It is the island of daffodils and aesthetes: it is Saint Barth, one of the most exclusive destinations in the Caribbean, which over the years has become the haunt of families of the calibre of the Rockefellers, Fords and Rothschilds. The reason for such success with the international jet set is not difficult to guess. White sandy beaches surrounded by coral reefs, sumptuous villas surrounded by the lush vegetation of green hills sloping down to the sea, spectacular views and a nightlife that is anything but boring make Saint Barth a holiday paradise. This small island in the French Antilles, just twenty-five square kilometres in size, boomerang-shaped and surrounded by several smaller uninhabited islets, has been an overseas collectivity of France since 2007, which has claimed ownership since 1648. After being discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493 during his second voyage to America and being named after the explorer’s brother (Bartholomew Columbus), Saint Barth has always been French. Except for a parenthesis lasted about one hundred years (1784-1878) when it was given to Sweden in exchange for some commercial rights in the port of Gothenburg. The name of its capital, Gustavia, bears witness to this, named after the Swedish king Gustav III. The French heritage, on the other hand, is evident in the restaurant industry where, in the hundreds of restaurants scattered around the island, the cuisine of the other side of the Channel reigns supreme, alongside Creole cuisine based on fish and vegetables. Saint Barth is also strategically located for exploring all the other Caribbean islands: it is southeast of Saint Martin and southwest of Saint Kitts and Nevis and Sint Eustatius.
