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A small island 14 miles off the coast of France, many are quick to dismiss Jersey as an antiquated or boring holiday destination, with recent figures indicating a decline in tourists.
From January to October 2025, just 424,400 people visited the island, 93,300 fewer than the same period in 2024.
In response to this, the tourism board has been tasked with reinvigorating interest in the destination — launching a new section of their Visit Jersey website, dedicated to enticing tourists with deals and pushing more advertising across the UK.
And, they’ve got a lot of material to work with. At just nine by five miles, while the Channel Island is small, it packs a punch, from Michelin starred meals to beaches that look like they could be in Spain or Portugal.
Plus, with a flight time of one hour and five minutes from London to the capital of St Helier, it’s just a hop, skip and a jump away.
So before you book that vacay to Anglesey or the Isle of White, here’s why you might want to consider Jersey instead.
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A little slice of the UK with a French twist
Metro’s travel team have visited Jersey, seeing first hand the charm of the tiny island.
When Senior Entertainment Reporter Pierra Willix visited for the first time, she was immediately struck by the clear European influence on show, making it a perfect spot for anyone who wants to get away, but isn’t quite yet into the idea of forsaking familiar home comforts.
Take a walk around the capital, St Helier, and you’ll see the blend of British and French influence right in front of you — picture a vibrant French food market, a stunning harbour (complete with a British chippy), old-man pubs and couples sipping cappuccinos and gin-infused cocktails.
Walk (or cycle) along the coast to the island’s second town, St Aubin. It’s here you’ll find the rowdy Trafalgar, with it’s live music and friendly locals.
While the temperatures aren’t exactly tropical pm Jersey, the island does experience a much milder summer than the mainland, with average temperatures in August sitting at around 20 degrees. And luckily, there’s some beautiful beaches to laze about on and enjoy the weather.
A short cycle ride from St Aubin will take you to St. Brelade’s Bay, located on the South West coast of the island.
Kristina was charmed by this sandy spot, noting how she had headed in the beach’s direction in search of the original Jersey Crab Shack.
‘I hadn’t realised quite how popular the seafood institution would be and ended up missing out on a table,’ she shared. ‘So be sure to book in advance. Instead, I opted for take out pizzas from the nearby Pizza Express, and had a picnic on the beach.’
Originally a fishing village, and just four miles from the capital, lies a slightly more secluded spot: Beauport Bay.
Accessible by a flight of stairs leading down to the coastline, this is one of the best spots on the island to marvel at the unspoilt landscape.
And, a third stretch of sand worth a visit is Portelet Beach, with steep steps that descend from the cliffs to a sun-trap beach. It’s also overlooked by thePortelet Inn, an olde worlde pub with panoramic views over the bay.
Given it’s location, Jersey is unsurprisingly home to both an impressive array of high quality seafood restaurants as well as a wealth of Portuguese cafes and restaurants, due to the large Madeiran community.
Pierra’s culinary highlights included Brassiere Colmar, Sangria Tapas and Restaurant and The Moorings, which has an oyster happy hour that’s supposedly to die for.
One of the things that sticks out from both Kristina and Pierra’s time in Jersey is how laid back the culture is there. Imagine the rest and relaxation you could find in Cornwall — minus the five million tourists.
There's adventure to be had too…
Latest figures show that around half of the visitors that head to Jersey are over the age of 55, but there’s fun for thrill-seeking Millennials and Gen Z too.
Jersey Seafaris offer exhilarating RIB boat tours around the coastline and beyond. One of their most popular tours takes you to The Ecrehous (prices start from £45.99 for adults) – a small group of isolated islands just eight miles from France.
There’s enough time for you to hop off, have a wander (and drink your tinnies) before heading back home. You might even spot some dolphins (and brace yourself for some high-speed doughnuts in the harbour).
Why not island hop to Guernsey?
For anyone craving a slightly less cosmopolitan getaway, Guernsey might be the right choice for you. While both islands offer a rich history and stunning landscapes, Guernsey tends to be a bit more quiet and with fewer developed areas.
This is largely due to the big disparity in population, with only 62,000 permanent residents in Guernsey, compared to Jersey’s population of approximately 110,000.
The Channel Islands have so much to offer, why not make one of them your home for the week this year.
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