3. Castries Shopping & Sightseeing and Reduit Beach Tour
Get ready to sip on the drink of your choice as you’re chauffeured in a spacious, air-conditioned vehicle by a safe and knowledgeable driver. On your 2-hour St. Lucia excursion the first stop is the colorful Castries Central Market where you can mingle with the locals while bargaining for the perfect present or souvenir. Taste freshly harvested fruits and local condiments such as banana ketchup and banana barbeque sauce. The main shopping area features numerous booths where vendors and artisans display their products that range from arts and crafts, to trinkets, T-shirts, and countless items that would make the perfect gift or souvenir. If you’d like a bite to eat, you’ll find 16 or more food courts to choose from for a delicious creole lunch or snack. Don't forget to try the local Piton Beer! Afterwards you’ll head to see the spectacular architecture of 19th-century Minor Basilica of The Immaculate Conception Church. The Cathedral, as it’s known, is the largest church in the Caribbean. In the interior, admire the mural by St. Lucian artist Dunstan St. Omer. Enjoy a short walk to scenic Derek Walcott Square for a look at the enormous saman tree that’s more than 400 years old. See the busts of St. Lucia’s 2 Nobel laureates. The Hon. Derek Walcott was awarded the prize for literature in 1992 and Sir Arthur Lewis won the economics prize in 1979. Finally, you’ll head to Rodney Bay, where you’ll have the option of shopping at the newly built local shopping mall and casino complex, or relaxing and taking in the sun on the 1-mile-long white sand Reduit Beach. Swim in the warm, clear waters, or enjoy a beach activity, such as jet skiing, parasailing, or canoeing.