Antigua and Barbuda consist of six parishes; St. George, St. John, St. Mary, St. Paul, St. Peter and St. Phillip and two dependencies; the Islands of Barbuda and Redonda.
St. George
Saint George is a parish of Antigua and Barbuda on the island of Antigua. It includes Long Island and the localities of Barnes Hill, Marble Hill, Crosbies, Hodges Bay, Paradise View, Coolidge, Carlisle, Fitches Creek, Osbourn, Pigotts, New Winthorpes, Picadilly,Gunthorpes, Sea View Farm and Paynters. St. George is where V. C. Bird International Airport is located. Sitting on the edge of Fitches Creek Bay is St. George’s Church, which was constructed in 1687 by British colonists. The head office of LIAT is on the airport grounds.
St. John’s
The skyline of St. John’s, the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda, is dominated by the magnificently evocative white baroque towers of St. John’s Cathedral. Built in 1845, the church is now in its third incarnation, as earthquakes in 1683 and in 1745 destroyed the previous structures. The towers are the first sight of Antigua for about half of the island’s visitors each year, many of whom arrive by boat. With its recently completed cruise ship dock and several hotels, St. John’s is a lively hub for shopping and dining.
For those interested in the early history of the island, there is the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, housed in the colonial Court House (1750). The museum displays both Arawak and colonial artifacts recovered on archaeological digs on the islands. It also features a thought-provoking, life-size replica of an Arawak house, models of sugar plantations, etc.
On Friday and Saturday mornings, be sure to visit the vibrant farmers market on the southern edge of the city. Folk crafts, colorful tropical fruits, and a buzzing crowd make for a lively morning.
St. Mary
Located southwest of St. John’s is the scenic St. Mary Parish, along with Boggy Peak, the highest point on the island. Taxis will take you here for the beautiful views of Guadeloupe, St. Kitts, Nevis and Montserrat. Keep the taxicab fare going with a trip to Cades Bay, a popular site for scuba diving. On the western side of the parish is Jolly Harbour, home to a popular beach, hotel development and casino.
St. Paul
St. Paul’s English Harbour, and specifically Nelson’s Dockyard, were once the hub of British maritime power in the Caribbean’s Leeward Islands. Today visitors frequent the dockyard, explore the area ruins of Fort Berkeley, or even enjoy a night on the town at one of the town’s bars or clubs.
St. Peter
Farther along the east coast is St. Peter parish, which houses the island’s first British Settlement, Parnham. Parham is also home to St. Peter’s Church, which dates back to the 1840s and was constructed in an (unusual for the time) eight-sided shape. St. Peter’s offshore reefs around the Crabs Peninsula and Maiden Island make it a regular stop for divers. Between May and December, Antigua’s Environmental Awareness Group organizes turtle-watching at St. Peter’s Pasture Bay.
St. Phillip
The easternmost parish of St. Philip features some of the best boating opportunities, the most popular resorts and one of Antigua’s best-loved beaches: Half Moon Bay. You can also visit St. Philip’s for the Devil’s Bridge at Indian Town Point, a limestone arch carved by the rough waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The natural bridge affords a good view of Long Bay.
Barbuda
Barbuda has the deep blue Atlantic on one side with wild beaches full of driftwood and shells and the calm Caribbean sea on the other, perfect for swimming and snorkeling, with plenty of opportunities to see turtles and many varieties of tropical fish undisturbed in the turquoise water.
The beauty of Barbuda is in its natural, peaceful way of life. It is not for visitors who are looking for sophisticated nightlife, it is a place where you relax, slow down and make your own entertainment.The population of 1500 live in the village of Codrington. Village life is unaffected by tourism and if you are a guest here you will soon be part of the social life of the local people. Barbudans are helpful and friendly people and welcome visitors to their island.
Redonoda
The Island of Redonda lies in the Caribbean Sea, latitude 16 56′ North, longitude 62 21′ West, about thirty-four miles WSW of Antigua and approximately fifteen miles NW of Montserrat. It is about one mile long by one third of a mile wide, rising to a height of 971 feet, and is the rocky and uninhabitable remnant of an extinct volcanic cone. It was discovered by Christopher Columbus at 8 p.m. on the evening of November 12th, 1493, on his second voyage of exploration. Because of its apparently-rounded shape, he named it Santa Maria la Redonda, but did not attempt to land.
Other Places of Interest
White Sand Beaches of Barbuda
English Harbour
English Harbour, Antigua’s graceful and evocative historic district, is focused on the fifteen square miles of Nelson’s Dockyard National Park. Developed as a base for the British Navy in the great age of sail, the harbour served as the headquarters of the fleet of the Leeward Islands during the turbulent years of the late 18th century. Although the dockyard was greatly expanded at that time by Horatio Nelson, it was gradually abandoned in the nineteenth century and was closed in 1889. Today Nelson’s Dockyard has been completely restored, and it is now the only Georgian dockyard in the world.
Almost all of the park’s other sites of interest overlook the harbour. The closest of these is Clarence House, a residence built for the future King William IV (1765-1837) when he served under Nelson as captain of the H.M.S. Pegasus. Further above the harbour, at Shirley Heights, are the partially-restored fortifications of the harbour’s colonial observation post; the view from Shirley Heights extends out over the harbour and far across the Caribbean to Montserrat and Guadaloupe. On Sundays the vista is enhanced by barbeque and live music at the bar there (Steel Band music from 3-6 pm & reggae from 6-9). Shirley Heights can be reached via Lookout Trail, a nature walk that rises from the harbour through a forest of trees–descending the trail is not advisable after dark or barbecue revelry.
Along Lookout Trail and near Shirley Heights is Dow’s Hill Interpretation Center, at which visitors can watch an impressive multimedia presentation of Antigua’s history, from its initial settlement to independence. Observation decks at Dow’s Hill provide another fine view of the harbour, as do the ruined fortifications of Fort Berkeley, located on the far side of the bay and reached by a walk around its perimeter. All of these points, as well as the park’s convenient beaches, become especially popular spectator positions during Sailing Week.
Via Antigua and Barbuda
