Liberty Wharf, St Helier. ✓ Tides Restaurant and Bar – Enjoy a casual bite at the bar, a delectable dish al fresco on the terrace, or a romantic dinner overlooking the twinkling lights of St Aubin and St Helier. ✓ Kismet Cabana Beach Kiosk – A culinary celebration of beach culture and street food cuisine from around the world. Sit in or takeaway. Plenty of parking. Ouaisne Bay, St Brelade. ✓ Golden Sands Café Bar and Restaurant – There’s nothing like eating fresh seafood beside the sea with spectacular views. St Brelade’s Bay.

West Coast

✓ El Tico Beach Cantina – Majestic views over the bay with casual dining. St Ouen’s Bay. windmill while enjoying something to eat and drink from the

North Coast

✓ Plémont Beach Café – Incredible views and fabulous food using Genuine Jersey produce where possible. Plémont. ✓ Colleen’s Café – A relaxed, friendly beach café a stone’s throw from the beach. Grève de Lecq.

East Coast

✓ Breakwater Café – Overlooking the bay and breakwater. Outdoor and indoor dining and fantastic Jersey ice cream. St Catherine’s.