St. John's

St. John's is the capital of Antigua and Barbuda and the island's commercial heart, set around a deep natural harbour on the northwest coast. Most visitors meet it first from the deck of a cruise ship: vessels berth right in town at Heritage Quay, a few steps from the duty-free shops, and at the deepwater pier nearby. For a city of its size it packs in a lot, from colonial architecture to a lively Saturday market, and it makes an easy half-day on foot.

The skyline is defined by St. John's Cathedral, whose two grey Baroque towers have watched over the town since the 1840s. Down at the water, Heritage Quay is the modern duty-free mall aimed at cruise passengers, while neighbouring Redcliffe Quay is the prettier half: restored 18th-century warehouses, once tied to the sugar and slave trades, now filled with boutiques, cafes and craft stalls. The open-air public market at the south end of town is where Antiguans actually shop, piled with mango, soursop, pineapple and fresh fish.

History runs deep here. The excellent Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, housed in the old courthouse, traces the islands from their Amerindian beginnings through the plantation era to independence in 1981. On the headlands guarding the harbour mouth sit the ruins of Fort James and, across the bay, Fort Barrington, both built to protect the colony from the French.

Why base yourself here

• Closest town to the cruise berths and an easy walk to shopping and dining.
• A short drive to swimmable city beaches such as Fort James Beach.
• Central on the road network, so day trips to almost any part of Antigua are short.

St. John's is not a beach-resort town, and that is rather the point. Use it as a cultural and practical base: change money, stock up at the supermarket, eat roti and pepperpot at a local spot, then drive ten or fifteen minutes to the sand. By night the streets quieten quickly, with most evening life moving out toward the resort strip at Dickenson Bay and the harbours of the south.