16 of the best · Saint Lucia
Pigeon Island’s forts, Fort Charlotte on Morne Fortune, Derek Walcott Square and the cathedral, Castries Market, Balenbouche’s sugar estate, and the island’s studios and craft galleries.
Our 16 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026
Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love St Lucia.
Forts, trails and two beaches
A national landmark joined to the mainland by a causeway, with 18th-century military ruins, Fort Rodney, Signal Peak, a small museum and quiet beaches.
Pigeon Island National Landmark, Gros Islet, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
The soul of the city
Castries’ central market, established in 1891, with fresh produce, spices, crafts, sauces and Creole snacks, liveliest on Saturday mornings.
Jeremie Street, Castries, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
The square named after a Nobel poet
The square in the heart of Castries, named after the Nobel Prize-winning poet Derek Walcott and shaded by a great samaan tree.
Derek Walcott Square, Castries, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
The island fought over.
The back story
Why Saint Lucia was fought over, and where to see it: Pigeon Island’s Fort Rodney and Signal Peak, Fort Charlotte on Morne Fortune, the National Museum, Derek Walcott Square and the plantation estates.
Forts, squares and estates.
An 18th-century sugar estate
The historic grounds of an 18th-century sugar plantation near Laborie, with mill ruins, stone structures and heritage buildings.
Laborie, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
The soul of the city
Castries’ central market, established in 1891, with fresh produce, spices, crafts, sauces and Creole snacks, liveliest on Saturday mornings.
Jeremie Street, Castries, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
Murals and wood in Castries
One of the largest churches in the Caribbean, an early 20th-century cathedral in Castries with colourful murals and wooden architecture.
Castries, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
The square named after a Nobel poet
The square in the heart of Castries, named after the Nobel Prize-winning poet Derek Walcott and shaded by a great samaan tree.
Derek Walcott Square, Castries, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
The view over Castries harbour
The hill above Castries, a key French and British stronghold, with the remains of Fort Charlotte and sweeping views over the capital and harbour.
Morne Fortune, Castries, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
Forts, trails and two beaches
A national landmark joined to the mainland by a causeway, with 18th-century military ruins, Fort Rodney, Signal Peak, a small museum and quiet beaches.
Pigeon Island National Landmark, Gros Islet, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
Gros Islet’s landmark church
A landmark church near the main square of Gros Islet, with colourful architecture, stained glass and a wooden interior.
Gros Islet, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
A Second World War base
The southern town that began as a military base in the Second World War, then became the island’s aviation and transport hub.
Vieux Fort, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
The island’s story.
The island’s story
The national museum in a former colonial building in Castries, telling the island’s history from Indigenous roots to independence.
Castries, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
Studios and galleries.
Crafts on a small farm
A gallery on a small farm in the fishing village of River Dorée, Choiseul, selling crafts made from coconut, calabash, seeds and stone.
River Dorée, Choiseul, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
Emerging Saint Lucian artists
Founded in 2017 to promote emerging artists, Listwa sells prints, paintings and home decor; its name means “story” in Creole.
Vieux Fort, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
The studio of Llewellyn Xavier
The studio of the Saint Lucian artist Llewellyn Xavier, open by appointment.
Castries, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
Carvings above the fishing village
A small, colourful art studio on the hillside of Anse La Raye, focused on wood carving and straw craft.
Au Pose, Anse La Raye, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
Who looks after it.
Carnival, Jounen Kwéyòl and the arts
The national foundation that promotes Saint Lucian culture, involved in the island’s cultural calendar.
Castries, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
Pigeon Island, Maria Islands and more
The national trust that looks after Pigeon Island National Landmark and arranges guided visits to the Maria Islands and other heritage sites.
36 of the best Restaurants
7 of the best Cafés & Chocolate
19 of the best Bars & Rum Shops7 of the best Nights Out
31 of the best Hotels & Resorts29 of the best Things to Do
18 of the best Beaches9 of the best Golf & Sport
24 of the best Boats & Diving
10 of the best Spas & Wellness5 of the best Hospitals & Clinics
10 of the best Shopping3 of the best Supermarkets & Markets6 of the best Luxury Lifestyle7 of the best Property20 of the best Getting There & Around
7 of the best Motoring