Jersey holidays

Holidays to Jersey land you on an island just off the Normandy coast, where French and English influences blur together to form a continental collage.

French flair and hallmarks of home

This part-British, part-French place, where road signs and menus are mostly in French, but locals chatter in the Queen’s and drive on the left, has some seriously impressive coastal scenery. Steep craggy cliffs are punctuated with sleepy fishing villages, and there’s a Cornish feel to the pretty coves and bays. It’s the biggest of the Channel Islands, and the capital – St Helier – is up with the times – you can expect edgy street food vendors, luxe boutiques and a swish marina.

Coastal claims to fame

Jersey’s rugged shoreline means that most of its beaches are nestled in coves and bays. St Brelade’s Beach, on the south of the island, is one of the most popular – it’s a wide sandy sweep that might look familiar if you tuned in to the recent reboot of 1980s detective drama Bergerac. The show’s proven so popular that a second season came out in April 2026, also set and shot in Jersey. It’s not the first time this place has been in the spotlight, either – spots like St Ouen’s Bay, the island’s longest beach, featured in the 2017 psychological thriller Beast, starring Jessie Buckley. Want to escape the crowds? Smaller but equally pretty beaches include Portelet and Beauport. They’re a little more secluded thanks to their steep, rugged access routes.

An island steeped in history

From centuries-old castles to wartime relics, Jersey’s got plenty for history buffs to dig their teeth into. At the La Hougue Bie Museum, you can see the world’s largest Iron Age Celtic hoard, which puzzled archaeologists for over a decade – that was until a 2025 geological survey revealed the collection of coins and jewellery might’ve been hauled over from northern France to keep them out of Julius Caesar’s hands. On a visit to Elizabeth Castle in St Aubin’s Bay, you can climb battlements dating back to the 1590s. And at the Jersey War Tunnels, you can learn about what life was like when Germany occupied the island during WWII. This huge network of underground tunnels was built to withstand air raids, and was converted into a hospital in 1943.

A Michelin star-studded dining scene

When castle climbs leave you craving something a little more substantial than a crumbled up granola bar that’s sunk to the bottom of your backpack, Jersey comes up trumps. Though the island is small, its culinary scene is mighty – eight Michelin-starred eateries are dotted across the country. They make masterpieces of local oysters, Jersey Royal potatoes and butter made with milk from – you guessed it – Jersey cows. Sightseeing’s thirsty work, too, so don’t miss the chance to quench your thirst with a craft beer at one of the island’s breweries. Lots of them set up shop during the local food festivals that shine a light on local produce throughout the year.