Castries

Castries is the capital city of Saint Lucia. Founded by the French in 1650, Castries now has a population of just over 11,000.



Of itself, Castries doesn't have a huge amount to offer visitors, and it's usually just a place that you'll pass through on your way to the more obvious attractions of Saint Lucia.

Even though Castries doesn't have much to offer, you can usually find a fair number of tourists wandering about the place, as the cruise ships that visit Saint Lucia dock at Pointe Seraphine, in the northern part of the city.

Understand
There is a tourist information office, a 15-minute walk from the town centre in the cruise ship dock at Pointe Seraphine.

Free maps are available from the information desk in the La Place Carenage mall on Jeremie Street, just along from the St.Lucia Fire Service building.

By boat
Many visitors will come into Castries on the cruise ships that dock at Point Seraphine.

For details on the ferries that operate from Castries, see the Saint Lucia section.

There is actually an anchorage for sailing boats in Castries harbour, although most visitors on sailing boats tend to dock at Rodney Bay Marina, just outside of Gros Islet and then get a bus or taxi in.

By bus
These provide a cheap and fun way of getting around:
 * 1a - to Gros Islet
 * 3f - to Soufriere.

Do

 * wander around the lively local market on Jeremie Street.
 * visit the viewing point over the harbour, at Morne Fortune, just below Government House.
 * relax in Derek Walcott Square.
 * top up your suntan on Vigie beach.
 * Cricket is played at Mindoo Phillip Park, but first class matches are at the Daren Sammy Ground in Gros Islet.

Buy
There are duty-free shops in Pointe Seraphine, where the cruise ships dock, and also in La Place Carenage mall on Jeremie Street.

For more local goods, the busy market on Jeremie Street is worth a visit.

Eat
There are cheap local eateries in a small alley that runs alongside the market and down to Jeremie Street.

A friendly and cheap cafe selling local food is on the first floor of a building on Derek Walcott square.

Go next

 * take a bus or taxi to Marigot Bay, where the 1967 film Dr. Doolittle was filmed.