St. Augustine, Florida
This is the city where it all began. The Spanish conquerors followed Columbus and established here the bridgehead on the American continent. St. Augustine is a small but very interesting and unique tourist destination that is different from the other more traditional tourist destinations and attractions in Florida.
St. Augustine is the oldest American occupied city. First sighted and claimed for Spain in 1513 by the Spanish explorer, Don Juan Ponce de Leon, the city was not explored and colonized until the year 1565 by the Spanish explorer, Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles. The site he discovered is today known as the Mission of Nombre de Dios.
Some of St. Augustine’s most popular landmarks include the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument (the fortress on the hill is the oldest structure in the US), a living history museum showing life in St. Augustine in 1740 and the Fountain of Youth where it is said that Ponce de Leon sought and found everlasting youth.
It is still the oldest surviving European Settlement in the Americas.
The city’s history and cultural diversity reflect a mix of the Old and the New. The sightseeing tours by train, trolley, horse driven carriages or by cruise boats make history come to life. You will find something for everyone in St. Augustine!
I have loved St Augustine since I first visited as a child with my parents back in the 1950’s. I must say that your site is wonderful, informative and well organized but you need to revise some of the content so that it is more factual and less misleading. I mean no disrespect to St Augustine but it is not where “it all began” in either the Americas or the U.S.A itself.
The indigeonous peoples of the Americas, including what is today the United States of America, had settlements and majestic, spacious cities here long before Christopher Columbus first misconceived the western hemesphere as his sought after India.
It would be more historically accurate and respectful, to state that St.Augustine with i’ts wonderfully preserved historic structures, is the oldest surviving European Settlement in the Americans. The Vikings are known to have settled in north America many centuries earlier but were not able to maintain a foothold. The Incan and Azetec Empires the Spanish Coquistadores encountered and overwhelmed with European deseases are other examples.
Dear James, you are completely right and we will change the text as soon as possible.
We wish you a Happy New year and thank you for your comment.