Bridgetown to Rio de Janeiro

Discover the many beautiful aspects of this island, from its rugged Atlantic coastline to its beautiful Great Houses, cane fields, exquisite gardens and glorious beaches. See the island’s spectacular underwater treasures on your own snorkeling expedition.

Known as the “City of Arches,” this town is filled with old world charm and accented with rich, rolling green hills. Kingstown’s cenotaph is a beautiful monument atop a granite pedestal that honors soldiers who died in the first and second world wars. Built in 1820, St. George’s Cathedral houses exquisite galleries, and the city’s botanical garden is the oldest in the Western Hemisphere.

You can smell the cinnamon and nutmeg well before you dock in St. George’s; a tour of the spice estates on Grenada is almost mandatory. You can also take in a visit to a distillery to see how the island’s sugarcane juice is first turned into syrup and then into rum. A ferry trip to sister island Carriacou offers fantastic diving opportunities, and romantics can climb the waterfalls or just relax on the sun-kissed beaches.

The penal colony of Cayenne, commonly known as Devil’s Island, was a French penal colony that operated in the 19th and 20th century in the Salvation Islands of French Guiana.

Today one of Brazil’s major cities, with a colourful harbour area and a colonial history dating back to 1612, Fortaleza has developed around the ancient fortress of Our Lady of Assumption (Fortaleza Nossa Senhora de Assuncao). There’s much to enjoy in its old centre, where you visit the magnificent iron structured Teatro Jose de Alencar and various museums or you can bargain in the market for embroidery, lace and other local handicrafts. In recent times, the city has made attempts to expand the tourist trade and to encourage the construction of luxury hotels along the city’s fine beaches.

Discover colonial Brazil in Recife and nearby Olinda and step back in time along narrow, winding streets amid meticulously restored homes, churches and lovely plazas. Admire the scenic views from the Malakoff Tower and Olinda’s hilltop plaza. Visit the old Dutch fort, the Jewish Historic Archive and a local artist in his workshop and gallery.

Wrapped around a sparkling lagoon that links up with the sea, Maceió is a modern tourist destination with a reverence for its Portuguese colonial past. Spot architectural jewels including the stunning blue-and-white-tiled Bom Jesus dos Martírios church and take in a sweeping panorama of the city from the São Gonçalo Belvedere. For an authentic keepsake, select among a rainbow of rendas, traditional lacework evocative of fish netting that has been dyed in tropical colors. It’s no surprise that in Maceió water activities reign supreme, including a catamaran cruise over the Mundaú Lagoon to a secluded beach for the ultimate respite under the sun.

An amazing city, its Portuguese and African cultures blend almost seamlessly into one. See Bahia’s fascinating past in its hundreds of colonial churches and colorful markets. Even its location, atop a bluff around spectacular All Saints Bay is breathtaking. Enjoy its intriguing culture, from the candomblé religious practices to the insinuating rhythm of the samba.

Enjoy a scenic cable car ride to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain for its renowned view. Ride the cog railway through dense forest to Corcovado. Visit the lush botanical gardens, see famed Ipanema and Copacabana beaches and take in a thrilling samba show.