Nassau, the lively Bahamian capital, is home to duty free shopping, a burgeoning restaurant scene and elegant Georgian architecture. There are some interesting museums where you can learn about the pirates and slave traders of yesteryear, and the surrounding coastline boasts some truly stunning beaches.

Founded by the Spanish in 1521, Puerto Rico’s capital is the second oldest European settlement in the Americas. Modern San Juan is a bustling city, home to over a third of the island’s population, but the cobbled streets of the Old Town remain the biggest tourist draw.

The busiest and most developed of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas is nevertheless blessed with typically Caribbean good looks. The main town, Charlotte Amalie, is situated on a perfect natural harbour, and in its colonial heyday its warehouses were filled with indigo, tobacco and cotton.

Antigua is famously home to 365 beaches - one for every day of the year - and there is an undeniable allure to the many white sand coves dotted along the coast. The capital, St John's, is worth a look, but if you've got time to visit the south coast you'll find historic Nelson's Dockyard a lot more interesting.

Gustavia is the chic and petite capital of Saint Barths, a tiny French Caribbean island that’s renowned as a haunt of the rich and the famous. You can certainly live well here if you’ve got the means, with an array of gourmet restaurants and luxury boutiques aimed squarely at the A-list. The beautiful beaches, on the other hand, are free and open to all.

Tortola is the largest and most populous of the British Virgin Islands, and the bustling port at Road Town is a magnet for sailors from around the world. The island is blessed with some gorgeous beaches and secluded coves, and it’s a great place for a spot of snorkelling.