Charming architecture; beautiful vistas; vibrant communities. There are some picturesque towns scattered across the Caribbean, the sort of places that seem to instagram themselves. These are the Caribbeans postcard-perfect towns, perfect for a very different kind of vacation or a wonderful day trip, from the far reaches of the Bahamas to the some of the region’s still largely undiscovered islands. These are the prettiest towns in the Caribbean.
Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, Bahamas You won’t find a collection of colonial architecture quite like this anywhere in the region, with simply gorgeous homes and buildings, some of which date back to the 18th century loyalists who settled on the island following their loss in the revolutionary war.
Gustavia, St Barth St Barts rightly gets much of its renown for its luxury hotels and beaches, but at the heart of the island is as classic a French Creole town as there is, full of boutiques, cafes and quaint side streets.
Nelson’s Dockyard, Antigua It’s not well populated today, but this lovingly restored 18th century village in Antigua is one of the Caribbean’s architectural wonders, a veritable trip across time — and more recently, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s also home to some lovely boutique hotels like the Admiral’s Inn.
Fond-du-Curé, Terre de Haut, Guadeloupe This little village on the harbor on the marvelous little island of Terre de Haut in the Guadeloupe archipelago seems like it came straight from a novel, with colorful Creole homes, tiny bars and cafes and some great shopping, too.
Oranjestad, Statia While Statia is still far off the tourist map, it is home to a truly beautiful old Dutch Caribbean town, replete with the kind of brick architecture you simply don’t find in the Caribbean. Not to be confused with its far larger cousin in Aruba.
St. George’s, Grenada While it’s most stunning seen from out on the harbor, this is the most beautiful cruise port in the Eastern Caribbean, full of an impressive collection of red roofed Georgian architecture that’s unique in the region.
