Dutch in the south, French in the north – on St. Maarten, you can find an unusual piece of Europe in the middle of the Caribbean. The natural salt deposits, the Dutch West India Company once claimed the island for itself and – according to legend – divided the island up in 1648 after a drinking competition with the French. In the colorful port city of Philipsburg, a day at the beach can be perfectly combined with a stroll through town. The fine sandy Great Bay Beach is only a stone's throw from the Boardwalk with its restaurants and the boutiques of the small city center.

St. Barthelemy, known as St. Barths, already had many "owners" before the Lesser Antilles were acquired by France in 1877. The first estate was acquired by the banker David Rockefeller in 1957, and the island's future was finally sealed. It became a refuge for the international jet set and an elegant holiday paradise for many Hollywood stars. For over 40 years, St. Barths has cultivated a luxurious lifestyle with a Caribbean laissez-faire approach. You can stroll through the charming main town of Gustavia, whose beautifully restored houses and colonial facades look out over the sea with its elegant superyachts, browse in the shops for precious items, or enjoy a sundowner in the picturesque harbor surrounded by clusters of high-class bars and restaurants.

Climbing the rigging, untying ropes, setting sails – today is all about sailing. Time to lean back and relax in the deck chair and watch the passionate crew hoisting the sails by hand.

Iles des Saintes is a small archipelago that was disputed for a long time until it finally became French in 1816. In the charming main town of Terre-de-Haut, take a delightful stroll along the waterside promenade. Boutiques, cafés, bars, and restaurants invite you to browse and spend some time here. The savoir vivre takes place against a backdrop lit up in all the pastel shades of the Caribbean. Fort Napoleon is set high above the bay and your climb up to it is rewarded by a spectacular panoramic view. On the other side of the island, the Plage de Pompierre invites you to enjoy a dip in the sea and sunbathe on the beach.

Bequia is actually the largest island in the Grenadines, but still small and tranquil at just 87 square miles. Elegant sailing yachts sway in the natural shelter of Admiralty Bay, while in lovely Port Elizabeth, with its attractive beach bars, you are right in the heart of a lifestyle that likes to take things easy. You can find Princess Margaret Beach just nearby, named because it was once visited by the British royal. On the eastern coast, you can find the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary focuses on rearing and caring for endangered turtles.

Beautiful beaches, aromatic spice plantations, dense rainforests, waterfalls, and a volcano that has long been extinct define this stunning island. For many people, Grenada is the incarnation of a tropical paradise, and St. George's is the most beautiful little port in the Grenadines. All around the horseshoe-shaped bay, there are numerous houses reminiscent of colonial times. There is good reason why nutmeg is immortalized on the national flag. Alongside cloves, cinnamon, and ginger, it is one of the island's biggest exports.

Right in the south of the Grenadines are Union Island and the Tobago Cays. Union Island was given the evocative name "the Tahiti of the West Indies" thanks to its volcanic silhouette. Four small uninhabited islands, surrounded by a protective horseshoe-shaped coral reef, form the Tobago Cays. The Horseshoe Reef holds the Atlantic swell at bay and its unique animal and plant life make it an ideal place for snorkeling. The lagoon between the islets shimmers in all shades from turquoise through to emerald green and invites you to take a dip at the fantastic beaches.

Two famous volcanic cones are indisputably the emblem of St. Lucia and have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Gros and Petit Piton tower over the southern, windward side of the island and, in Soufrière, seem close enough to touch. The volcanoes have in fact long been extinct, but the sulphur springs demonstrate the power of the earth's core and still bubble up. In the Botanical Gardens, natural abundance is combined with artistic arrangements to create a colorful tropical paradise. Some people claim that Josephine, who later became Napoleon's wife, used to bathe in the little pool in the garden.

Learn knot tying, read nautical charts, or attend a lecture. It never gets boring on board a windjammer.

More than 300 years of British rule have left their mark. The whole of Bridgetown, Barbados' historic center, with its colonial architecture surrounding Trafalgar Square, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A green hilly countryside and endless fields of sugar cane characterize the island's landscape. Old colonial houses are reminders of the high life of the plantation owners, while innumerable colorful chattel houses are evidence of their workers' moveable properties. The sweeping coastline is a picture postcard of fine sandy beaches and a turquoise sea surrounded by vibrant coral reefs.