Castries
Above: The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
Below: The open-air market in Castries. Below right: Derek Walcott Square. |
The vast majority of cruise ships calling in St. Lucia dock at Castries, the capital and urban center of St. Lucia. About a third of the island's population live in the Castries area. It has some low-rise modern office buildings but most of the town is made up of older buildings from the 20th century. Devastating fires over the years destroyed most of the town's historic buildings.
Downtown Castries is relatively small and walkable. It is not particularly tourist-oriented in comparison to say Philipsburg on St. Maarten or Charlotte Amolie on St. Thomas. The majority of the tourist shops are at the cruise ports Pointe Seraphine and La Place Carenage. A highlight of the downtown area is the open air public market (Castries Central Market) where locals come to sell crafts and food stuffs. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (18987) is said to be the largest cathedral in the Caribbean.. It is by Derek Walcott Square, a park named after Noble laureate Derek Walcott, who was from St. Lucia. Overlooking Castries is a towering hill Morne Fortune. On its slopes are some mansions built by prosperous merchants and some remnants of colonial era forts. There are also great views of the city. However, you will probably need a taxi to take you there. |
Beyond Castries
![]() The real attractions of St. Lucia lie beyond Castries.
St. Lucia's most famous landmark is the Pitons. These are two almost vertical lava domes that rise thousands of feet out of the sea on the southwest coast of the island. Although spectacular from the landward side, they are best viewed from the sea. Near the Pitons is St. Lucia's semi-active volcano. (See separate article). Marigot Bay is one of the resort areas that are sprinkled along the island's coast. |
Much of St. Lucia is being preserved in its natural state. Pigeon Island is a nature reserve. More generally, parts of the rain forest are open for outdoor activities including zip-lining and exploration by hiking and all-terrain vehicles.
All beaches, including those in front of the resorts, are open to the public. Anse Chastanet near Soufriere is often praised. Rodney Bay is often the beach used on ship shore excursion |
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Cruise destination travel guide - St Lucia - St Lucia Overview