Antigua and Barbuda, together with the islet of Redonda, are a state of the Lesser Antilles (Leeward Islands) located at the eastern end of the Caribbean Sea (Atlantic Ocean), north of Guadeloupe.

442 square km.

About 69,000 inhabitants with a density of 152 inhabitants per km² .

The capital city is St. John's with about 36,000 inhabitants - almost half of the total island population. The tourist attractions are to be found mainly around the Heritage Quay, the cruise ship terminal, and the Redcliffe Quay, the old slave market centre which is now a place featured by wooden huts and restored stone buildings. The skyline of the capital is dominated by the imposing Anglican St. John's Cathedral, situated in the highest part of the city. Not to forget is the characteristic market settled in the southern part of the capital, where you may find fruits, vegetables, tens of spices - most of which unfamiliar to us - but also souvenirs of any kind.

The state is formed by the following islands: Antigua, Barbuda, Green, Guaina Island, Long Island, Redonda. The main cities are St. John's (Antigua),
Liberta (Antigua), Willikies (Antigua), All Saints (Antigua) and Codrington (Barbuda).

International Airport V.C. Bird - Antigua.

The first inhabitants of the islands are supposed to be the Amerindian Arawaks, who settled there permanently about 2,000 years ago founding agricultural communities on both islands. In 1200 A.D. the Arawaks were ejected by the Caribs, who used Antigua and Barbuda as base for their raids.
The first Westerner landing in Antigua was Christopher Columbus is 1493. He named the island after the church "S. Maria de la Antigua" in Seville, where he stopped some days before starting for the crossing. The English colonists settled here since 1632 and started growing tobacco and indigo, but after a while the overproduction of such cultivations led to market saturation and to the following collapse of prices. The production of sugar started in 1674 and resulted in the importation of hundreds of slaves from Africa. Barbuda was then exploited to grow agricultural products and to raise the livestock in order to feed such a manpower. Actually, the emancipation of the slaves occurred in 1834 due to a local economic crisis. Unlikely other Caribbean islands, the land of the former plantations in Antigua were not divided and granted to the earlier slaves, but still kept under the control of a handful of land-owners. Several ex-slaves left therefore their dwelling in the plantations and moved in the shanty towns of the cities, while others settled on the land owned by the Church. As a result, cultivations were mainly abandoned and to degraded. Only the sugar cane survived until 1971. When the price of the so-called Antiguano, i.e. the sugar produced on the island, fell down due to the competition, the State closed the plantations and consequently also schools and hospitals, since the local economy was no more able to maintain them. It seemed the beginning of the end but ....
The island economy was then re-launched by tourism. A small group of American millionaires discovered Antigua and founded there the Mill Reef Club, a centre with private houses and beaches, which led to an exclusive and first-class tourism. Nowadays the tourist activities employ more than 60 per cent of the population and represents 80 per cent of the GDP.
In the meanwhile, in 1967, that is more than 300 years after the colonial domination, Antigua acquired a form of self-government and became an independent state within the Commonwealth. But the country obtained the full independence only on 1st November 1981 and became what is now known as Republic of Antigua & Barbuda. In 1995 the hurricane Luis damaged 75% of the houses in Antigua and almost all the hotels but all the tourist buildings have been restored.

The 1st of November (Independence Day).

Constitutional monarchy.

The official language in Antigua is English but locally it combines with some Arawak terms, the old langue of the two islands.

74% of the religious population in Antigua and Barbuda is formed by Anglican Protestant Christians, 13% are Roman Catholics while the remaining part follows other beliefs, such as the local voodoo.

The time zone is 5 hours behind Italy (during solar time).

Visitors are required to hold a passport with at least 6-month remaining validity.

The country's monetary unit is the East Caribbean Dollar.

CHECK THE CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATE

The main credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. 24/24h cash withdrawal is possible via the main credit cards and the Maestro card in all international ATMs.

No vaccinations are required to visit Antigua. The health care network and the hospital structures are satisfactory. Due to the high costs of the health services it is advisable to underwrite an insurance policy covering possible medical expenses and repatriation costs.

CLIMATE:
The semi-arid tropical climate is featured by temperature ranging from 28 to 31° C.

CHECK THE WEATHER FORECASTS IN REAL TIME

110/220/60 volts; American sockets with two flat pins. Adaptor indispensable.

To call Italy from Antigua dial the country code for Italy 0039, then the Italian area code, including zero, and the number you wish to call. The hotel costs for the telephone conversations are extremely high. To call Antigua from Italy, dial the country code for Antigua 001268 and then the number you wish to call.

There are no restrictions to take pictures and make amateur videos for private use. As in any other country, it is advisable to politely ask local people for their permission before taking pictures of them.

Colourful clothes and costumes, hard-stone necklaces, straw articles, wooden and ceramic handicrafts, fabrics and local spirits, such as the Cavalier rum and the Wadadli beer. Duty free shopping is available both in the several stores at the port of Heritage Quay and at the more rustic Redcliff Quay in the capital city.

The high-quality Antiguan and Barbudan cuisine is mainly formed by fish based dishes accompanied with rice, beans or pancakes. The rice is served underdone, being boiled, strained off and cooked a second time dry in the casserole on a slow fire, thus resulting in a dry and crisp taste. Spices and fruits are to be found in almost all recipes: coconut, mango, papaya, avocado, sweet banana and plantain. Fishes, such barracudas, groupers, king fishes, dolphin fishes, mackerels and wahoos, are cooked in all possible ways: grilled, stewed with spices, or else accompanied by curry sauce and sometimes by a special sweet-sour, hot sauce, which is also used on papaya chutney pancakes. Talking about vegetables, an ingredient to be mentioned is the calaloo, a spinach-like vegetable which is boiled and then served with pork or crab in a typical local dish. As to crustaceans, lobsters are served natural or else charcoal grilled and accompanied with creole rice and spices.
The excellent tropical fruits and juices are to be found everywhere.

The islands are featured by a great passion for the Caribbean music and dance, such as calypso and reggae, the notes of which resound in the Antiguan nights. And there is more: strolling around you may be easily overwhelmed by the music coming out of big stereo speakers that the young Antiguans place in their veranda when the sun is high and they have not even the slightest intention of walking around or going to the beach, thus preferring remaining at home waiting for the sunset. Then they like to go out to listen to a concert, or else a band of friends, or even better to go and play in a restaurant and to get something from the tourists. The spirit of the reggae music is in the air anyway.

The wide-raging nightlife may offer for instance the casino where to play slot machines, chemin de fer and roulette while listening to live music. Excellent pizzas are served at the Redcliff Quay and may be home delivered. Abracadabra is maybe the place most frequented by Vips: opened till late in the night, it has billiard tables and a breath-taking view.

The religious feasts follow the traditional Christian calendar: Christmas on the 25th of December; Good Friday, Easter and Easter Monday, the dates of which change every year.

Among public holidays the following are to be mentioned: the Independence Day on the 18th of April; the Labour Day on the 1st of May; the African Day on the 25th of May; the National Heroes Day on the 11th of August; the Armed Forces Day on the 12th of August.

But the real attraction in Antigua is the so-called Jumpin'' n' Jammin' (the carnival - a festivity which has been celebrated here only since 1957) taking place from the last week of July till the first Thursday of August. The celebrations last all night long in the streets and in the night clubs with dances, songs, reggae and calypso music. They reach their climax on the first Thursday of August with the evocative Juvei Morning when everybody starts queuing at the light of the fires and form a huge, colourful dancing snake-like procession. During these ten days the island is "out of mind": everybody dances, sings, eats deliciousness and - above all - rivers of rum and beer flow freely. On the occasion of this festivity several and involving competitions take place in order to choose the Queen and the King of the Carnival, Mr. and Ms. Teenage Pageant, the best Steelband performance, the most charming Junior Carnival Show and the best Reggae and Calypso singing performance.

Antigua boasts 365 natural beaches. The several reefs on the southern and eastern coast protect the bays from the waves, thus making them accessible in any wind condition. Also the small Barbuda island offers a real paradise of peacefulness in its 160 km of sand and palms. Wonderful white beaches follow one another on the western coast: the most famous among these is the beach connecting Palmetto Point to Cedar Tree Point, where before the first light of dawn the tiny shells brought by the sea let the sand be tinged with pink shades thanks to an optical effect. Also the fabulous beach in Gravenor Bay brings here many snorkelling enthusiasts attracted by the variety of coralline formations of the lapping waters.

Shop opening hours: from 8 am to 5 pm
Posting times: from 8.15 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm to 4 pm (on Friday: from 1 pm to 5 pm).

- Tip- It is highly appreciated

-Taxi- It is advisable to agree on the price before the ride.
-Safety- The country is safe. There are no risky areas. The utmost caution is advisable while swimming in the sea and diving.
-Cyclones- During the cyclone season (from June to November) it is recommended to use the utmost caution and to avoid the most risky areas, since these natural phenomena may cause great inconvenience or even emergency situations. It is advisable therefore to always keep oneself updated on the weather conditions.

People here drive on the left, as in Great Britain. You must be 21 and have been holding a driving licence for at least one year if you want to use the car on the islands. Moreover, it is obligatory to get a local driving licence, issued by the offices of the State Police or by the car hire companies.

The population in Antigua and Barbuda is very religious and they still keep a profound common sense of modesty. In order to be respectful and not to upset them, it is therefore to bear in mind that it would be unbecoming to go walking in swimming suit outside the beaches. Integral sunbathing is not welcomed nearly anywhere (with the only exception of the nudist beach in Hawksbill) and also topless sunbathing is forbidden in many areas.

The name of the city of Liberta is due to the fact that this was the first town freed from slavery, founded not by Westerners but by the descendants of Prince Klass, who organized the rebellion in 1736. As a matter of fact, from 1640 to 1834 the population on the island was composed almost completely by slaves coming from the western coasts of Africa.

The local transportation system is based on hitchhiking and on private minivans stopping wherever you want on request. In both cases the experience is worthwhile: velvet car seat covers, air conditioning at the maximum level, high-volume reggae music and "sporty" driving style.

Via Santa Maria alla Porta, 9 - Milan -Italy
Phone: 0039 02 877 983/877 983
E-mail: infoantigua@antigua-barbuda.it
www.antigua-barbuda.it

The Embassy is not present in Italy

Embassy in the United Kingdom:
Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda
15, Thayer Street - GB-London
Phone: 0044 20 7486 7073
Fax: 0044 20 7486 9970

Vice Honorary Consulate in Antigua:
Falmouth Harbour - Antigua
Phone: 001268 4601 543
Fax: 001268 4601 444