Nevis

Nevis, the smaller, quieter and more genteel sister island of Saint Kitts, is a serene and charming Caribbean idyll, a near-perfect green volcanic cone rising from the sea and often wreathed in cloud. Its historic little capital, Charlestown, is one of the best-preserved old towns in the Caribbean, of pretty Georgian stone-and-timber buildings, and the birthplace of the American founding father Alexander Hamilton, with a museum in his honour. Ringed by the lovely golden sands of Pinney's Beach, dotted with elegant old sugar-plantation houses turned romantic inns, and blessed with historic warm mineral springs, unhurried Nevis is a place of timeless, understated charm.

History

Amerindian peoples lived on Nevis for more than 2,000 years before Columbus sighted it in 1493, and they called it Oualie, land of beautiful waters. Anthony Hilton brought 80 English settlers over from Saint Kitts in 1628, and when the Leeward Islands were separated from Barbados in 1671 Nevis became the seat of the colony, nicknamed the Queen of the Caribees, until the seat moved to Antigua in 1698 (Wikipedia, Nevis).

What you'll find

• Charlestown - the well-preserved Georgian old capital.
• The Hamilton birthplace - the museum in his honour.
• Pinney's Beach - the lovely golden-sand beach.
• The plantation inns - the elegant old sugar-estate houses.

When to go

December to April, the dry season, for the best weather; Nevis is peaceful and charming year-round, reached by a short ferry or flight from Saint Kitts, and rewards a relaxed overnight in one of its atmospheric plantation inns. The island's understated, unhurried charm is best savoured slowly.

Practical notes

Nevis is small, quiet and low-key, without the resorts, nightlife or wealth of attractions of larger islands, which is precisely its genteel, timeless charm, so it suits those seeking peace, history and understated elegance rather than buzz; it is also, in its plantation inns, an upscale destination. As a serene, beautiful and characterful island of a perfect volcanic cone, a lovely old capital, historic charm and a fine beach, though, Nevis is a delightful and romantic Caribbean escape.

Nearby

The main island of Saint Kitts is a short ferry or flight across the narrows.