Things to do in Jersey

Jersey has a lot to offer visitors, from stunning natural beauty and outdoor recreation to medieval castles and charming coastal towns. The island is famous for its walking paths and the Gerald Durrell Zoo, which is renowned for its conservation work. Cultivated gardens and natural areas can be found all over Jersey. Visitors can explore the award-winning Eric Young Orchid Foundation, or the fragrant nine-acre Lavender Farm. St Helier is the islands main town, and offers a variety of attractions in itself. With such a long and interesting history, Jersey has plenty to see and do.

Elizabeth Castle and the Hermitage

Built on a tiny island and only accessible at low tide, this picturesque castle was built by Sir Walter Raleigh in the 1590s, when he was governor of Jersey. Inside are exhibitions explaining the historical role of the castle, which has seen a number of rulers including the Nazis during WWII. Next door is the Hermitage, a small chapel that has been a holy site since the 12th century. There is a daily show at noon where the Master Gunner tells some of the castles history and fires an authentic black powder cannon (tel: +44 001534 863955).

Eric Young Orchid Foundation

Believe it or not, Jersey is home to the worlds largest collection of orchids. Eric Youngs passion for the exotic and delicate orchid can be seen in the amazing variety and sheer number of plants in this park. The orchids are displayed in wonderfully landscaped gardens made up of tree trunks, glass houses and miniature waterfalls.

German Underground Hospital

The underground tunnels and rooms of this hospital were carved out of solid rock by the Nazis during WWII using slave labour. Today, this impressive complex has been turned into an exhibition describing the German occupation of Jersey. Photographs, documents and a collection of WWII firearms and other memorabilia combine with the locals personal experiences to make this a rather stirring attraction.

Jersey Museum

The history, culture and traditions of this island go back thousands of years. This award-winning museum does an excellent job presenting and explaining Jerseys past from the earliest days to modern times (tel: +44 01534 863955).

Jersey Zoo

It may seem a bit out of place, but Jerseys zoo is renowned throughout the world for its extensive conservation work with endangered species. The Jersey Zoo is the headquarters of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and houses a wide variety of exotic animals on its 42-acre complex. Visitors can learn all about the worlds most endangered creatures and even adopt a lemur at the zoo (tel: +44 01534 860000).

La Hougue Bie Museum

This burial mound from the Neolithic Age dates back 5,500 years, giving proof of Mankinds long-running presence on Jersey. The sites museum has geology and archeology displays, as well as a reproduced Neolithic House, which gives visitors an insight into the daily life of these early dwellers who built the burial mound (tel: +44 01534 893955).

Mont Orgueil Castle

Another of Jerseys stunning castles, Mont Orgueil was built in the 13th century to protect the island against French invasions. The castle is perched atop a dramatic hill that overlooks the harbour at Gorey. This is one of the best preserved castles in Britain, and has views all the way across the Channel to France (tel: +44 01534 633301).

St Helier

Jerseys largest town is also home to some of its finest attractions. Visitors can admire the landmark Elizabeth Castle, perched on its own little island in the bay and accessible only at low tide. Fort Regent, another former castle with excellent views across the bay, is now a modern leisure complex. For culture, theres the award-winning Jersey Museum, the Maritime Museum and the Occupation Tapestry Gallery. In addition to these sites, the town itself is a wonderful little place with plenty of shops, cafes and markets to explore.

The Points

Jersey has a series of Points, which are basically scenic hilltop headlands overlooking the water. They offer some of the most dramatic views on the island and are well worth a visit. Most of the Points are located on the northern side of Jersey. Grosnez and Plemont are two of the most popular, followed by Belle Hougue, Ronez, Sorel and Vicard Points.