Explore Ice Age sites of Jersey’s earliest residents alongside medieval Castles. Experience the island’s history through the ages to the WW2 occupation and beyond.
Day 1
Breakfast in The Bay
Start your day of discovery at one of the most important Ice Age sites in Europe, but this walk can’t be tackled on an empty stomach. Tucked away with views across Ouaisné Bay, Kismet Cabana is a culinary celebration of beach culture and street food cuisine from around the world. What better way to start your adventure than with some proper flavoursome fuel? Kismet are proud to work with local suppliers to create a delicious menu catering to different tastes, including a creative vegetarian and vegan selection.
In the summer months, why not end the day by the bay and enjoy the sublime sounds of live music as you tackle a couple of locally brewed sundowners.
Ice Age Walking Tour
Palaeolithic cave-living hunter gatherers were Jersey’s earliest residents (250,000 BC). Jersey Heritage have carefully curated their Ice Age Island Trail which weaves its way from Ouaisné Bay to St. Aubin’s Village via the hunting grounds of La Cotte De St. Brelade. The walk takes about 2 hours in total and will pass through Portelet Bay and the heavily fortified Noirmont point.
Once in the enchanting village of St. Aubin, why not grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants and cafes.
La Hougue Bie Museum
With a name derived from the Old Norse of the Vikings – haugr meaning a mound and byr – that’s bound up with a medieval legend of a dragon and a knight, it’s no surprise that La Hougue Bie is a magical and truly memorable experience. Home to one of the ten oldest buildings in the world. during the Neolithic period (4000 BC), many communities settled in Jersey, the island’s many standing stones and burial chambers date from these times.
There is a café onsite, so when you’ve finished exploring take some time out to sit and marvel at this fascinating site over lunch or a cup of coffee.
Day 2
Mont Orgueil Castle
Mont Orgueil Castle, or Gorey Castle as it was first known, has cast its imposing shadow over the beautiful fishing port of Gorey for more than 800 years. One of the finest examples of a medieval fortress in existence, Mont Orgueil is also a symbol of Jersey’s national identity and independent character. Take in breathtaking views of the French coast as you delve into the network of staircases, towers and secret rooms to discover gruesome tales and hidden treasures.
Grosnez Castle
Grosnez Castle is a ruined 14th-century castle in St. Ouen, situated in Grosnez in the north-west corner of the island. Philippe de Carteret held it against the French when they held half of Jersey between 1461 and 1467, but it has been a ruin since the mid-16th century. Today, the ruins are open to the public and free to visit, with concrete steps that lead from the rear of Grosnez Castle to an automated signal station where you will have fantastic views across to the other Channel Islands. During the 16th century, Jersey’s production of knitwear reached such a scale that laws were passed restricting who could knit, and when.
Day 3
Elizabeth Castle
Elizabeth Castle is accessible at low tide by foot, or, at both low and high tide, the castle ferry will transport you across the bay to and from the castle. Elizabeth Castle is the perfect place to spend a day exploring Jersey’s history. Climb the battlements, explore the turrets and bunkers and discover the Hermitage where Saint Helier is thought to have lived around 550 A.D.
Maritime Museum & Occupation Tapestry
Discover Jersey’s maritime past in this uniquely interactive museum. Set by the historic harbour of St. Helier, the Maritime Museum is all about seafaring, navigation and the elements. Through interactive exhibits you can feel the force of a gale, understand the tides and learn how to design and float a ship.
Also on site is the Occupation Tapestry Gallery, housing 13 richly colourful panels of the tapestry that depicts life and hardship under military rule and were created from the memories and stories of islanders who experienced it first-hand.
Pierson Pub
The pub is nestled in the corner of the Royal Square in the centre of St. Helier. Named after Major Francis Pierson, it contains historical reminders of the Battle of Jersey in 1781.
Enjoy a range of ales on tap with food served at lunchtime throughout the year, and evening meals also on offer in summer. Buzzing with locals and visitors alike. Tomorrow you’ll discover the many towers that were built as a result of the Battle of Jersey.
Day 4
History Alive!
You can’t help but notice that Jersey’s coastline is dotted with varying grand towers. These coastal towers were built between 1779 and 1837 to defend the island following the Battle of Jersey. Bring your battle history to life and book a guided tour with accredited military history expert Marc Yates from History Alive! This isn’t just sightseeing. Discover Jersey’s rich history with interactive guiding, technology and props.
Stay Overnight in Seymour Tower
Join your very own guide for a once-in-a-lifetime experience staying overnight, two kilometres offshore, in the 18th century Seymour Tower. Completely surrounded by sea twice a day, the tower offers a fantastic base for exploring Jersey’s marine wilderness at low tide and observing the epic constellations that grace the night sky.
Day 5
Jersey Museum
This fascinating museum provides history from 250,000 years ago, when the first people arrived in Jersey and continues through the centuries to explore the factors that have shaped this unique island and the people who live here. Find out why Jersey remained loyal to the English Crown despite being so close to France; listen to Jersey-French being spoken and learn about the island’s traditional farming industry.
Also on site is the beautifully restored Victorian House ready for you to explore and where you enter the drama of a Victorian family in crisis. Whilst here, discover the life and times of world renown poet Victor Hugo who called Jersey home for a number of years.
EVie Bike Geo-tourist Trails
The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by German forces in WW2. The five-year occupation came to an end on 9 May 1945 – which is known as Liberation Day, an event still celebrated in Jersey with an annual Bank Holiday. Download the Geotourist app to follow the Occupation Trails to explore how the Occupation has left an extraordinary legacy in Jersey. Grab yourself a dockless EVie Bike to explore the trail!
Want a bit more from your tour, why not book a guided tour with Jersey War Tours? Join for a bunker tour and visit sites not open to the public and become a member of the team for an experience you will not forget.
Jersey War Tunnels
Jersey War Tunnels tells the true story of wartime Jersey. Get a true picture of what life was really like in Jersey during WW2, the hardship, the heartache and the heroism, in the words of the people who were there. The exhibition is housed within an underground tunnel complex, built by the Germans using slave labour. In addition to the exhibition, visitors can also enjoy the war trail, garden of reflection, visitor centre, gift shop and café.
If you think you have what it takes, why not take on the Escape Rooms; a real-life adventure game, with mysterious puzzles and brainteasing clues!
