This active Caribbean port city welcomes cruise ships daily at its northern Saint Lucia harbor, with French colonial buildings and a local market near the 19th-century cathedral.
Castries, the capital of Saint Lucia, spreads across a natural harbor on the island's northwest coast. You'll find vendors selling fresh spices and fruits at the Central Market, walk past the white-stone Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, and rest under 400-year-old samaan trees in Derek Walcott Square. From the 845-foot Morne Fortune hill, look down at the city's grid-pattern streets and watch ships entering the harbor, while Vigie Beach curves along the northern edge of town.
Getting Around Castries
Private minibuses marked with "M" plates connect Castries to all parts of Saint Lucia, with fares ranging from 2-8 EC$. You'll find the bus terminal in the city center, making it easy to reach Gros Islet, Soufrière, and other towns. George F. L. Charles Airport handles regional flights, while international travelers arrive at Hewanorra Airport, a 90-minute drive south. A helicopter service runs between the two airports for around US$170 per person.
Central Market and Local Food
Local vendors fill several blocks of the Castries Central Market, selling fresh mangoes, coconuts, and spices. Visit between 5 AM and 6 PM daily, with Saturday bringing the most farmers and produce from across the island. Stop at the food stalls for local dishes like salt fish and green figs (15-20 EC$ per meal). A fresh coconut water costs 5 EC$, and you can taste locally made chocolate from Saint Lucian cocoa.
Derek Walcott Square Area
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception stands on the eastern side of Derek Walcott Square, its white stone exterior leading to dark wood pews and columns inside. The square's samaan trees have grown here for over 400 years, creating wide patches of shade. On the northern corner, the Carnegie Library building contains books and historical documents about Saint Lucia and the Caribbean.
Beaches Near City Center
Vigie Beach stretches for a mile along the northern edge of Castries, with calm waters and small food vendors selling drinks and snacks. Walk to Malabar Beach just beyond the airport runway, or continue north to Choc Beach as it curves around the bay. Each beach includes public access, restrooms, and parking areas.
Fort Charlotte and Morne Fortune
Walk or drive up the steep road to Fort Charlotte on Morne Fortune, built by the French in the 1700s. The fort's cannons still point out to sea, and Sir Arthur Lewis Community College now operates from the old military buildings. From the top, you can see across Castries Harbor and north toward Martinique. The walk takes about 45 minutes, or take a taxi for 20 EC$.
Harbor Activities
At Pointe Seraphine, where cruise ships dock, you can buy local rum and crafts from duty-free shops. Watch cargo vessels unload as inter-island ferries prepare for their trips to Martinique (three departures weekly, US$120 round-trip). If you arrive by yacht, clear customs at the designated dock before anchoring in front of town or at Vigie Creek.
