Cruise port St. John's (Antigua). Antigua - Caribbean beaches, St. John's What are the benefits of an Antigua and Barbuda passport?
St. John's from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about St. John's.
- Tours for the New Year Worldwide
- Last minute tours Worldwide
Antigua and Barbuda is a country where the number of beaches is equal to the number of days in a year. Almost half of the state's population lives in the capital, St. John's. This is a kind of paradise with coral reefs, quiet lagoons and bays. It is so quiet and calm here that sometimes you have to feel yourself - suddenly you are already in heaven. The locals, of course, are not 100% angels, but they will do everything possible to make your holiday in St. John's memorable at least for the rest of your life.
How to get there
8 kilometers from the capital of Antigua and Barbuda there is an airport with long name St. John's V.C. Bird International Airport. There are no direct flights from Russia to St. John's, so you will have to travel by transfer plane.
The airport receives planes from England, the USA, Germany and Canada. Flight time from Baltimore is 4 hours, Frankfurt is 9 hours, London is 8 hours. Such a trip costs from 1000 USD.
For some reason, local border guards charge all fees only when leaving the country - this is 20 USD. So make a nest egg, otherwise they won’t let you go home.
Search flights to St. John's
Transport
St. John's has an extensive bus service. You can get to any point quickly and cheaply. True, there are no buses in Dickenson Bay and other resort areas in the northern part of the island. On Sundays public transport resting. But on any day you can catch a taxi. Fares are fixed, and some drivers are qualified as guides, so they can tell you a lot of interesting things along the way.
As for renting a car, you can rent a car right at the airport. But remember: traffic in the country is on the left.
Beaches of St. John's
In Antigua - 365 sandy beaches. In St. John's, the beaches are public, so you can safely take a place wherever your heart desires. Unless it’s better not to go to remote ones alone. Yes, for safety. The most popular beaches are Fort James and Deep Bay. During the winter months, surfers take over Gully Bay. And in Hawksbill Bay, one of the beaches belongs to nudists.
St. John's and surroundings
Cuisine and restaurants
The local cuisine is an exotic mixture of different traditions: Caribbean, French, Dutch and English. Culinary delights include chargrilled red snapper, flying fish fillets, gambas shrimp, sudons clams, lobster and lambie shells.
Local residents escape the heat with tea and ice-cold fruit drinks. The city makes excellent rum and brews good beer. Popular varieties are 'Banks' and 'Vadadli'.
Shopping
The largest concentration of shops where you can buy various souvenirs is on the embankment around the Harbor, near the Heritage Quay complex and the Red Cliff Quay area. Antigua and Barbuda is a duty free zone. In the capital, you can buy goods at bargain prices that in other countries (not to mention Russia) would cost 30-40 percent more. Tourists buy jewelry, precious stones, and watches on the island. Most shops are open until 17:00.
St. John's Hotels
There are plenty of 3-5 star hotels in St. John's. The average cost of accommodation in a standard double room is from 40 USD. High-end hotels charge from 100 USD per night. Some hotels have wellness centers with a swimming pool. Spacious rooms with beautiful view overlooking the ocean, with a balcony or terrace with a hammock.
5 things to do in St. John's
- To hear real reggae - this music must be listened to by people who are rooted in this culture. Reggae, jazz, and calypso are often played in local clubs.
- Go on a picnic - Bird Island is the best place to eat outdoors. Pack a basket of provisions, rent a motor boat and go to bird paradise.
- Get acquainted with the life of the islanders - many excursion programs offer safari deep into Antigua, where you can visit small villages and get acquainted with the life of the local residents.
- Go fishing in the Atlantic - fishing in the ocean is many times better than sitting on the banks of a river. Firstly, you won’t find such fish at home. And secondly, you can communicate closely with her if you go down to the bottom with scuba gear.
- Attend Carnival - A national carnival is held in the British West Indies in August to commemorate the abolition of slavery. This is one of the main tourist attractions with processions, competitions and stylized shows.
Entertainment and attractions in St. John's
The main attractions and entertainment of the capital of Antigua.
St John's Cathedral
This cathedral is visible from afar thanks to its snow-white towers. It was built in the mid-19th century in a third version, since the first two were destroyed by an earthquake. The cathedral is made in Baroque style. This is a majestic building that resembles local residents about his difficult past.
Antigua and Barbuda Museum
This museum, located in a colonial courthouse, tells the history of the island. Artifacts that were found during archaeological excavations are exhibited here. In the museum you can get acquainted with the life of the aborigines - there is a life-size replica of an Arawak house, models of plantations have been created, and much more.
farmers market
The farmers market, located on the southern edge of town, is like a swarm of bees on weekends. Everything here moves, makes noise, shimmers, sparkles, screams and lowers its price. At the market you can buy folk crafts and exotic tropical fruits. In addition, the market is a good morning exercise: you can hang out and stretch your muscles.
Sports and active entertainment
The most popular sport in Antigua is cricket. The West Indies even hosted a world championship in this sport. Cricket for Antigua to the power of love is akin to football in Russia, although our fans do not understand these men with sticks.
The island also trains professional athletes and tennis players who represent the country at major competitions.
The island is full of tourists active entertainment: surfing, diving, golf, horse riding motor boats, scooters, kayaks, jeep tours and much more.
Weather in St. John's
You can come here to relax all year round. In the coolest month, the temperature drops to +25. Rains, not particularly frequent, usually occur from May to November.
No matter how much you calculate the options for the future, no matter how much you fish out from the murky waters of the Internet grains of true knowledge about the geographical point you are discovering for the first time, reality will show everything its place. Firstly, caramels were revealed to my eyes: a sort of barberry and duchessie, which did not at all fit into my idea of English architecture.
3 0
Secondly, there was a murder, but that was in the evening. In the meantime, the next cruise day has just begun, and we need to hurry to the beach. The meeting promised to be pleasant: White sand Dickenson Bay, praised by travel agents in all languages, truly gives the sea a unique turquoise hue.
1 0
The Caribbean sun in February is pleasantly toasty and the wind is refreshing. Without the wind it would be very stuffy here. Tropics! But even on the fifth day of the cruise, I don’t dare give my birthmark to be torn apart by ultraviolet radiation - I cover myself with a thick layer of protective cream: thank you, I’ve seen enough victims of reckless love for the hot sun - they suffer in the cabins, and I’m on the way.
I'm in Antigua, another Caribbean island with a bizarre mixture of English traditions from the colonial past and current sovereign realities. I leave the pier through the port customs post, as expected, on the right, and they shout at me - like, where are you going, this is the entrance! Oh yes, dear good England, Through the Looking Glass...
1 0
She honors her traditions, she preserves them for the joy of us, who have already forgotten what it’s like to stomp in the cold, waiting for our turn at the machine with a handful of two-ruble coins in our pockets. Not for gaming, dear peers mobile communications, telephone, to call my mother, to calm her down, they say, I’m teaching homework with my friend, but she herself... what a horror! - to the cinema with a boy. Unexpected memories were brought back by an ordinary telephone booth, perhaps the only one left in the British territories. Only, unlike London or Gibraltar, here it is not red, but its own, independent color. We got sovereignty for nothing in 1981!
0 0
Antigua is pronounced here as Antica. The language is English, but with a thick ethnographic overlay. So, as in Jamaica, I guess rather than understand. Prices in Caribbean dollars, water in gallons, weight in pounds, length in inches. It's hard to figure it out if you're not used to it. The exchange rate depends on the linguistic, mathematical and communication abilities of the seller and the buyer. I made these discoveries after returning to St. John's from the Dickenson Bay resort beach. On my Caribbean trip it became the fourth and so far, undoubtedly, the best.
Democratic views, planted by Ancient Rome in ancient British heads, are yielding strange results: all Overseas Territories of the British Crown have their own currency and their own rules of movement. At the general meeting they decided whether to drive on the left or on the right? Or maybe they counted the number of right- and left-hand drive cars before making a fair decision? Until you get used to it, your heart sinks when you see an obstacle on the right, and our driver doesn’t even slow down and - nothing.
He beeps at people he meets, acquaintances on the side of the road, and strangers at crossings - so we drive happily.
0 0
Then you get used to driving in oncoming traffic with a solid double lane.
0 0
And you get scared already on the next island, where our other obstacle on the left does not let through.
I really liked the coat of arms of Antigua and Barbuda. On it, cute deer, surrounded by tropical flowers, hold a shield with a picture of a sugar mill. The inscription on the shield reads: “Through the efforts of everyone, the common goal is achieved.” Probably every people dreams of what they don’t have. Here on the Finnish coat of arms there is a lion - check it if you don’t believe it. Imperial ambitions? But Antigua is a different story. Once upon a time, on the edge of an impenetrable tropical forest, the first settlement of colonialists appeared. Europeans conquered inch by inch of land from the aborigines and the jungle for sugar cane plantations. Conquered. We accomplished the common thing. Now there are no indigenous islanders, no plantations - the Great Depression of the 30s of the twentieth century bankrupted the sugar business in the Caribbean islands, there are no forests, and there are no Europeans either.
0 0
Black people, whose ancestors were brought as slaves by white colonialists to the Caribbean islands, now make up the vast majority of Caribbean islanders. Ethnogenesis in action.
27 in winter and summer up to fifty, from which one cannot hide in the thicket of the forest, is difficult to bear. Add to this a normal natural phenomenon such as the rainy season (September-October) and hurricanes, sometimes catastrophic. We, residents of northern Russia, remember particularly cold winters. For the Caribbean islanders, the past is measured by hurricanes, and each island has its own hurricane, after which the damage is calculated for years. Our cruise day in Antigua fell during the driest time of the year, but lo and behold! - the night before a tropical downpour poured down and refreshed the dried earth, washing the cheerful houses of St. John's, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda.
0 0
Dickenson Bay, as I saw it, is a holidaymaker’s dream come true: white sand, gentle blue waves, hot sun, sun loungers under umbrellas, catamarans and N I C O G O.
2 0
1 0
2 0
That is, no one at all except our group, the service staff and a few American super-grandmothers with young white perky teeth splashing in their puddle.
1 0
The young grannies are about eighty years old, the older ones are in their ninth decade. I helped one of them get up from the sun lounger. Suddenly my fantasy took over - I imagined our grandmother Nyura under a palm tree, but a sober mind crossed out this sentimental picture - our grandmothers, alas, do not live that long. And the overseas people rest in these paradise from the exhausting labors of pensioners.
1 0
The Americans and the British divided the beach into spheres of influence
0 0
But controversial issues any remaining issues are being resolved through negotiations in the presence of the press.
1 0
The beach is good - but not ours, I bowed low in gratitude for the pleasure received and then went on to get more impressions. If only I had known what awaited us in St. John's, I would never have left the beach...
On solid ground, panic gripped me again: I, a resident of a city of five million, an experienced driver, am standing at an intersection and braking - should I look to the left or to the right? In Gibraltar, left first...or right? Oh yes, there it says look in big letters on the asphalt, but I don’t remember where... No, our right-sided mind is structured differently.
Finally I saw a white man. Or rather, at first I saw two high-rise buildings erected during the few hours of my absence. They are so huge against the backdrop of a 2-3 storey town. It turned out that cruise ships had arrived in the harbor. Before this, for almost a week, not a single galosh lying around, it seemed like we were alone in the Caribbean, and then suddenly the population of the city multiplied and mutated. In the morning, everyone was black and more and more alone, but now dense white rows are prowling around to get something useless as a souvenir. I wasn’t too lazy, I went online: according to 2005 data, the population in the capital and largest city of Antigua is 31 thousand; Carnival accommodates about three thousand - there are two of them, plus we are small - with a crew of four hundred it will not fit (and there, across the Atlantic!). Shall we count?
It seems to me that the Caribbean for the American population, like Egypt in the recent past for ours, is cheap and cheerful, comfort according to the wallet. And around here... don’t blame me, what hasn’t been paid for is none of your business. Judging by the companies' special offers, a cruise on Caribbean Sea for the average American, it’s akin to cruises to Stockholm or Riga for a resident of Finland - both relaxation and entertainment, and it’s not affordable.
I decided to wait out the buying rush of the newly landed tourists and went sightseeing. There are two of them: the Monument to the Father of the People and the 17th century St. John's Cathedral, which, in fact, gave the name to the settlement of St. John's.
0 0
How would it sound in Russian: Svyatoivanovsk or simply Ivanteevka? Particularly meticulous people find both the third and fourth attractions, but I was impressed by the greatest work of sculptural art of our time
1 0
I didn’t go looking for others either. Don’t think that I’m being ironic, perhaps over time this style will be called Disney Land Hero. How often has it happened in history that something unrecognized and ridiculed by contemporaries became a real treasure of the era. The houses of the architect Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona are probably the most brilliant example of this.
And this man, who is a monument, became famous for the fact that, being illiterate, he climbed up the political ladder, overthrowing someone. supporting someone. And he reached the very top, becoming the first Prime Minister of the country that threw off centuries of British oppression. And just as he reigned in 1981, he remained a dictator until his death in the year 1994. And then his son-heir gained political power, took the reins of government, and by the first decree of his father, he elevated him to national heroes and erected a monument to him. Involuntarily, the thought of the wisdom of our people suggests itself: we’ve been this way and that for decades, and we don’t care, we hold on and trust only the most worthy fathers of our daughters. This masterpiece was sculpted by a Cuban whose name is unknown to me, but known among experts for creating monuments to leaders. I don't know if it's true the brightest impression The sculptor’s childhood included Disney cartoon characters, or he put into his creation all the fury of his heart, oppressed by another long-lived ruler, but this monument is imprinted on the brain by its dissimilarity to other monuments in the world. Isn't this genius?
I walk around the neighborhood until Hunger-Not-Aunt gathers his flock from the city streets to the ship’s restaurants. I didn’t notice any glaring poverty surrounded by garbage dumps here. Such a clean, cozy island. You could even stay in Antigua for a week: wander from beach to beach, enjoy unobtrusive, high-quality service; visit Montserrat - the Pompeii of our days, and be sure to see the pristine Caribbean nature on Dominica - an island miraculously not mutilated by the colonialists. Even in my dreams, I don’t delude myself with searching for sunken ships for a banal reason - I won’t find them, just as I don’t see mushrooms in the forest or whales in the sea. Like everywhere else, people live differently in Antigua. They live like this
1 0
And that’s how they live too: it’s similar to our gardening, only without fences and beds.
1 0
It’s funny to notice how the kids stare at me: “Eco is a pale scarecrow,” one can read in their eyes. This is probably how our Russian kids look with childlike spontaneity at the black man they see for the first time. The skin of the local descendants of African slaves, brought to the place where the aborigines were exterminated by Europeans, is deep black. By the way, in many languages the word “negro” sounds offensive, but “black” is not offensive at all.
Unexpectedly, Rastafarian culture is more fully represented in Antigua than on other islands, including Jamaica, where it originated; but here it is more of a fashion than a way of life. Everywhere there are men with dreadlocks, packed into a stocking or a knitted wool cap. It’s interesting - do Rastafarian women exist? And how do you distinguish yourself externally from non-Rastafarians? Or is being bright and catchy a man’s prerogative?
The English-speaking Caribbean island-states are united in the Commonwealth. It has nothing in common with our CIS. Their Commonwealth agreed upon a single military force act in case of foreign aggression, and in peacetime there are different educational establishments, where specialists are trained for the entire Commonwealth (I believe, one of the solutions to the demographic problem). Let's say nurses are trained on one island, and sugar industry specialists on another. Basic school education is English, and all students are required to wear uniform. They explained to me that school uniforms erase social inequality. Otherwise I have no idea!
0 0
0 0
A couple of hours is enough to explore all the shops of St. John's, sorry, boutiques, in our opinion. Although in French and Swedish “boutique” actually means “shop”. I saw Jamaican red-yellow-green colors in the window and went in. Let me, I think, be lying - I’ll choose gifts for loved ones in St. John’s, but I’ll say that I’m from Jamaica, where, for the reasons stated in the story “How I trusted Robertino and was left with my nose,” I never bought anything. I walk under the gaze of the owner of the store; it clearly reads: “What do you need here if you don’t take anything?” It’s clear, the auntie is from there. Locals are loyal to foreigners. I’m trying to explain in my Russian English: “I’m looking for gifts.” She explains something to me in her Jamaican English and gets more and more excited like: “Get exhausted if you don’t understand the normal language.” It washed over me with a nostalgic wave of the recent Soviet past, and I rolled out on it: a Chinese T-shirt is not a gift that people look forward to, and I don’t consider myself a fan of Bob Marley, although I know reggae music, I can even dance - the fruit of a three-year passion for Zumba. Later, on another Caribbean island, I got hold of a licensed Reggae Golden Jubilee 50 anniversary as a consolation for my husband, who didn’t make it on that cruise.
0 0
This is probably what film sets will look like in fifty years, which isn't much at all if you look back at the time of the Beatles; the white monopoly in cinema will be completely destroyed and the descendants of black people will believe that their ancestors conquered the Wild West.
However, on this day, St. John's was not at all cinematic passions. I walk around the shops of the shopping gallery, lazily converting the prices of branded items from the East Caribbean dollar to the American dollar, the US dollar to euros, euros to rubles - an activity more for brain exercise than one with practical benefits: Stockmann's prices without discounts are clearly inferior to the island's exorbitant ones - duty free. Thoughts about the vicissitudes of pricing were pierced by the sound of a gunshot, a cry of horror and the movement of the crowd, which in real life turned out to be much more terrible than all cinematic delights. A rumor spread: a murder motivated by jealousy. Othello, Shakespearean passions, retribution in public. The police and ambulance worked efficiently and harmoniously - professionally. The shops were empty: buyers and sellers rushed to look and find out.
0 0
The people want bread and circuses. The town is buzzing
the ships set sail, and I take with me a barrel of honeyed memories, seasoned with the incident of a tar taste.
1 0
Cruise ships sail directly into the center of St. John's, the largest city on the island of Antigua. It can accommodate 4 airliners at a time and becomes very busy. Most cruise ships dock at Heritage Quay, which offers easy access to St. John's main attractions on foot.
Some ships anchor in nearby Redcliffe Quay. The special atmosphere of this place is formed by ancient buildings in the Georgian style, which have become home to cafes and boutiques.
If there are several ships in port, some of them stop at the Deep Water Harbor terminal, 1.5 km from St. John's. You can get to the city from there on foot or by taxi. Smaller ships moor at English Harbor, located on the south coast.
"Transit" passengers cruise ships Those staying at the port for less than 24 hours do not need a visa.
What to see in St. John's on a cruise
Dominant on the skyline of St. John's - the capital and large city Antigua and Barbuda - are the amazingly expressive white towers of St. John's Cathedral. The construction of 1845 is already the 3rd “rebirth” of the building: in 1683 and 1745 it was destroyed by earthquakes. For almost half of the guests who visit the island each year, the cathedral's baroque towers are Antigua's first attraction. Most of the tourists come here by sea. With a recently completed cruise ship pier and several hotels, St. John's is now a bustling harbor for shopping and dining.
The island of Barbuda is an island in the Caribbean Sea, one of three islands on which the state of Antigua and Barbuda is located.
The area of the island is 161 square kilometers. Most of the island is occupied by forest; there are no rivers or lakes on the island. The highest point of the island is Lindsay Hill, 44 meters high.
The island of Barbuda has a subtropical climate, with temperatures ranging from 18 to 45 degrees Celsius throughout the year.
When Christopher Columbus arrived on the island in 1493, it was inhabited by the Arawaks, an ancient Indian tribe. In 1666, Great Britain founded a colony on the island.
In 1685, the island was leased to the Codrinton brothers, who founded the city of the same name, where the bulk of the island's population now lives.
Devil's Bridge
The nine-meter Devil's Bridge made of limestone is located in national park in the southeast of Antigua.
The bridge was built in the 16th century on the site of an ancient Roman bridge on the road that connected the Mountain Thracian lowland with the Aegean coast. The length of the bridge is 56 m, width is 3.5 m.
Currently, the bridge is not in use and is protected as a cultural monument. Almost to the bridge there is a dirt road from Ardino; near the bridge there is a resting place with a canopy and a fireplace.
What attractions of Barbuda did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.
Mount Obama
Mount Obama, located in the southwestern part of the island of Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda, is considered the highest point in the country.
The height of the mountain is 409 meters. From its top there is a beautiful view of the nearby islands of Montserrat and Guadeloupe.
Until August 4, 2009, Mount Obama was known as Boggy Hill. Named in honor of US President Barack Obama on his birthday by the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Baldwin Spencer.
At the foot of the mountain there is a stone monument with an inscription expressing admiration for the first black president of the United States.
Redonda is a volcanic rock located 56 km southwest of Barbuda. Currently, Redonda is home to a natural park. The park is almost completely surrounded by coral reefs, numerous underwater banks and rocks, and therefore abounds in shipwrecks.
The permanent residents of this island are birds. The most frequent guests here are yachtsmen.
The total area of Redondo Island, as well as the park of the same name, is 68,000 sq.m. A significant part of the Redondo rock is covered with dense tropical thickets. Once on the island, you will find yourself in the kingdom of birds. Here, in large quantities There are hummingbirds, falcons, hawks, owls, eagle owls, herons, pelicans, woodpeckers, jays, swifts, and caracaras.
The climate here is tropical trade wind, warm and relatively dry. All year round the air temperature ranges from +26-27 C (January) to +30-32 C (July). Precipitation is approximately 1300 mm per year, with the maximum amount of rain falling between August and September-December. Winds blow almost constantly on the islands, significantly softening the heat. In the period from June to November, tropical hurricanes may pass over the country's territory, accompanied by stormy winds and heavy rainfall.
Derby Cave
Derby Cave lies just 5 kilometers north-east of Codrington, representing a vertical drift formed as a result of karst activity.
The mouth of the cave, with a diameter of more than 100 meters, has a depth of more than 21 meters, while the stalagmites reach 2.5 meters in length. The vegetation around the cave resembles a tropical forest, full of palm trees, ferns and vines. Dark Cave lies 3.6 km south of Derby Cave and has a narrow entrance leading to a large cavern occupied by a pool of clear water, which was used as a source of fresh water by the Indians. The cave is home to several rare species of crustaceans, including the unique blind shrimp.
Behind the Derby Cave cave begins the Drop Cavern cave, and behind it is the Bath Chamber cave, about 10 m high. From the main corridor to the east there is a short narrow drift, in which petroglyphs were found that are attributed to the Arawak culture. Further, the passage leads to another cave, which is illuminated by sunlight through holes in the roof.
Codrington House
Codrington House is 5 km away north of the capital, in the capital of Codrington, the city of Barbuda. Codrington House is located in the highest part of the island, the estate was built in 1720.
Codrington House is also known as "Willy Bob" or "Mountain House". From this once large slaveholding estate of the Codringtons, only a box of walls and a large water tank have survived to this day. From here there is an excellent panorama of the coastline Islands of Barbuda.
Codrington was named after the Gloucestershire family that once leased Barbuda to the British Crown for "one fat pig a year." Now it is the same quiet town as at the end of the 19th century, the main decoration of which is the numerous beautiful one-story houses (many owners paint them in their own color).
Redonda Island
Redonda Island is a small uninhabited rocky island in the Caribbean Sea.
Its length is about 2 kilometers, width is just over 500 meters. The most high point- 297 meters above sea level.
The island was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493. The name was given by Columbus and means "rounded".
From 1872 to 1967 the island was in British possession. Now it is a possession of the country of Antigua and Barbuda.
Phosphate mines are being developed on the island. Redonda Island is inhabited by goats and seabirds.
Are you interested in knowing how well you know the sights of Barbuda? .
Airport VC Bird
VC Bird Airport is the only international airport in Antigua and Barbuda.
It is located in the northeastern part of the island of Antigua, 6 km east of the country's capital, St. John's.
The length of the runway is 2743 meters. Its elevation above sea level is 19 meters.
VC Bird Airport has daily 20-minute flights to Codrington Airport on the island of Barbuda.
The international airport code is TAPA.
The most popular attractions in Barbuda with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose best places for visiting famous places Barbuda on our website.
More attractions of Barbuda
St. John's is the capital of a country with a colonial past. The main population here is made up of descendants of slaves who were once brought from Africa. There is an undoubted advantage in the control of the city by the British Crown for such a long time - all the locals know English language. The city was named after St. John, who is considered the patron saint of the capital. It is unknown whether the patronage of England turned St. John's into a major tourist center, or whether the townspeople were actually helped by the saint they so revered...
One way or another, not a trace remains of the slave past. Today, St. John's is a magnificent resort that appeals to both families and young people.
Climate and weather
St. John's is located in a tropical climate zone. The air temperature here throughout the year is +23…+27 ° C. The rainy season lasts from May to November, but the rainfall here is not very heavy. The most favorable time for a holiday in the capital is considered to be the winter and spring months.
The water temperature in the Caribbean Sea does not drop below +26 throughout the year ° C.
Nature
The nature of St. John's is unlikely to amaze tourists with its diversity. The reason for this is the complete absence of freshwater bodies of water within the city, and throughout the island. But a huge variety of birds live here. Coastal waters amaze with the abundance of commercial fish and crustaceans.
Attractions
The city's colonial past is reflected not only in the composition of the population (more than 80% of the population is descended from slaves), but also in its attractions. The most frequently visited place in the city by visitors is fort james, who once defended the colony from the claims of French soldiers. The first stone of the fortress was laid back in 1739. Interestingly, the sign of the Masons was carved on the stone. This stone can still be seen today. Only now the Masonic symbol has become almost invisible. According to one version, this was due to treasure hunters who believed that it was under this stone that they could find gold coins.
It is noteworthy that Fort James was never involved in the battle. His mission was to intimidate the enemy. By the way, this mission was completed perfectly. That is why many unique things have been preserved in the fortress. For example, a cannon from which they fired at approaching unfamiliar ships. To fire a shot, the labor of eleven adult men was required! In addition to the guns, the premises of the canteen, barracks and gunpowder warehouses are almost perfectly preserved here.
One cannot ignore another architectural monument located in the capital - Saint John's Cathedral. The first religious building on the site of the cathedral appeared already in 1683. However, the cathedral in the form in which it can be seen today was rebuilt a little later, namely in 1845. The temple is one of the few examples of combined stone and wood architecture. The bell tower, made in the Baroque style, deserves special attention.
One of the oldest parts of St. John's - Redcliffe Quay pier. Warehouse buildings have been preserved here, from where sugar produced on local plantations was sent to all corners of the world. Today, the premises of the former warehouses are used as cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops. A little further from the pier there is a former slave market. Not far from the market is a memorial in honor of the people of Antigua and Barbuda who died during the First World War.
Nutrition
St. John's has a huge number of cafes and restaurants to suit every taste. Many cafes in the capital offer you to try national Caribbean dishes. For example, a cafe menu Pepperz N" Lime consists entirely of Mexican and Caribbean dishes.
The price for lunch here ranges from $7 to $35. Fans of traditional European cuisine will also find something to suit their taste. Ocean Cafe offers visitors an international menu. The check amount for lunch here will range from $6 to $28.
Accommodation
The capital of Antigua and Barbuda is the largest economic and tourist center, so the choice of hotels here is simply huge, and the cost of an overnight stay varies significantly. So, a night in a three-star small hotel Coconut Beach Club will cost $192. The same service at the four-star Valley Creek Hotel will cost about $84.
Naturally, you can also find luxury hotels in St. John's. The cost of a night in a five-star hotel in the capital fluctuates around $500.
Entertainment and relaxation
Every year at the end of July and beginning of August, Long Street (which, by the way, the main street St. John's) becomes the starting point of the colorful procession. The carnival brings together circus actors, folk dancers, folklore performers, as well as ordinary people who support the colorful procession.
Live music clubs are especially popular in the capital. They usually play reggae, jazz and calypso styles. There are also a huge number of nightclubs in the city and its surroundings.
There are beaches right next to St. John's Runway Bay And Dickenson Bay. They are located on the shores of picturesque bays. Here you can try your hand at windsurfing, kayaking or diving. In addition, there is the opportunity to take a cruise with a stop in a remote bay, where you can safely swim next to dolphins.
St. John's is the gambling capital of Antigua and Barbuda. Casinos are located not only in the city, but often right in hotels.
Purchases
St. John's is famous for its duty-free shopping. They sell gems, jewelry, and watches of the highest quality at an affordable price. In the pier area Redcliffe Quay souvenir shops are located. There is a farmer's market near the pier where you can buy local seasonings.
Please remember that stores in St. John's are open until 5:00 p.m.
Transport
The easiest way to get to St. John's is by plane. international Airport located 6 km from the city.
The cost of a taxi ride here is fixed. For example, getting from the airport to the capital costs $7.
It is also possible to rent a car. To do this, you must have a national driving license, credit card, as well as a special permit, which is obtained directly at the rental point. Its cost is $20.
For sightseeing tours you can use sea transport.
Connection
The entire territory of Antigua and Barbuda is covered by GSM mobile communications. A roaming service is available for subscribers of major mobile operators. The cost of calls and SMS is determined by the telecom operator.
There are quite a few Internet cafes in St. John's that provide access to the World Wide Web for $5 for one hour.
Safety
St. John's has a reputation as a laid back city. But, as in any tourist center, you should beware of pickpockets.
Real estate
You don't have to be a resident to buy property in St. John's. However, you will have to pay 5% of the cost of the purchased object for a license for a non-resident. The procedure for transferring ownership rights from the state to a private person will cost another 2.5%. In addition, 1% of the transaction cost will be spent on legal support.
Actually, real estate in St. John's is not cheap. For an apartment with an area of 62 m2 you need to pay about $430,000.
Some cafes and restaurants do not serve visitors in beachwear, so you need to take a couple of suits with you. In St. John's, it is customary to leave a tip of 10-15% of the order amount.
You should also remember that when leaving the country you will definitely need to pay a fee. Its size is $20.