"ANTIGUA, but not Guatemala " a Antigua and Barbuda Travel Page by PALLINA

..actually I didn’t discover so many but those I did were wonderful. On one of the best beach of the island is located the Jolly Beach Resort. I think is among the worst place I stayed in the Caribbean and one of the oldest resort born there. For this reason, the beach chosen is so beautiful!!! Anyway, the Jolly Beach Resort is a 3 stars all inclusive resort. It offers more or less 400 rooms and the white 2 floors building stretches widely on the beach, surrounded by a tropical garden. The rooms are extremely basic and you can get a discount if you are willing to get a smaller room. The are two restaurants, one is a buffet of everything but, unfortunately, everything is of medium-law quality. I would have preferred less quantity and loss opportunity of choosing but a better quality. Unfortunately I didn’t visit the second a-la-carte restaurant, because man were allowed there only wearing a shirt with collar (so no T-shirts admitted for man). My husband had only t-shirts so we couldn’t eat there. What an idiot rule, isn’t it? But we were told it was not so good. The only positive thing that Jolly Beach offers (besides an affordable price, considering you are in the Caribbean. Yesterday, Jan 19 2008, I saw a quotation for a week long stay, all inclusive, flight from and to Milan Malpensa at 1.340 euro) is the beach, so long and NOT crowded. The swimming pool is also nice but the sea is much better. Obviously, if you are interested in taking advantage of the all inclusive drinks, it can be a sort of paradise, although alcoholics are strongly diluted with water, as well. I would recommend it only if you are REALLY interested in Antigua without spending so much.

Take a boat (usually a yatch) tour around the island. It’s really amazing although not cheap. You will see some star’s villas as well. Like Eric Clapton’s. I have heard that also our ex Prime Minister Berlusconi has bought ad estate there in order to build a fabulous villa.

The capital of the island, Saint Johns,cannot be defined a lovely town but it’s not so bad and gives you an idea about how Antiguans live. After a stroll in the harbor, where big cruises daily stops and you can find every kind of luxury shops eager to spoil every tourist getting down from such big cruises, you can go to the fruit and vegetable market and you cannot miss the cathedral. I’ve never expected such a big church in the Caribbean and, moreover, it is almost completely made of dark wood. It’s really worth seeing.