Up on the northern coast, the country´s largest city (pop. 64,000) was its capital until 1970, and as the site of Belize´s main international airport, most visitors fly into here. Most use it as a gateway to beaches, rainforests, or Mayan ruins elsewhere in the country. but it can still be worth a short visit for curious travelers. The city offers a glimpse into the country’s complex history and culture, with the Fort George colonial quarter and sites like the Museum of Belize, housed in a former colonial prison, and St. John’s Cathedral, the oldest Anglican church in Central America. The Swing Bridge, one of the world’s last manually operated bridges, reflects the city’s maritime past. The Baron Bliss Lighthouse is a prominent landmark, and the Belize Tourism Village serves as a lively hub for shopping and catching ferries to cayes (pronounced “keys”) such as Caulker and Ambergris. Visitors interested in local life can explore markets and taste local cuisine, especially Creole (with African, British, and Caribbean influences) and Garifuna cuisine (of a Belizeans of mixed free African and Amerindian ancestry whose ancestors came from St. Vincent and traditionally speak Garifuna, an Arawakan language).
Read more in my post The Best of Belize.
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