Discover 9 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Saint Lucia. Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Castries Market (Castries), St. Lucia Botanical Gardens (Soufriere) or Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Castries (Castries).
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Saint Lucia.
Table of Contents
Castries Market, Castries
The Castries Market and Vendor's Arcade is the largest open-air market in Castries, Saint Lucia. It is located in the middle of the capital and has over 300 regular vendors and a hundred or more local sellers on market days.
The market was constructed in 1891 by building engineers Bruce & Still Ltd. of Liverpool. It was originally built to improve the town's appearance and was opened by Sir Charles Bruce on July 2, 1894. The building became the central place for selling a variety of goods such as: fresh meat and fish, herbs, spices, crafts and dry goods.
Fish is no longer being sold and meat isn't slaughtered on the premises, but the market has become the central hub for buying almost anything (natural produce and goods). In an effort to relieve congestion in the sidewalks, the Castries City Council opened a Vendor's Arcade annex in 1996. There, tourists can try the cuisine of local restaurants, buy frozen meat or purchase crafts made on site.[1]
Address: John Compton Highway, Castries
St. Lucia Botanical Gardens, Soufriere
Botanical garden in Saint Lucia. St. Lucia Botanical Gardens, also known as the Diamond Botanical Gardens, is home of the Diamond Waterfall and the oldest botanical gardens on the island of St. Lucia. The botanical garden is located in the town of Soufrière, in the South-Western region of the island St. Lucia.
Baron de Laborie, Governor of St. Lucia, built Sulphur Baths in 1785, using funds sanctioned by King Louis XVI of France. Troops and invalids used the baths for medicinal purposes, comparing the waters to those found at Aix-la Chapelle.[2]
Address: Soufriere Estate, Soufriere
Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Castries, Castries
Catholic cathedral in Castries, Saint Lucia. The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, located in Derek Walcott Square, Castries, Saint Lucia, is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Castries, currently Robert Rivas. The cathedral is named after Mary, mother of Jesus, under her title, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.
The form "Cathedral", as it is commonly known, is the largest church in the Caribbean, measuring 200 ft long (61 m) by 100 ft wide (30 m) and was given the honorary status of a Minor Basilica on 11 May 1999 as part of the centenary celebrations.
The interior is decorated by a mural by St. Lucian artist Dunstan St. Omer.[3]
Address: Micoud St, Castries
Derek Walcott Square, Castries
Derek Walcott Square is a public square and park located in central Castries, Saint Lucia.
The square is bounded by Bourbon, Brazil, Laborie and Micoud Streets.
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and the Castries Central Library are located at the square.
The square was previously named Place d'Armes and Promenade Square. It was named Columbus Square in 1892. In 1993, it was named Derek Walcott Square after the Nobel laureate Derek Walcott.[4]
Address: Micoud St., Castries
Coubaril, Soufriere
Adventure park, Horseback riding tours, Historical place, Farm, Relax in park, Outdoor activities, Park, Tours
Address: Morne Coubaril Estate, Soufriere, Soufriere
Soufrière District, Soufriere
Soufrière is a district on the Southwest coast of Saint Lucia in the West Indies. Soufrière was the former capital of Saint Lucia during times of French rule. It is now a small fishing port with an emerging tourism industry. It has several tourist sites, including a "drive-in" volcano, the Diamond Botanical Gardens with waterfall and historic mineral baths, plus the nearby beaches of Anse Chastanet to the north and Malgretout to the south.[5]
Rodney Bay, Gros Islet District
Bay in Saint Lucia. Rodney Bay is a town and bay located in the Gros Islet District on the island of Saint Lucia. Gros Islet is one of the ten districts in the island. It can be found on the northwestern coast of the island above the Castries District, where the capital of St. Lucia is, and the former Dauphin quarter. St. Lucia is a small island in North America located in the Caribbean Sea and it is the largest of the Caribbean's Windward Islands. The Windward islands include Martinique, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada. It is in a chain of islands in the Lesser Antilles with Martinique to the north and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the south. These islands are southeast of the islands of Puerto Rico and Haiti. Out of the two airports in St.Lucia, Hewanorra and Charles airport, Rodney Bay is closer to the latter.[6]
Government House, Gros Islet District
Government House is the official residence of the governor-general of Saint Lucia. The house is located on the crest of Morne Fortune, near Castries.
The first Government House that was built on this site was destroyed by a hurricane in 1817, before its completion. A second house, built of timber, was completed on the same spot in 1819. This house fell into disrepair, and was abandoned by 1865. Government House then relocated to a nearby disused military barracks.
Construction of the present brick-built Government House was started on the site of the previous house in 1894, and was completed a year later. It was originally used as the home and office of the Commissioners of Saint Lucia until 1958, then for the Administratiors of the island. From 1967, Government House was used by the Governors of Saint Lucia, and since Saint Lucia became an independent state in 1979 it has been used by Governors-General.
At the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, the Government of St Lucia officially announced it would be installing solar panels on the building in partnership with non-profit Solar Head of State, in order to send a message on the importance of renewable energy.[7]
Pigeon Is. interpretation Center, Gros Islet District
Islet in Saint Lucia. Pigeon Island is a 44-acre islet located in Gros Islet in the northern region of Saint Lucia. Once isolated from the country in the Caribbean Sea, the island was artificially joined to the western coast of mainland in 1972 by a man-made causeway built from dirt excavated to form the Rodney Bay Marina. Composed of two peaks the island is a historic site with numerous forts such as an 18th-century British fort and Fort Rodney both used by the British to spy on French Ships from neighbouring Martinique. In 1979 it was named a national park and again in 1992 it became a national landmark under the control of the Saint Lucia National Trust. Today, Pigeon Island is the home and major venue of the Saint Lucia Jazz Festival.[8]