Saint Lucia

Castries is the capital of Saint Lucia, serving as the nation’s political and economic hub on the island’s northwest coast. Its deep, sheltered harbor makes it a key port for cargo and cruise ships, and it houses government offices and major services. The city was named in 1785 after the French Minister of the Navy and Colonies, the Marquis de Castries, and has been rebuilt multiple times following devastating fires, notably in 1891 and 1948. To remember it: think “C for Castries, C for Capital, C for Caribbean commerce.” The other options are important towns—Soufrière (home to the Pitons and Sulphur Springs), Vieux Fort (near the international airport), and Micoud (a coastal community)—but none is the seat of government.