Join a balmy Caribbean winter escape aboard the brand-new superyacht Emerald Azzurra. Sail to seven island paradises, once vital stops on transatlantic trade routes, and rediscover often-forgotten links between the Caribbean and the birth of the United States. From Barbados, sail to the little-visited yet spectacular island of Dominica and tour an 18th-century military fortress surrounded by virgin forest, shimmering rivers, and dormant volcanoes. Call at Nevis, the birthplace of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, and visit his childhood home. Spend a day among the white-sand beaches of St. Barthélemy (“St. Barts”), with opportunities to swim in the warm Caribbean waters. On magical Antigua, visit the famous Nelson’s Dockyard and a restored 17th-century sugar plantation before calling at Montserrat, described as “a modern-day Pompeii” and home to a stunning botanical garden. Step ashore for a day in the archipelago known as Îles des Saintes, site of the most significant naval battle ever fought in the Caribbean between the British and the French. Before disembarking upon return to Barbados, meander through a magnificent garden in Soufrière, a town on the island of St. Lucia. This Harvard Alumni trip (open to all) is co-sponsored with the National Trust for Historic Preservation the University of Chicago Alumni Association, and Johns Hopkins Alumni Association. Activity Level 3. Dates February 24 – March 2. Study leader Kay Kaufman Shelemay is the G. Gordon Watts Professor of Music, Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard. She plans to lecture on Caribbean music at home and abroad, and about Caribbean musicians and their global impact. For pricing and information on registration, visit HERE