St. Lucia
Description
View cruises with St. LuciaNestled below the Pitons, twin peaks rising over 2,600 feet above the azure waters of the Caribbean, St. Lucia is an oasis of tropical calm. The island's capital, Castries, is a town of charming, pastel-colored colonial buildings, home to some 60,000. Yet despite its peaceful setting, St. Lucia has a turbulent and colorful history. Fierce Carib warriors overran the peaceful Arawaks in the 9th century. The first European settler, Francois Le Clerc, was a French buccaneer. Le Clerc's countrymen followed in his wake, establishing the town of Soufriere in 1746. Sugar was the lure, sugar was king. Within four decades some 50 plantations flourished on the island. Thus St. Lucia became part of the Caribbean's 18th-century trade triangle of sugar, slavery, and rum. Today this beautiful island welcomes visitors drawn to its exotic tropical landscape, superb beaches, crystalline waters, and colorful marine life.
Points of Interest
- The Pitons
- Sulphur Springs Drive-In Volcano
- Diamond Botanical Gardens
- Soufriere
- Pigeon Island
- Marigot Bay
- Morne Fortune
- Outdoor Adventure
More about St. Lucia Points of Interest
-
The Pitons -
The majestic twin peaks of the Pitons, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, seem to rise straight from the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. Each mount, created from hardened lava, towers over 2,000 feet in the air.
-
Sulphur Springs Drive-In Volcano -
The island boasts the world's only drive-in volcano. Enjoy a short tour of the crater and see the bubbling pools letting off puffs of odorous steam.
-
Diamond Botanical Gardens -
Explore the nature trails and step into a world where waterfalls gush from the mouth of a volcano, hot mineral springs fill the baths with age-old medicinal waters and flora and fauna abounds.
-
Soufriere -
Established in 1746, Soufriere is the island's oldest town, and the reputed birthplace of Napoleon's Empress Josephine. Be sure to visit the marketplace with its colorful murals and gingerbread trim.
-
Pigeon Island -
This 40-acre islet is a beautiful nature park reflecting a thousand years of history. Visit the Museum and Interpretive Center, housed in an elegantly restored 1808 British officers' mess building.
-
Marigot Bay -
This lush yachtsman's haven has been seen in films including "Dr. Doolittle" and "Fire Power." You'll want to see why author James Michener called it "the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean."
-
Morne Fortune -
Enjoy the sweeping views from this 17-century strategic outpost. Visit the Iniskilling Monument, erected in 1932 to honor the Regiment who captured the Morne for the British in 1796.
-
Outdoor Adventure -
Whale and dolphin watching, ziplining, horseback riding, the aerial tram and 4WD fun are trademarks of St. Lucia.
