History, beauty and lots of great shops
FIT snugly into a chain of islands in the Eastern Caribbean is the beautiful country of Antigua.
With a population of approximately 75,000 people, it is marketed as a dream location for honeymooners but on my visit to the island, I found it had so much more to offer and was packed with historical landmarks, great shops and an array of activities for thrill-seekers.
Here is a sample of some of the best things the sunny isle of Antigua has to offer.
Almost every Antiguan landmark bears witness to the influence of the British on the island as cannons, forts and dockyards all bear testament to a past that is far removed, but far from forgotten.
One of the better ways to experience these sights is on a chartered taxi tour.
I used the Lawrence of Antigua company which proved to be a great eye-opener.
Unlike other tour guides who are often overladen with dry facts, but not much humour, Lawrence provides a great mix of the two.
A native Antiguan, Lawrence (who has run his business for almost a decade) gives you a flavour of not just what Antigua has to offer tourists, but also how ‘regular’ Antiguans negotiate their way through the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Taking in the sights of Clarence House and driving through Antigua’s lush rainforest, Lawrence is able to give an overview of Antiguan life and the country he loves and knows so well.
This leg of the journey took me from my hotel at St James’ Club to English Harbour, in the south of the island. We also drove to Block House Hill, where panoramic views not only reveal the islands of Guadeloupe and Montserrat but also Eric Clapton’s house.
Lawrence’s willingness to include a mention of Mr Clapton’s home shows how much the star is still loved and respected on the island.
From here, we took in the sights of Shirley’s Heights.
Overlooking this area, there is free sight of the natural beauty of Freeman’s Bay, Falmouth Harbour and English Harbour – all of which are spectacular images of Antigua’s beautiful coastline.
Moving onwards, we arrived at Nelson’s Dockyard which was the original area where Horatio Nelson arrived on the island. We were given a cheerful tour guide who was assigned to us at the Dock and related a number of historical facts.... but there was little time to stop as Lawrence took us on to St John’s.
