Located in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, St. Lucia is one of the Caribbean’s great crowd-pleasers: lush, mountainous, fragrant with tropical greenery, and anchored by the spectacular twin peaks of the Pitons - in fact, it looks like the Tahiti of your dreams. With a population of around 184,000 and an area of 238 square miles, (about the size of the city of Chicago), it´s compact enough to explore comfortably in a week, yet varied enough to feel like several islands in one. You’ll find rainforest-covered hills and dramatic volcanic landscapes (those soaring Pitons are exhibit A) in the south, expansive beaches and a colonial naval base in the flatter north, and sleepy fishing villages, elegant resorts, and a generous helping of Caribbean charm in both sections.
As for history, while originally inhabited by Arawaks and Caribs, after it was first colonized – by France in 1650 – St. Lucia changed hands a number of times between France and Britain. The Brits secured final control in 1814 until independence in 1979, but French influence still lingers in surnames, place names, cuisine, and the local Creole patois (for example, “good morning” is bonjou, derived from the French bon jour, and “thank you” is mesi instead of merci). Oh, and one other French influence you cannot ignore: the importance of cacao trees and chocolate on St. Lucia.
These days St. Lucia best suits several types of travelers. Honeymooners are entranced by the romantic scenery and luxe resorts. Active travelers come for hiking, sailing, snorkeling, and volcanic mud baths. An foodies salivate over the Creole flavors and fresh seafood. It´s not the cheapest Caribbean destination around, but midrange travelers can do pretty well, too, with guesthouses, apartments, and casual beach cafés sitting alongside luxury villas and resorts. And now for several of the island’s top highlights:
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