Charlotte Amalie, US Virgin Islands

CHARLOTTE AMALIE sweeps around St Thomas Harbour in a striking combination of red-roofed whitewashed buildings backed by lush green villa-dotted hills. Up to eleven cruise ships can occupy the harbour on any given day – though usually there's only about five – and hundreds of ferries and yachts pass through each week, and at times the population of 20,000 doubles. Many bargain-hunting tourists head straight for the famous shopping district where renovated merchant warehouses contain shops selling everything from cut-rate diamonds, perfume and fine textiles to monstrous Cuban cigars. But there's much more to Charlotte Amalie than shopping – the town is full of historic sites like the 99 Steps, Fort Christian and the St Thomas Synagogue. Named Charlotte Amalie in honour of the wife of Danish King Christian V, the Danish influence is strong – much of the historic colonial architecture is still standing and streets are commonly referred to by the Danish word gades, pronounced "gah-dahs". On the peninsula due west of Charlotte Amalie, the smaller, quieter neighbourhood of FRENCHTOWN has been home to most of St Thomas' French descendants for centuries. You will find some fantastic restaurants and bars here and the quaint yellow one-room cottage that houses the French Heritage Museum (Tel:340/714-2583, Mon– Fri 9am–6pm; closed 12pm–1pm for lunch, donations accepted).