Tours in Saint John’s

Start at the top of the town, where the two pale towers of St. John's Cathedral look down over the streets. You see them from the harbour, from the market, from half the corners you turn. Walk up and stand in front of them. The town is laid out below you in a tumble of low roofs, and the water is never far.

St. John's is a working capital, and it feels like one. Heritage Quay and Redcliffe Quay sit along the waterfront, close enough that you can drift between them with no plan. Cruise ships come and go, but the market is where the town talks to itself. Go for the produce, the colour and the noise, and ask what the vendor would cook with whatever you pick up. Try the local pepperpot and fungie if you see them on a menu.

Then follow the coast out. Fort James sits at the mouth of the harbour, a ruin of old walls and gun positions with the sea on one side and the beach on the other. It is an easy place to wander and a good one for a photograph. Heading east, the island changes. Devil's Bridge is where the Atlantic comes in hard against the rock and has worn an arch into the shore. Keep to the viewing areas and let the spray do its work.

Afterwards, the Caribbean side feels almost gentle. A beach like Long Bay is made for taking your shoes off, walking the sand and getting in the water. If you want to see the cathedral, the fort, the wild coast and a calm swim in one outing, the tour below does it in a single easy loop. If something else on the island is on your list, such as English Harbour and Nelson's Dockyard, ask a local guide. They can plan it with you.