St Helier is Jersey’s capital and only town: a busy, walkable harbor town of about 36,000 people on the south coast of the island, facing the wide sweep of St Aubin’s Bay. It is where most visitors arrive, by ferry at the Elizabeth Terminal or by bus from the airport, and where most of them stay. In a day you can browse the Victorian Central Market, stand in Royal Square where the Battle of Jersey was fought in 1781, learn the island’s story at the Jersey Museum and the Maritime Museum, see the Occupation Tapestry woven by the 12 parishes, and cross the bay by amphibious ferry, or on foot at low tide, to Elizabeth Castle. St Helier is also the hub of the island’s buses, so every beach, castle and cliff path in Jersey is within an hour. Come from May to September for long evenings and castle days, and give it two days on its own, or use it as a base for a longer stay on the island.
Right now in St Helier
- Wed15–17°C60–63°F10 mm rain
- Thu14–15°C58–59°FPartly cloudy
- Fri16–17°C60–62°F5 mm rain
Top tours in St Helier
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St Helier at a glance
- Best for: castles and museums, Occupation history, shopping without VAT, harbor restaurants and an easy base for the whole island.
- How long: one full day for the town and Elizabeth Castle, two days with both museums and the seafront; most visitors stay three to five nights and explore Jersey from here.
- Best time: May to September; Elizabeth Castle is open from mid-March to early November, and the town’s museums are open all year.
- Getting there: fly to Jersey Airport, about 15–20 minutes away by bus or taxi, or arrive by DFDS ferry at the Elizabeth Terminal on the waterfront, a short walk from the center.
- Getting around: on foot in town; LibertyBus routes leave from Liberation Station for the rest of the island.
- Before you go: the ETA, healthcare charges, money and ferries are in our Jersey travel guide.
St Helier’s areas and who each one suits
- Town center (King Street and Queen Street): the pedestrian shopping streets, the Central Market, Royal Square and the Town Church, with pubs and cafés in the side streets. For shoppers and anyone who wants everything on the doorstep.
- The Waterfront and the Weighbridge: the area around Liberation Square, the marinas and the two museums, with modern hotels, the bus station and restaurants overlooking the yachts. Handy for ferries and buses.
- West Park and the Esplanade: the start of Victoria Avenue and the seafront promenade toward St Aubin, with views of Elizabeth Castle and the causeway. Good for walkers, cyclists and sunset views across the bay.
- Havre des Pas: a seaside district east of the harbor with guesthouses, a small beach and the historic Havre des Pas bathing pool, filled by the tide. Quieter, and good value, about 15 minutes’ walk from the center.
- Town edges and the hills: residential streets climbing behind the town, with Howard Davis Park and smaller hotels; fine if you have a car.
Top things to see in St Helier
Elizabeth Castle
Built from the 1590s on a tidal island in St Aubin’s Bay and named after Queen Elizabeth I by Sir Walter Raleigh, the island’s governor, Elizabeth Castle was Jersey’s main fortress for centuries and was refortified by German forces during the Occupation. You can explore 400 years of history, meet costumed interpreters and watch a firing of the castle’s gun, then walk out on the breakwater to the Hermitage, the rock where Saint Helier, the town’s patron saint, is said to have lived around 550 AD.
In 2026, Jersey Heritage opens the castle daily from 18 March to 24 October, 10:00–17:30, and from 25 October to 1 November, 10:00–16:00; it closes on Jersey International Air Display days. The amphibious castle ferry runs all day from West Park, and at low tide you can walk across the causeway, about 20 minutes each way. Adult tickets cost £19.50 for the castle only or £24.50 with the return ferry; seniors pay £18.50 or £23.50, children and students £11.45 or £16.45, and under-6s go free. The last ferry leaves at 17:00 in summer (15:30 in autumn), and wind and tide can change the timetable, so check before you go.
Jersey Museum, Art Gallery and Victorian House
On the Weighbridge, the Jersey Museum tells the island’s story from the Ice Age to today, with a restored merchant’s house furnished as it was in Victorian times and an art gallery that includes a portrait by Sir John Everett Millais. The ground floor, with the “Story of Jersey” film and a visitor center for Jersey’s aspiring geopark, is free. As of 1 July 2026, entry to the rest costs £15.45 for adults, £14.45 for seniors and £10.25 for children and students (family £46.45, under-6s free). It opens daily from 10:00 to 17:00 from March to October and 10:00 to 16:00 in November and December (closed 24–26 and 31 December and 1 January).
Maritime Museum and Occupation Tapestry Gallery
On New North Quay, a short walk away, the Maritime Museum is a hands-on museum about the island’s relationship with the sea, from shipbuilding and cod fishing off Newfoundland to tides and winds, and a good choice for children. In the same building, the Occupation Tapestry Gallery shows the 13 panels of a tapestry made to mark the 50th anniversary of Liberation, each panel woven by one of the 12 parishes, with recorded memories of islanders who lived through the war. Opening hours and prices are the same as the Jersey Museum; the tapestry gallery alone costs £6.30 (2026).
Liberation Square and the Weighbridge
The open square by the harbor is where islanders gathered on 9 May 1945 to celebrate the end of the Occupation, and it is the focus of Liberation Day every year. The bronze Liberation sculpture shows islanders unfurling a flag. Next to it are the bus station, the Jersey Museum and the marinas.
Royal Square and the Town Church
The leafy heart of the old town, Royal Square, was the old marketplace; it is overlooked by the States Assembly building and the Royal Court, and it saw the Battle of Jersey in 1781, the last French attempt to take the island. Nearby, St Helier’s Parish Church, the Town Church, has stood on its site for many centuries and is the island’s civic church.
Central Market
Opened in Victorian times, the Central Market is a glass-and-iron hall with a fountain at its center and stalls selling fruit and vegetables, flowers, Jersey dairy, bakery goods and local crafts. The Beresford Street fish market is next door. It is the best place to buy Jersey Royal potatoes in spring, black butter and Jersey wonders.
Howard Davis Park and the town’s green spaces
East of the center, Howard Davis Park is a formal park given to the island after World War I, with flowerbeds, a bandstand and a small war cemetery. Closer to the center, the Millennium Town Park is a calm stop between sights.
Fort Regent
The granite fortress on the hill above the harbor, built in the early 19th century, was later turned into a leisure center. It is closed to the public for a major redevelopment, which the Government of Jersey expects to finish at the end of 2028, so you can see its walls from below but not visit.
The waterfront, beaches and the bay
St Helier faces St Aubin’s Bay, a wide, sandy bay that empties at low tide to reveal sand and rock almost to Elizabeth Castle. The seafront promenade runs about 6 km (4 miles) west to the harbor village of St Aubin, flat and traffic-free, and is popular with walkers, runners and cyclists; you can rent bikes in town. At high tide, the beach along Victoria Avenue disappears almost completely, so time a beach walk for the falling tide.
East of the harbor, Havre des Pas has a small beach and the historic bathing pool, a sea-filled open-air pool that is refilled by every high tide; check locally for facilities and lifeguard cover. For proper beach days, take the bus to St Brelade’s Bay or to Grouville Bay in the east. See our beaches guide.
From the harbor, boat trips and RIB rides run along the south coast and out to the reefs in summer, and guides lead low-tide walks across the shore. See our boat trips guide.
Food, shopping and nightlife
St Helier has the island’s widest choice of restaurants: seafood around the marinas and the Weighbridge, pubs and gastropubs in the old streets around Halkett Place and Bath Street, and cafés along King Street. Look for Jersey oysters, lobster and crab, Jersey Royals in spring, and Jersey dairy ice cream. For a picnic, the Central Market and the fish market have everything you need.
Shopping is relaxed and has a small price advantage: Jersey has no VAT, only 5% Goods and Services Tax. Most shops are on King Street, Queen Street and Halkett Place. In the evening, the Jersey Opera House and the Jersey Arts Centre stage plays, concerts and comedy, and the waterfront has bars and a cinema.
Day trips from St Helier
Every part of Jersey is an easy day trip from St Helier:
- Gorey and Mont Orgueil Castle: by bus on routes 1, 1A and 2. The medieval castle costs £19.50 for adults in 2026 and opens all year.
- St Aubin and St Brelade’s Bay: walk or cycle the promenade to St Aubin, then continue to St Brelade’s Bay for a swim (route 14).
- La Corbière and St Ouen’s Bay: the lighthouse on its tidal causeway and the island’s surf beach, best at sunset.
- Jersey War Tunnels: the Occupation museum in St Lawrence (routes 8, 28); adults £21 in 2026.
- Jersey Zoo: Durrell’s conservation zoo in Trinity (routes 3, 13, 23); adults £21 on the day or £18.90 online in 2026.
- La Hougue Bie: the 6,000-year-old passage grave in Grouville.
- The north coast: a cliff walk between Grève de Lecq, Devil’s Hole, Bonne Nuit and Bouley Bay.
- Saint-Malo, France: under two hours by DFDS fast ferry; see our Saint-Malo guide. Non-EU visitors cross the Schengen border there.
Getting there and getting around
Arriving by air
Jersey Airport is in St Peter, west of town. LibertyBus route 15 runs between the airport and Liberation Station in St Helier, taking about 15–20 minutes, and routes 9, 12 and 22 also serve the airport; there is a taxi rank outside arrivals. Direct flights come from London Gatwick and Heathrow with British Airways and from many UK airports with easyJet, Jet2 and Loganair, and seasonally from Dublin, Paris, Bordeaux and Munich. Our Jersey guide lists the airlines.
Arriving by sea
DFDS ferries from Portsmouth, Poole and Saint-Malo dock at the Elizabeth Terminal on the St Helier waterfront, a short walk or taxi ride from the center. Manche Îles Express fast ferries from Granville and Carteret in Normandy run from April to September.
Getting around town
The center is compact and mostly flat, and the shopping streets are pedestrianized, so walking is the easiest way around. LibertyBus runs from Liberation Station to the whole island; as of March 2026, an adult fare paid by contactless card was £2.75 (local press), and a Discover Jersey pass gives unlimited travel for 1, 2, 3 or 7 days. If you rent a car, St Helier’s streets are busy and partly one-way; the speed limit in town is 20–30 mph, and the island’s maximum is 40 mph.
When to go and how long to stay
St Helier is a year-round town, but the best months are May to September, when Elizabeth Castle is open, the evenings are long and the promenade is at its best. According to the Government of Jersey’s 1991–2020 averages, measured at the Maison St Louis Observatory in St Helier, the mean daily temperature is 16.3–18.4 °C (61–65 °F) from June to August, with about 8 to 9 hours of sunshine a day, and 7.0–7.7 °C (45–46 °F) from December to February, when the town is quiet, mild and often wet. October, November and December are the wettest months.
Big events fill the town’s hotels: Liberation Day on 9 May, the Battle of Flowers on 13–14 August 2027, along Victoria Avenue, and the Jersey International Air Display over St Aubin’s Bay, listed for 9 September 2027. Book early for these dates.
Allow one full day for St Helier’s sights and Elizabeth Castle, two days for both museums, the market and the seafront, and three to five nights if you are using the town as your base for Jersey.
Where to stay in St Helier
- Town center: small hotels and guesthouses close to the shops, market and restaurants. Best for first-timers without a car.
- The Waterfront: larger modern hotels with sea or marina views, a few minutes from the bus station and the ferry terminal.
- The Esplanade and West Park: hotels facing St Aubin’s Bay and Elizabeth Castle, ideal for walkers and cyclists heading for St Aubin.
- Havre des Pas: seafront guesthouses and hotels near the bathing pool, quieter and often better value.
In July, August and on big event dates, book well ahead. For a beach-resort feel instead, many visitors stay at St Brelade’s Bay or St Aubin and come into town by bus.
What a trip to St Helier costs
St Helier is priced like a town in the south of England. Buses and the seafront promenade are cheap or free, and a 2026 Jersey Heritage Pass (£52 for adults, valid for seven days) covers Elizabeth Castle, both St Helier museums and three more sites, and halves the castle ferry fare. Our estimates for one person per day, sharing a double room, as of October 2026:
| Style | Estimated cost per day | What that looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | about £70–110 | A guesthouse in Havre des Pas, buses, market picnics, one museum |
| Mid-range | about £150–250 | A town or waterfront hotel, Elizabeth Castle and a museum, restaurant dinners |
| High-end | about £350+ | A luxury hotel, fine dining, private boat trips and tours |
Practical tips for St Helier
- Check the tides: the causeway to Elizabeth Castle and much of the beach are only uncovered at low tide; tide times are published daily.
- Bring your ETA or ID: since April 2026 most non-British, non-Irish visitors need an ETA; British and Irish visitors need photo ID.
- Money: Jersey pound notes are not accepted in the UK, so ask for Bank of England notes in your change before you leave.
- Phone: most UK plans charge Jersey as roaming; local eSIMs are available.
- Emergencies: dial 999. The Emergency Department is at Jersey General Hospital in St Helier; visitors from countries without a health agreement with Jersey, such as the USA, pay for treatment.
What to pack for St Helier
Pack layers and a waterproof jacket at any time of year, as the weather changes quickly on the coast; comfortable shoes for cobbles, castle steps and the promenade; and sunscreen and a hat in summer. Bring water shoes for rock pools and the shingle at Havre des Pas, a UK-style (Type G) plug adapter if you are coming from Europe or North America, and your passport or photo ID.
St Helier travel FAQ
Is St Helier worth visiting?
Yes. It has Elizabeth Castle, two of Jersey’s best museums, the Occupation Tapestry, the Central Market and the island’s widest choice of hotels and restaurants, and it is the hub for buses to every part of Jersey.
How do you get from Jersey Airport to St Helier?
LibertyBus route 15 runs between the airport and Liberation Station in about 15–20 minutes; routes 9, 12 and 22 also stop at the airport. Taxis wait outside arrivals.
Can you walk to Elizabeth Castle?
Yes, across the causeway from West Park, at low tide only; it takes about 20 minutes each way. At other times, take the amphibious castle ferry, included in the £24.50 adult castle-and-ferry ticket (2026).
When is Elizabeth Castle open?
In 2026, daily from 18 March to 24 October, 10:00–17:30, and from 25 October to 1 November, 10:00–16:00, except on Air Display days. Wind and tide can change the schedule.
How many days do you need in St Helier?
One full day covers the town and Elizabeth Castle; two days let you add both museums, the market and the seafront. Stay longer and use the town as a base for the rest of Jersey.
Where should I stay in St Helier?
The town center or the Waterfront for convenience, the Esplanade for bay views, and Havre des Pas for a quieter seaside stay at lower prices.
Is there a beach in St Helier?
Yes. The sands of St Aubin’s Bay run along the seafront, and Havre des Pas has a small beach and a tidal bathing pool. The best swimming beaches, such as St Brelade’s Bay, are a short bus ride away.
Can you visit Fort Regent?
Not at the moment. It is closed for redevelopment, which the Government of Jersey expects to finish at the end of 2028.
Is the Jersey Museum free?
The ground floor, with the “Story of Jersey” film, is free. The Victorian House and main exhibitions cost £15.45 for adults from 1 July 2026, or are covered by the Heritage Pass.
Can you take a day trip from St Helier to France?
Yes. DFDS fast ferries sail from the Elizabeth Terminal to Saint-Malo in under two hours. Bring your passport: France is in the Schengen area, so non-EU visitors go through border checks.
Plan your trip
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Sources · last reviewed 5 October 2026
Researched and last reviewed on 5 October 2026. Elizabeth Castle, Jersey Museum, Maritime Museum, Occupation Tapestry, Mont Orgueil and Heritage Pass hours and prices come from Jersey Heritage; Jersey Zoo prices from Durrell; Jersey War Tunnels prices from the attraction; the St Helier population from the 2021 Jersey census; climate averages from the Government of Jersey (Jersey Met, 1991–2020); Fort Regent’s redevelopment timetable from the Government of Jersey; bus routes and airlines from Visit Jersey; ferries from DFDS, Ports of Jersey and Manche Îles Express; event dates from the Jersey Battle of Flowers Association and the Jersey International Air Display; entry and health rules from the Government of Jersey. The bus fare comes from local press and the causeway walking time is a general estimate, both flagged for checking; daily costs are our estimates. Prices, timetables and rules change, so check the official sites before you travel.
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Sea temperature: NOAA CoastWatch · Rates: ECB · Wikidata (CC0)