Discover 6 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Antigua and Barbuda. Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Nelson's Dockyard (Antigua), Fort James (Saint John's) or St. John's Cathedral (Saint John's).
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Antigua and Barbuda.
Table of Contents
Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua
Museum in Antigua and Barbuda. Nelson's Dockyard is a cultural heritage site and marina in English Harbour, located in Saint Paul Parish on the island of Antigua, in Antigua and Barbuda.
It is part of Nelson's Dockyard National Park, which also contains Clarence House and Shirley Heights, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is named after Admiral Horatio Nelson, who lived in the Royal Navy Dockyard from 1784 through 1787.
Nelson's Dockyard is also home to some of Antigua's sailing and yachting events such as Antigua Sailing Week and the Antigua Charter Yacht Meeting, as well as the 2015 and 2016 International Optimist North American Championships.[1]
Address: St. John's, Antigua
Fort James, Saint John's
Historical landmark in Antigua and Barbuda. Fort James is a fort at the entrance to the harbour of St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda. The fort was built to guard St. John's harbour and is one of the many forts built by the British in the 18th century. Fear of a French invasion prompted the construction. It is located on a headland overlooking the town northwesterly. A powder magazine, several cannons and the foundation of the fort's wall remain. The main attraction today is the excellent view of the surrounding harbor.
The fort is named after King James II of England. Work on the fort started in 1706, and most of the buildings were built in 1739. In 1773, the fort was armed with 36 guns, and had a barracks which accommodated 75 men. In the 19th century, a gun fired salutes at visiting warships, as well as signals at sunrise and sunset.[2]
St. John's Cathedral, Saint John's
Church. St. John's Cathedral also known as the St. John the Divine, the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of North Eastern Caribbean and Aruba, is an Anglican church perched on a hilltop in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda. It is the seat of the Diocese of the North East Caribbean and Aruba in the Church in the Province of the West Indies.
The present cathedral with its imposing white twin towers was built on a fossilized reef, in 1845, and is now in its third incarnation, as earthquakes in 1683 and in 1745 destroyed the previous structures. The iron gates on the south face of the church are flanked by pillars displaying Biblical statues of St John the Divine and St John the Baptist. They were reportedly taken in 1756 from a French ship destined for Martinique.[3]
Address: Church St, Saint John's
Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, Saint John's
Exhibits on the history of the island. The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda is a museum in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda. It is housed in the colonial Court House, constructed in 1747 on the site of the first city market, and is the oldest building still in use in the city. The museum displays both Arawak and colonial artifacts recovered on archaeological digs on the islands. It also features a life-sized replica of an Arawak house, models of sugar plantations, along with a history of the island, and Viv Richards' cricket bat.
Its collection of sugar cane railway locomotives which once worked on the extensive Antiguan rail system and displayed outside the museum includes :
- No.4 "Marion", a Kerr Stuart 'Brazil' class (steam) (1178/1911)
- No.8 "Bessie", an 'armoured' Motor Rail Simplex (petrol) (466/1917)
- No.13, an American built Plymouth BL1 Type 1 (petrol) (743/1919)
- No.15 "Paul" Hudson-Hunslet (diesel) (3442/1946)
Address: Long Street, Saint John's
Falmouth Harbour, Antigua
Bay in Antigua and Barbuda. Falmouth Harbour is a horseshoe-shaped bay and natural harbour on the far southern coast of the island of Antigua in Antigua and Barbuda.
It is located within Saint Paul Parish.[5]
Shirley Heights, Antigua
Lookout, Historical place