Planning the perfect romantic getaway in Jersey + a giveaway

As the sun dipped low over the island paradise that is the Galapagos, I murmured something about not wanting to leave. The next day, as we were packing our bags to leave Ecuador, I started researching about our next island holiday.

Our time in Galapagos left us tanned like sailor boys and we have only the harsh Ecuadorian sun to blame! So I wanted to opt for a place with comparatively mild weather. Vid’s been craving hikes in the preened English countryside, fresh local produce, and long drives. A bit of a mix isn’t it? But I love challenges!! 🙂

So many of you ask us how we plan our holidays and find unique places and romantic experiences, so we thought we’d take you along this time around 🙂 It usually involves a little sleuthing online and loads of planning and that’s it!!

Step 1 : Choosing a destination

A friend invited us to one of the Channel Islands, Jersey for a wedding over Easter a couple of years ago. At the time, we were driving around in Cornwall and couldn’t make it. He’d recommended it highly. So I googled it and spent the first hour drooling over the vistas. Next I found the Tourism Board’s website dedicated to planning a perfect escape on the island –  (it’s amazing, check it out!). Then I found out it’s just a 30 minute flight away from London. No visas, no money conversion, a short flight, and plenty of things to do for a short romantic getaway – this was going to be it!! That’s how we settled on Jersey 🙂

Step 2 – Things To Do

Now I know a lot of people start by booking accommodation. But I always start by fantasising about things to do in a new destination – what can I say, I’m a dreamer at heart 🙂 Both of us want to escape the hustle bustle of London for a romantic getaway in Jersey. Naturally we’ll be spending most of our time in the countryside. We’ve spent our time researching the dos and donts, so we have a fair idea of how we will be spending our time on the island. Here are some of the things we’re most excited about:

• We’re already dreaming of languorous romantic strolls in St. Aubin and the historic centre because we miss Europe’s quaint cobble-stoned alleys a LOT.
• We definitely want to drive to the lighthouse at Corbiére for stunning views of the island and its famous pastel skies at sunset. Cotton candy skies are my absolute favourite!
• The ruins of the fourteenth century castle at Grosnez offer panoramic views. I’m pretty sure Vid will be stationed there for a couple of hours (clicking photos, what else!)
• La Mare Wine Estate – I chose this purely because entry is free and their in-house restaurant has some great reviews
• Sunset at the stunning fishing port at Bonne Nuit Bay. You know we love spending time watching the sun go down. We might pack a picnic or just pick up a bottle of locally-produced wine to get the party started 🙂
• La Rocque, in the south-eastern part of the island, boasts of scenic lagoons and surreal lunar landscapes. We will probably spend a day walking to the Seymour Tower and Icho Tower and take a guided tour by night to fawn over bioluminescence and marine life in Ramsar Wetlands. So excited!

Of course none of this is set in stone, so if you’ve been to Jersey, just leave us a comment below and tell us what to do. We promise to include it in our itinerary 🙂

Step 3: Accommodation and Rental Car

On long holidays, we usually book accommodation as we go along. But for short holidays, we love pre-booking accommodation. The reason is simple. We enjoy offbeat yet luxurious accommodation and more often than not, the best deals can be found online 🙂 I spent the better part of the day browsing the internet for hotels in Jersey. I’d almost settled on a quaint cottage for the first part of our stay when I chanced on rental Volkswagen camper vans straight out of the 60s. A squeal of delight later, my hippie-tastic self was choosing a pastel blue one for ourselves.Volkswagen campervans always remind me of hedonistic music festivals and I’m definitely taking some fairy lights, vintage bunting, and a brightly coloured rug to bedeck our campervan to my taste! 🙂

Eclectic rental car in tow, the next task was to look for camping sites. Jersey has a variety of camping sites but I’m currently veering towards the Beuvelande Camp Site because they have pre-pitched tents, comfortable mattresses, hot showers, and spacious kitchens. It’s also surrounded by a couple of pristine beaches and Jersey’s romantic countryside – as you probably know, I’m partial to rambly walks through woodland lanes dripping with wildflowers and berries 🙂

Of course no Bruised Passports holiday is complete without a bit of luxury. Once we’re done driving around the island and exploring it, we’ll spend the last couple of days in a proper hotel and pamper ourselves before the next bout of adventuring in a different part of the world. There’s no dearth of luxurious hotels in Jersey, so we’re having a tough time picking a favourite. Truth be told, we’re still choosing between the decadent Longueville Manor, which boasts of an amazing restaurant and Grand Jersey Hotel and Spa, where the spa is the main draw.

Top tip: If you’re planning a holiday to Jersey, here is an exhaustive resource that lists all kinds of accommodation (from budget hostels and camping sites to spa retreats). You can thank us later 😉

Step 4: Packing

I’ll be packing tops with billowing sleeves, lace details, and romantic ruffles and flowy white dresses for our romantic bohemian getaway in the VW campervan. Vid’s packing vintage band tees and dusty cowboy boots. We’re also packing our wellies for prancing in the hinterland on rainy days and swimwear for beach-bumming on sunny ones!

And a perfect romantic giveaway for you …..

Our impending holiday got us so excited about the li’l island just off the coast of UK that we got together with 4 of our blogger friends to gift a holiday to Jersey, including return flights from UK and a two night stay in a 4* hotel for two people. Yay! Just enter below – who knows we might be in Jersey at the same time 🙂 😉

See you in Jersey 🙂

We hope to see you in Jersey 🙂 If you have already been, do let us know about your favourite things to do in Jersey in the comments below. We love to hear from you 🙂