Castillo De San Marcos National Monument

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St Augustine

The oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the US, St Augustine was founded by the Spanish in 1565. Today, its 144-block National Historic Landmark District is a major tourist destination. For the most part, St Augustine exudes charm and maintains its integrity, although there's no denying the presence of some tacky tourist traps: miniature theme parks, tour operators at almost every turn and horse-drawn carriages clip-clopping past townsfolk dressed in period costume.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions

Lightner Museum
St Augustine
Henry Flagler's former Hotel Alcazar is home to this wonderful museum with a little bit of everything, from ornate Gilded Age furnishings to collections…
Villa Zorayda Museum
St Augustine
Looking like a faux Spanish castle from a medieval theme park, this gray edifice was built out of a mix of concrete and local coquina shells in 1883. The…
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
St Augustine
This photogenic fort is an atmospheric monument to longevity: it's the country's oldest masonry fort, completed by the Spanish in 1695. In its time, the…
Alligator Farm Zoological Park
St Augustine
Herpetophobes should run in the other direction of this facility – the only one on the planet with every species of crocodilian in residence. Nature…
Hotel Ponce de León
St Augustine
This striking former luxury hotel, built in the 1880s, is now the world's most gorgeous dormitory, belonging to Flagler College, who purchased and saved…
Colonial Quarter
St Augustine
See how they did things back in the 18th century at this re-creation of Spanish Colonial St Augustine, complete with craftspeople demonstrating…
Ximenez-Fatio House
St Augustine
Dating to 1798, this fascinating museum complex includes the main house building, the area's only detached kitchen building and a reconstructed washhouse…
St Augustine Beach
St Augustine
This white-sand beach almost gets lost in the historical mix, but hey, it's Florida, so a visit wouldn't be complete without a little bit of sun and surf…