Antigua Holidays

When it comes to tropical escapes, Antigua’s one of the Caribbean’s big hitters. The beaches are the envy of its island neighbours, and if you head inland, colourful townhouses and pistachio-green countryside come to the fore. Delve a little deeper, and you’ll see the colonial footprint of 17th-century British settlers in the form of sea-facing forts and retired cannons.

The island’s coast is peppered with strips of champagne-coloured sand, which is where its nickname – the Land of 365 beaches – comes from. They range from secluded coves, where the shorelines are footprint-free, to lounger-lined sweeps with luxe hotels over their shoulder.

Sport in Antigua’s all about bats and boats. The locals eat, sleep and breathe cricket, and the island’s home to one of the game’s all-time greats – Sir Viv Richards. Leave the wicket-mad capital, St John’s, and you’ll see that sailing takes centre stage in the south. Every year, yachts from around the world make a beeline here for Antigua Sailing Week – a series of races around the Caribbean, which attracts thousands of spectators.