St. Lucia

St. Lucia navigation area

In the parade of tropical diadems that make up the archipelago of the Lesser Antilles, St. Lucia (or even Saint Lucia) is located south of Martinique in the Southern Windward group and is rightly considered one of the most interesting and rich in natural, historical, architectural and cultural attractions. Mondovela offers the possibility of renting splendid boats and very comfortable catamarans for bareboat cruises around the island and then, if desired, to other Caribbean dream destinations. The ancient inhabitants, Araouacs and Caribis, saw the appearance of Columbus' caravels at the beginning of the 16th century, and with them the end of an era. Colonised by the French, it was definitively conquered by the English in 1814, and today it belongs to the Commonowealth. These events, together with the abundant influx of African slaves to work in the banana plantations, have generated over time a society with an original and fascinating physiognomy, masterfully frescoed by the island's poet writer and Nobel Prize winner Derek Walcott.

Although it is a favourite destination for international tourism, with many events, festivals and a fireworks carnival, it has maintained spectacular landscapes and an exceptional fauna and flora heritage, but also traditions and folklore that distinguish it. Mostly mountainous, the volcanic origin of St. Lucia is testified by two reliefs: the Gros Piton (770 m) and the Petit Piton (743 m), covered by a thick mantle of vegetation, overlooking the sea, Unesco heritage and undisputed symbol of the island. Along the coast alternate white beaches and bays bordered by palm trees and lush forests, with depths worthy of a princely aquarium. On the western side, among the most famous beaches Vigie & Choc Bay, the Anse des Pitons, protected by the volcanic twins, and a little further north the Anse Chastanet Beach, coveted by VIPs. Marigot Bay, defined by the English writer James Michener as the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean. On the Atlantic side, a mandatory stop for those who sail between March and August at the Grande Anse, where the world's largest lute sea turtles nest, not to mention DEnnery Bay, just beyond. The capital Castries is an important commercial centre and a busy port. Lively, full of clubs, open to entertainment, it preserves some testimonies of colonial architecture survived two great fires of 1785 and 1948, in particular in the main square, where there is also the beautiful Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

The island is dotted with small villages almost at a standstill in time, such as the picturesque Soufrère, nestled between the Pitons mountains and the bay of the same name and surrounded by sulphurous water springs. A James Bond film setting, as well as the fishing village near Anse la Raye, a place of darkness and mystery where black magic, obeah (similar to the vodoo) and shamanic cults still take place. Penetrating the interior you will find rainforests, natural parks with endemic rarities (such as the great Parrot of Saint Lucia with its multicoloured livery), and the imposing waterfalls of Toraille and Latille. Worth seeing are the extensive plantations of bananas, coffee and sugar cane, from which a respectable rum is made. The tormented history of St. Lucia, among raids and assaults on the ships, is told from the remains of Fort Rodney at Pigeon Island National Park, marking the strategic natural outpost that before the English conquest had been the base of the corsair François le Clerc, aka Jambe de Bois, the legendary "Wood Leg". Following in the footsteps of these characters from the past, navigating here means zeroing time and getting lost in the sensual rhythms of the Caribbean, amidst reggae music, relaxation, fun and the inexorable desire to never leave again.