Antigua and Barbuda

St. John’s is the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda, perched on Antigua’s northwest coast. It’s the nation’s main port and commercial center, noted for its pastel colonial buildings and the prominent St. John’s Cathedral. Antigua and Barbuda became independent from the UK in 1981; tourism, yachting, and cruise traffic fuel its economy, with nearby Nelson’s Dockyard recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To avoid mix-ups with other Caribbean capitals: Bridgetown is Barbados (think B–B), Kingston is Jamaica, and Castries is Saint Lucia. Memory tip: link “Saint” in St. John’s to the region’s many “saint” islands, but remember this “Saint” belongs to Antigua.