/Antigua_ and_Barbuda

The hill and cove-enhanced isle of Antigua claims 365 beaches, one for each day of your vacation provided you are a year-long sabbatical. Capital city of the twin administered Antigua & Barbuda is St John's. It was a thriving seaport in its 17th century heyday and tall sailing vessels occasionally still grace its sheltered cove of a harbour. The most imposing and historic building in the capital is the Cathedral of St John the Divine. Originally a wooden structure, it was ordered by the royal governor, Sir Christopher Codrington in 1745. The church was rebuilt in 1845 and elevated to cathedral status three years later, thereby making St Johns officially a city in the British Empire. A museum nearby displays artifacts of the 18th and 19th centuries when sugar plantations brought great wealth as the "petroleum" of that time's economy.

You won't need to collect shells from the 365 beaches. Just pop into the Museum of Marine Art and there they all are, along with shipwreck artifacts.

Just outside St Johns is Fort James, named in honour of King James II of England and overseas domains, including Antigua and Barbuda. The Admiral's House displays memorabilia from Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson's time spent in Antigua and environs. English Harbour, viewed from Shirley Heights, is drop-dead gorgeous.

Watersports abound. At night you can dance under the stars to reggae and steel drum traditional music. There is also a gaming casino.

After taking in the sights, sounds and shops of Antigua, all aboard for the day trip to Barbuda, 25 miles to the north. Basically, there are so many Antigua/Barbuda beaches, so many scenic isles, and probably so little time--unless you are blessed with the aforementioned sabbatical.

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