14 Nights Caribbean, Southern

Barbados' capital and primary seaport was founded in 1628 by 64 British settlers. A significant amount of historical landmarks are located in Bridgetown including the Parliament Building, home to a 355-year-old Westminster style democratic tradition, and the Synagogue, the oldest Jewish building in the Western Hemisphere.

The capital and commercial centre of Saint Lucia has been devastated by fire several times. Its lush, dense forests, lovely Marigot Bay and charming French atmosphere are all impossible to forget. Historic buildings remain, as does the harbour derived from the crater of an extinct volcano.

This Dominican island is renowned throughout the Caribbean for its straw work. Waterfalls, lakes, freshwater swamps and hiking trails serve as havens for naturalists and eco-tourists, and brightly painted buildings are eye candy for sightseers.

The capital of St. Kitts has shook off hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and fires and has morphed into an unpretentious British-flavored retreat. Victorian stone block buildings laced with gingerbread trim and black and grey sand beaches are the city's most notable attractions.

The ferry from St Kitts docks right in charismatic Charlestown, Nevis' toy-town-sized capital with narrow streets steeped in colonial history and lined with both brightly painted gingerbread Georgian and Victorian stone buildings. It's well worth strolling up and down the main street with its banks, businesses, tourist office, bars and restaurants.

The Dutch capital of St. Maarten is widely known for colonial architecture. Its pastel buildings, often embellished with gingerbread and fretwork trim, surround shaded courtyards and hug cobblestone streets. Philipsburg has a well-earned reputation as a shopper's paradise, and local crafts, exotic foods and elegant imports are available at duty-free prices.

The former haunt of pirates, the Dutch and the English and Tortolas main town, Road Town is within reach of secluded beaches and hidden coves. The island displays the same leisurely pace as other British Virgin Islands, with festivals and regattas across the calendar. Helicopter and sea charters and diving are popular activities. On land, the ruins of Fort Burt and the still functioning Callwood Rum Distillery provide fun daytrips. Catch a cab between sights or rent a car to get out of town.

The capital of Puerto Rico and second oldest city in the Americas is a lively modern metropolis. Underscored by stunning beaches and cobblestone streets lined with churches, houses and mansions, the city is a unique fusion of resort atmosphere and world charm.

The half-mountainous, half-flat British Virgin Island is the home of the Baths, an intriguing, inexplicable group of gargantuan granite boulders spread across utter white palm-lined beaches. Tides turn caves into baths, and back again, creating a maze of crevices and pools.

A staunchly British Antiguan port, St. John's has, according to legend, a beach for each day of the year. Solidly West Indian in flavor, the capital is awash is weathered, pastel-colored houses, intoxicatingly colorful markets, restored buildings and stoic forts.

If variety is the spice of life, then Grenada is the taste of the tropics. The intoxicating aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves fill the air wherever you go. Take your pick of 45 sun-kissed beaches to lounge on, or hit the jungle-covered mountain range for more rugged adventures. Stroll through the 125-year-old Sendall Tunnel to reach the Carenage waterfront promenade. Cruise to Grenada and grab a seat at an open-air café and admire the steep streets lined with colonial buildings and colorful 18th-century warehouses. And holding true to its nickname of Spice Island, you'll find several spice plantations and estates here too.

Reigned over by a 12th-century castle, the seaside town of Scarborough centers around a pretty, horseshoe-shaped bay lapped by the North Sea. Sandy beaches, surfing opportunities, and hearty Yorkshire fare have made Scarborough a family favorite for more than 400 years.

Barbados' capital and primary seaport was founded in 1628 by 64 British settlers. A significant amount of historical landmarks are located in Bridgetown including the Parliament Building, home to a 355-year-old Westminster style democratic tradition, and the Synagogue, the oldest Jewish building in the Western Hemisphere.