The largest settlement on Jersey Island, Saint Helier has played a significant role in the military and maritime history of the Channel Islands. It boasts excellent museums and a charismatic produce market, which are set around its bustling harbour.
Things to do in Saint Helier
Wander around the historic Central Market, which exhibits Victorian architectural features, such as cast-iron detailing and an ornamental fountain. Stalls selling fresh produce, flowers and ready-to-eat items cluster in the market, with fishmongers located in the adjacent Beresford Market.
Delve into the history of the island at the Jersey Museum, with exhibits detailing its farming industries and the mammoths that once traversed the land. Explore the recreated Victorian townhouse and play with the vintage toys, then admire the paintings connected to Saint Helier and Jersey.
Visit the award-winning Maritime Museum, which boasts a range of colourful and interactive exhibits that bring Jersey’s long and storied maritime history to life. Feel the gale-force winds that Saint Helier’s residents often encounter and gain a better insight of how the tides affect daily life, then learn how to design and float your own ship.
If you’re interested in Jersey’s wartime history, visit the Channel Islands Military Museum, housed within a German bunker that once formed part of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall defences. Witness military artefacts and listen to the audio commentary of locals recounting their personal experiences during the five years that Jersey spent under German occupation.
Getting around Saint Helier
Saint Helier is a 15-minute drive from the Jersey Airport and is connected to destinations across the island by bus. The town is easily explored on foot and a popular cycling route winds along the coast from Saint Helier to nearby Saint Aubin.