The glorious island escape that’s just a 60-minute flight from the UK

Stunning bays and beautiful beaches at every turn (Picture: VFKA/Getty Images) Just a short flight from London is a beautiful island with expansive sandy beaches, world-class seafood and fascinating history. Any guesses? It’s Jersey of course, the southernmost of the Channel Islands and the comeback kid of British tourism. After decades of losing its sparkle, Jersey is welcoming a fresh wave of visitors, drawn by new direct flights from Europe and the growing appeal of holidays close to home for UK travellers. As Tricia Warwick, CEO of Visit Jersey, puts it: ‘Jersey offers a genuine sense of somewhere else, without the long-haul flight.’ So what’s it all about? Exploring the island The more I spoke to locals, the more I realised how much there is to see and do in Jersey. At every corner of this tiny island of just nine by five miles was a bay I’d been encouraged to visit, each one more spectacular than the last with vast stretches of golden sand and inviting blue water. Jersey has some of the ‘largest tidal ranges in the world’, Tricia tells me. This means the island nearly doubles in size at low tide, creating bigger versions of the already breathtaking beaches. Mont Orgueil castle overlooks Gorey Harbour on the east of the island (Picture: Getty Images) Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. A standout was definitely Gorey Harbour, which I got to via a scenic bus route, passing Jersey royal cows grazing peacefully along the way. The idyllic fishing port sits beneath the iconic Mont Orgueil Castle, which serves as an historic symbol of Jersey’s identity, having played a part in major battles and revolutions, from the War of the Roses in the mid 1400s to the French Revolution some 300 years later. In its shade are locals and tourists enjoying dips off a secluded jetty that looks out to northwestern France. If you follow the groups taking takeaway pizzas with bottles of beer behind the back of the pier, you’ll find a small pebble beach with a slipway that provides the perfect entry point to the sea. Another place worth mentioning is St Aubin’s Bay, where the water was crystal clear and the sand stretched for miles. The port town attached has a relaxed holiday feel, without the crowds of Devon or Cornwall, and a whole host of charming pubs, cafes and restaurants. The pretty seaside town of St. Aubin’s is a great place to spend an afternoon (Picture: Getty Images) Once you’ve had enough of the dazzling coast (though it really is hard to tire of), there’s several museums to get lost in. A highlight of the trip was making my way over to the Jersey War Tunnels – a fascinating and expertly laid out exhibition detailing what life was like for the island under Nazi occupation. A few minutes by bus is St Helier, a lovely town with a quirky mix of stores selling luxury goods (there’s no VAT on products here) and old High Street shops I hadn’t entered in over a decade (think Matalan, New Look). A beautiful place to stay The base for my stay was Longueville Manor, the only AA Five Red Star hotel in Jersey, situated on 17 acres of immaculately manicured private grounds. It’s boutique: there are 29 luxurious rooms in the manor house that can be traced back as far as the 14th century, but post-war restorations started by Sidney and Edith Lewis have made it what it is today. Even if there was nothing to do in Jersey (and there is), this would be a great place to pass a weekend (Picture: Charlotte Minter) My room was the Magnolia Junior Suite which easily fit two cloud-like twin beds (or one super king), a pair of plush armchairs, a substantial vanity and a small dining table with seats. The bathroom was the stuff of dreams, with a large freestanding tub, twin sinks and a spacious walk-in shower. No expense is spared on the toiletries, with premium Gaia products coming in at over £20 a bottle. The rooms at Longueville are bright and spacious (Picture: Longueville Manor) Small gestures stood out: the basket of fruit and a small bottle of wine left in my room, ice cold water brought while I was sunbathing on a lounger, and the swift arrival of an iron at a moment’s notice. All of it left me feeling genuinely cared for. There is an on-site spa called The Cottage Garden, where you can get massages using Jersey Skin oils, body cupping therapy and facials. The bespoke massage was 60 minutes of pure relaxation and a fantastically indulgent way to spend an hour of my getaway. I’ll spare you the image of me in the tub (Picture: Longueville Manor) But undoubtedly, the most memorable thing about Longueville is the award-winning Michelin Key restaurant, head cheffed by Andrew Baird. Dining there was a real treat and firmly cemented Jersey as a destination for seafood. We enjoyed local Royal Bay oysters sourced around the corner from where we had spent the afternoon swimming. Not only that, but ingredients are taken from the hotel garden to garnish the most exquisite dishes. For mains, we tucked into the local lemon sole, accompanied by a Champagne butter sauce that melted instantly on my tongue. The local Jersey Royals were the perfect side dish, fresh and full of flavour – it would have been rude not to. Eating at the restaurant left us on culinary cloud nine, though it must be said that the decor is a little dated. What better way to finish off my time in Jersey than a jaunt to the hotel’s 5,000-bottle wine cellar. If only I had a couple of grand to splash on a vintage red, it would have been the perfect trip. The essentials Getting there I boarded an easyJet flight from Manchester to Jersey which cost £86.99 and took around an hour. My easyJet flight back was to London Luton, costing £41.99 and took less than 60 minutes. Where to stay Longueville Manor offers rooms from £200 a night, including breakfast. I stayed in the Magnolia Junior Suite, which ranges from £400 to £800 per night depending on the time of the year. Charlotte Minter was a guest of Visit Jersey and Longueville Manor, but don’t expect us to sugarcoat anything — our reviews are 100% independent. 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