Explore St. Lucia

Located between the islands of Martinique to the north and St. Vincent to the south at 14 degrees north and 61 degrees west is the sunny Caribbean isle of St. Lucia. Affectionately known as Helen of the West for it’s stunning and unique beauty. St. Lucia boasts the world renowned heritage site the Pitons and the world’s only drive in volcano. Part of the Lesser Antilles , it is located north/northeast of the islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique . Its size is 620 km² with an estimated population of 160,000. Its capital is Castries.

Saint Lucia is one of the Windward Islands , named for Saint Lucy of Syracuse . It was first visited by Europeans in about the year 1500 and first colonized successfully by France who signed a treaty with the native Carib peoples in 1660. Great Britain took control of the island from 1663 to 1667 then went to war with France over it fourteen times, and finally took complete control in 1814. Because it switched so often between British and French control, Lucia was also known as the “Helen of the West Indies” as it was likened to the mythical Helen of Troy . Representative government came about in 1924 (with universal adult from 1953) and from 1958 to 1962 the island was a member of the Federation of the West Indies . Finally, on February 22 , 1979 , Saint Lucia became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations . The island nation celebrates this every year with a public holiday.

Source: Wikipedia

Attractions

Perhaps best known for its friendy people and natural beauty, St. Lucia is a world class destination attracting a wide range of visitors from the romantic couple looking to honey-moon to the yachting and golfing enthusiasts just looking for some relaxing fun. Activites include the Annual Jazz Festival hosted in May to the backdrop of the turquoise and tranquil Caribbean Sea; The Food & Rum Festival; and Carnival. Other activities include; hiking, biking, safari, water surfing, paragliding, sailing, golfing, yachting and more. See our full list of Excursions for exciting tours.

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