The view from Shirley Heights of English Harbour National Park
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Nelson's Dockyard and English Harbour
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When:
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Daily
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Where:
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English Harbour
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| Costs: |
Free
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A pleasure for history enthusiasts and nature fanatics alike, Nelson's Dockyard is a perfectly-preserved, working Georgian dockyard and the epicentre of English Harbour, a breathtaking national park.
This incredible mix of scenery and heritage is the must-see destination for any self-respecting visitor to Antigua. The dockyard itself is named after the English victor at the battle of Trafalgar, Horatio Nelson, whose house at the harbour survives to this day as a museum. Other 18th-century buildings have been converted into shops, inns and quaint restaurants for the visitor.
A celebrated British naval base in the 18th century, the dockyard was abandoned at the end of the 19th century and only recently restored to its former glory. Now a star sailing attraction, its bays are full year-round with international yachts and the floating palaces of the rich and famous.
The surrounding area of rolling hills and white sands fully justifies its national park status. The best view is from a 400-foot cliff known as Cape Shirley (after a former governor of the Leeward Islands). The Shirley Heights afford an incredible view of the whole of the harbour.
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