? Saint Lucia is a volcanic island in the Caribbean Sea with a lot of charm. Its main tourist interest lies precisely in visiting its sulfurous emanations, the Sulfur Springs, from the Qualibou Volcano in the town of Soufriere. Its most famous mountains are the Pitons - Gros and Petit -, which serve as a representation of the country and appear right on its flag. Pointing out like an emerald tooth in the Caribbean Sea, Saint Lucia certainly draws attention. While the images of many instagrammable places fit it, this mountainous island has a lot to offer beyond sensual beaches lined with foodie accommodations. Scuba diving, snorkelling, and kitesurfing are great. Nature lovers will also be delighted, as it is easy to get up close to whales, dolphins, turtles, and endemic birds, and with the added excitement of a stunning environment. Near Soufriere, the photogenic Pitons rise from the waves like pyramids of volcanic stone. Excluding the northeast sector, where almost all tourist facilities are concentrated, the rest of Santa Lucia is a paradise to return to nature. It allows you to find a bay without a soul, a remote waterfall, a fishing community with a lot of character or some other colonial-style plantation. If you are keen on how to find instagrammable places, you must visit Castries, because it is a place where you have a unique chance to take your one of the most liked photo on Instagram. Where is Castries, and how to get there? For a long time, the island was under the colonial rule of the British crown. It was not until 1966 that Saint Lucia was granted autonomous state status. The country has been an independent member of the Commonwealth of Nations since 1979. Its capital is Castries. It is on the northwest coast of Saint Lucia. Castries is home to an important port for the export of bananas, sugar cane, rum, tropical fruits, cocoa, and the George F. L. Charles Airport for flights within the Caribbean. Alternatively, you can also express a ferry or fast catamaran through the neighbouring islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Dominica. The capital Castries is one of the most beautiful and instagrammable places in the entire Caribbean, especially the gorgeous port that is always worth visiting. The ruins of the old fort of Morne Fortune offer a breathtaking view. In the city centre, many colonial buildings were victims of a great fire in 1948, and the preserved buildings around Derek Walcott Square still offer the right perspective. How to find instagrammable places in Castries? Shopaholics flock to the city’s dozens of stores and Castries Market to buy fruits, vegetables and take pictures there. Tourists will be able to admire the murals painted by a local artist inside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and can relax in Derek Walcott Square, named after the Nobel Prize-winning poet from St. Lucia. At the top of Morne Fortune (the Hill of Good Luck) - where the French and English fought for control of the island, visitors can enjoy the panoramic views. In case you are planning to travel to Castries and looking for how to find instagrammable places in the city, here are 12 instagrammable places in Castries.
1. Morne Fortune
From 1803 to 1844, the British made the capital of Saint Lucia, Castries, a significant naval port and built fortifications on Morne Fortune, the mountain that overlooks the port. It was here that some of the most brutal battles between the French and the English took place. Today Morne Fortune, meaning “Hill of Good Luck,” still offers stunning views of Castries and the harbour from its picturesque vantage point. On a clear day, you can see Martinique. The original forts still stand, and you can visit a monument and old military buildings and cannons. The north side of Morne Fortune is home to Government House, the official residence of the Governor-General of Saint Lucia, amid beautiful private gardens.
2. Castries Market
At the easternmost point of Castries Harbor, the colourful Castries Market is a great place to experience a slice of local life in St. Lucia. Merchandise ranges from handicrafts to locally grown fruits and vegetables. Shoppers can buy batiks, wood carvings, gift baskets of spices, bottles of ketchup and banana oils, handmade brooms, hot sauces, and the usual souvenirs. While the market is open every day, the busiest day is Saturday. Besides being just a market, it is an excellent place to shot astonishing Instagram photos.
3. The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
What to do in Castries St Lucia? You can also head to the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception to admire the beauty of the building’s architecture and inner design. Tourists gaze at the stone exterior of one of the city’s most important cultural centres before heading inside, where bright colours decorate the walls and high ceilings. It might be a place where you can take your most liked photo on Instagram. The cathedral exemplifies a Victorian variation on a Romanesque design and features an Italian-style clock tower centred on the square. Across from the cathedral, there are the restored public library and a series of brightly painted colonial gingerbread buildings, with porches projecting out from the sidewalk.
4. Beaches
If you get tired of walking on Castries’ streets, you can head to the beaches for a good break. Lie on the golden sands of Playa Vigie, Playa de La Toc, or Playa Choc, where the turquoise water wets the sand. It is the best place to enjoy the shade under the beautiful palm trees and take a stunning selfie for your Instagram account.
5. Pitons Brothers
Part of the Pitons Management Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Pitons is the twin peaks of St. Lucia and major topographical features. These distinctive peaks rise from the sea to great heights. The Gros Piton to the south is 798 meters high, and the Petit Piton is 750 meters high. Formed by volcanic activity around 200,000 to 300,000 years ago, both Pitons are considered challenging climbs. If you are a diver, you can explore them as underwater cliffs. However, most visitors simply see them for their scenic beauty and would like to photograph some of their wonders.
6. Tet Paul Nature Trail
The Tet Paul Nature Trail, which winds through the Pitons Management Area’s tropical forests, offers some of the most spectacular views in southern Saint Lucia to photograph. On a clear day, hikers can see all the way to Martinique and St. Vincent. The hike takes about 45 minutes and is considered easy to moderate.
7. Fishing Village of Soufriere
The picturesque fishing village of Soufriere is surrounded by a beautiful bay and is best viewed from a lookout point on the main road to Vieux Fort. It is one of the best places near Castries to take the best travel pictures.
8. La Soufriere
Named for the sulfur that was once mined at this site, Mount Soufriere is the most active geothermal area in the Lesser Antilles. A path runs through the rim of the 274-meter crater, making it one of the few “drive-through” volcanoes in the world. It is fascinating and full of adrenaline to take Instagram photos there.
9. Marigot Bay
Marigot Bay, arguably the most beautiful bay in St. Lucia, is best viewed from a vantage point on the way between the main Caribbean coastal route and the bay itself. The lush slopes plunge into the pretty palm-fringed beach, and yachts sway in the bay’s blue waters. The harbour is so deep and protected that the British Fleet supposedly hid here from the French by covering their masts with palm leaves. Water ferries transport visitors across the bay to hotels on the opposite side. The luxurious Marigot Bay Resort and Marina have lovely views of the yachts bristling in the bay amid the green hills if you want to stay here.
10. Derek Walcott Square
You can begin your tour at Derek Walcott Square, whose name is praise to one of the two Nobel Prize winners from this country. You can see the colonial buildings on the square banks, which features well-tended gardens and a monument to fallen soldiers. At Derek Walcott Square, you will find many corners for taking beautiful pictures.
11. Ocean Crest Villa
Where is Castries, and the best accommodation there? Of course, Ocean Crest Villa. It is a villa for rent on La Toc Hill and boasts one of the city’s most stunning views. An estate is a perfect place for panoramic place seekers to take the most liked photo on Instagram. It has a charming outlook looking out over the Castries harbour and other parts of the city.
12. Streets of Castries
As you walk through the streets of Castries, you are greeted by the dynamic bombardment of a city brimming with a life whose heart is the colourful and vibrant streets. The roads of Castries could not be more photogenic than this. The city’s streets are perfect places to take the best travel pictures ever, with the Morne Fortune as a background.
