The largest Channel Island is at once a sleepy rural retreat and a haunt of luxury-loving sophisticates. With more sunshine hours than anywhere in the UK, a virtually untouched 70km coastline and an impressive concentration of à la carte eateries, there’s plenty here to tempt visitors.
Fine dining
Four Michelin-starred restaurants, a clutch of AA Rosettes and an internationally famous food festival combine to make Jersey a true gourmet hotspot. Treat your travelling companion with a candlelit meal at elegant eatery Bohemia (Green Street, St Helier), dine on locally caught fish at French bistro-style Ormer by Shaun Rankin (7-11 Don Street, St Helier), or watch your meal being cooked on an in-restaurant TV screen at one-Michelin-starred Tassili (Esplanade, St Helier). The annual Jersey Food Festival in May offers the chance to sample local specialities such as Jersey Royal potatoes, fresh seafood and cheese.
Get active
To counter the effects of all that glorious grub, Jersey offers an array of adrenaline sports. The island is the home of blokarting – a cross between windsurfing and go-karting – and if racing other blokarters across the golden sands of St Brelade’s Bay doesn’t appeal, then you could always try skydiving, coasteering, jet-skiing, kayaking or a relaxed game of golf at the 18-hole La Moye Golf Course (St Brelade). BonAirRidingSchool (La Grande Route de St Laurent) runs sunset beach rides, while the coastal path between Grosnez and Rozel takes in the scenic highlights of the island at a more relaxed pace.
Sun-drenched sands
Tropical-style sandy beaches combined with balmy weather for much of the year making a holiday to Jersey from Glasgow Airport the perfect beach break. Most visitors head to the white sands of St Brelade’s Bay or Grève de Lecq, but it’s worth venturing off the tourist trail to explore the hidden gems scattered around the island’s coast. St Ouen’s Bay, OuaisneBay and Green Island are all secluded sunspots – and watching the colourful fishing boats coming into the harbour at RozelBay is an idyllic way to spend an afternoon. Herm Island’s unique ShellBeach is also an easy ferry ride away.