Must See

St Kitts

Officially known as St Christopher, the island is made up of three groups of volcanic peaks split by deep ravines. The rolling landscapes and tropical woodland compete with papaya, avocado, mango and banana plantations.

Basseterre

The picturesque capital of St Kitts, Basseterre, is located on the west coast. Its architecture is a mix of its French and British colonial past, with a number of Georgian buildings surrounding Independence Square. Sadly, many buildings were lost in a fire that swept through the city in 1867. Other highlights include: the Circus, the public market, Craft House and St George's Church.

Frigate Bay

Frigate Bay, located three miles south of Basseterre, is the island's main beach resort with two beaches, North Frigate Bay and Frigate Bay Beach along with hotels, a golf course and a casino.

Circle Island Road

Driving north along the Circle Island Road can take just half a day, but it's worth having a stop-over at a plantation inn.

Brimstone Hill

Brimstone Hill Fortress is one of the New World's most impressive forts, overlooking the sugar mill plains and the islands of Saba and St Eustatius. It is built in 1690 on the peak of a sulphuric prominence, known as 'The Gibraltar of the West Indies', and was the scene of a number of Franco-British battles during the 18th century.

Mount Liamuiga

The Mount Liamuiga volcanic crater is located in the remote south-eastern peninsula - here you might spot a vervet monkey or two.

Nevis

Nevis, the 'Queen of the Caribbean' is dotted with old colonial ruins destroyed by a tidal wave and earthquakes, but is today full of exclusive resorts and spas - a centre for elegance.

Charlestown

Charlestown, the capital of Nevis, is beautifully preserved. Gingerbread houses, weathered in the sea breeze, are covered in beautiful bougainvillaea. Many old plantation houses have been turned into excellent hotels. The town contains a number of reminders of Nevisian history, including Alexander Hamilton's birthplace and museum, the Cotton Ginnery, the War Memorial, the Court House, the Jewish Cemetery and the Alexandra Hospital.

Other sights in or near Charlestown include:

• Nevis Philatelic Bureau
• the Public Library
• the Market
• Eden Brown's Great House
• Bath House (one of the oldest hotels in the Leeward Islands)
• Eva Wilkin's studio
• the Botanical Gardens of Nevis
• Fig Tree Church
• Nelson Museum
• the Newcastle Pottery
• Bath Hot Springs

Pinney's Beach

The silver sand at Pinney's Beach (north of Charlestown) is great for sunbathing, but for great views of St Kitts and Barbuda, head further north still to Black Sand Beach or Hurricane Hill.