A holiday at the centre of it all
Enjoy an island break in any season from the ideal, central location of Hotel Cristina in Jersey. You can make the most of the coast, country and town as you’ll be ideally situated to access all parts of the island from the north and east, to the south and west. Only a mile away from Jersey’s centre stone, you really are in the middle of it all. See how you can spend your island break in Jersey with the following itinerary.
Day 1
Trails, tracks, lanes and paths
The green lanes and cycle routes through the centre of Jersey are underrated and just as scenic as the show-stopping coastline. You can explore the greenery on two wheels or on two feet as you wind through the valleys filled with countryside charm. Your first morning can be spent exploring Waterworks Valley, which is the closest route to the Cristina and takes you past reservoirs and picturesque lanes filled with wilderness and wonder. Every turn is another stunning view that could be taken straight out of a fairytale. There’s much to be explored in St Lawrence valley, including wooded walks and fun, windy lanes to cycle through. You can now even rent an e-bike direct from the hotel!
The track will eventually take you to the Hamptonne Country Life Museum where you can wander around the farmstead that depicts the way country life was lived in Jersey over the years. You can even take a walk through the cider apple orchard, meet the Hamptonne piglets and lambs and let the kids run free in the playground.
Alternatively, you can explore the next closest route of St Peter’s valley, which has a new dedicated cycle track built parallel to the road that takes you through the fields and over rivers, by a windmill and a reservoir and eventually past the historic Victoria in the Valley pub. Walkers can choose to use the cycle route or the wooded track where you’ll enjoy wildlife and wildflowers like bluebells and Lesser Celandine.
Slightly further afield from the Cristina is Fern Valley, where walkers can enjoy a secluded wooded walk through a short loop that takes you through the lower valley and up along the hillside where you get a serene view over the tree line below.
For cyclists there are many routes that vary in difficulty that will connect you from the Cristina to all parts of the island. There are routes for young children to enjoy and routes that will challenge advanced cyclists, and everything in between. Throughout the rest of your stay you’ll find routes from the Cristina that will take you up to the parish of St John where you can enjoy the north coast tracks that can take you down hairpin turns into covey beaches like Bouley Bay. You’ll also find a route that will connect you through St Peter’s valley, all the way to St Ouen where you can take on the west coast by storm and venture down the 5-mile road. There’s also more than one way to get to the east coast where you can explore the coast road by Gorey castle or all the way to St Catherine’s breakwater. Jersey has miles of road just waiting to be explored and you can enjoy a different track every day of the week.
Day 2
Step back in time
The Cristina is not only ideal for walkers and cyclists but also for those looking to explore the history of the island. Looking over St Aubin’s Bay in front of the hotel sits Elizabeth castle which dates back 400 years to the days of Sir Walter Raleigh. The islet the castle sits on even predates any fortifications back to the early days of Jersey when Saint Helier lived at the Hermitage situated there around 550 A.D. On the morning of your second day you can reach the castle by walking across the ancient causeway if it’s low tide or by the amphibious castle ferry at either low or high tide. A visit to the castle is sure to be a highlight for the whole family as there’s much to explore and do.
Close by to the Cristina is also the Jersey War Tunnels, an expansive underground network of tunnels and bunkers built by the Nazi regime, through the use of slave labour, when the island was occupied during WW2. On your second afternoon why not explore the exhibits that take you through the oppression faced by islanders under occupation and the adversity, they had to endure. Hear the stories first hand and understand Jersey’s occupation story from those that lived through it.
You can delve even deeper into the occupation story by challenging you and your family or friends to an escape room at Jersey War Tunnels. Put yourself in the boots of a team of Commandos who have landed in Jersey, broken into the War Tunnels and need to execute their mission of breaking into a German Commandant’s office in search for new fortification plans. See if you have what it takes to crack the codes and solve the puzzles.
Days 3-4
On your doorstep
Being situated in the centre of the island, the Cristina is also conveniently located close to the main town centre of St Helier. Being just a short 20-30 minute walk into town you have access to the whole island. Start your morning off with a shopping spree at VAT-free prices and be sure to enjoy lunch from one of the many fine-dining restaurants that will leave your taste buds wanting more. Don’t miss a beat and be sure to book an evening show at the historic Jersey Opera House or get connected with the local theatre scene at the Jersey Arts Centre. Better yet, you’re close to the main marina where you can enjoy a boozy boat tour around the island’s stunning south coast.
Just on the other side of the bay, equidistant to town, is the small fishing village of St Aubin. Here you can take part in a number of water sports on your fourth morning in Jersey like jet skis, wakeboarding and water skiing, all which launch from La Haule slipway. Just around the headland from the Yacht Club, at the far end of the bulwarks, is the secluded beach of Belcroute. Here you can book a guided kayak tour from Kayak Adventures and launch from the slipway and paddle to the fort situated in the middle of the bay.
On your return from your water sport adventure, you can dine at one of the many popular restaurants in St Aubin which span the full spectrum of foreign delicacies like Thai, Indian, South African and of course the option for fish and chips. Be sure you don’t miss out on a meal or cocktail at the highly sought after Tides restaurant or Voyager cocktail bar which overlooks the entire bay with panoramic views. Enjoy an evening out in this quaint harbour town and take your pick on your return journey back to the hotel which could be a short bus ride, or about a 30-minute walk along the Avenue which is well lit and looks over the bay basked in moonlight.
From start to finish your day can be full of adventure when you stay at Hotel Cristina. And with the convenience of everything being so close by you don’t need to worry about a long car journey or getting stuck in traffic. You can even spend your Sunday topping up your tan with relaxed live music and decadent cocktails overlooking St Aubin’s Bay on the Cristina’s panoramic terrace in Indigo’s. The perfect place for a lazy lunch, or simply to catch a drink before enjoying the best quality aged Irish steaks in Jersey and a sunset to die for. A popular local spot to enjoy the best food and views the island has to offer.
