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ing city: miniature theme parks, tour operators at almost every turn and horse-drawn car-
riages clip-clopping past townsfolk dressed in period costume. What makes St Augustine
so genuinely endearing is the accessibility of its rich history via countless top-notch mu-
seums and the authenticity of its centuries-old architecture, monuments and narrow
cobbled lanes. Unlike Florida's numerous historical theme parks, St Augustine is the real
deal.
The people who live and work here do so because they're born into it and have become
part of the fabric of this historic place, or, they've moved here because they're passionate
about what they do and want to be a part of that history. For that reason, you'll find a stun-
ning array of wonderful B&Bs, cozy cafes and lamp-lit pubs. While fine dining might not
be the first thing that comes to mind at Florida's mention, it is certainly synonymous with
St Augustine, whose charming one-off cafes and numerous impressive restaurants are the
real deal too.
Plan to stay at least two nights if you can: you certainly won't run out of things to see,
taste or learn.
AMERICA'S OLDEST CITY
Timucuans settled what is now St Augustine about 1000 BC, hunting alligators and cul-
tivating corn and tobacco. In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León sighted land,
came ashore and claimed La Florida (Land of Flowers) for Spain. In 1565 his compatriot
Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés arrived on the feast day of Augustine of Hippo, and ac-
cordingly christened the town San Augustín: 42 years prior to the founding of Jamestown
(Virginia) and 55 years before that of Plymouth (Massachusetts).
Menéndez quickly established a military base against the French, who had established
Fort Caroline near present-day Jacksonville. The French fleet did him the favor of getting
stuck in a hurricane; Menéndez' men butchered the survivors. By the time Spain ceded
Florida to the US in 1821, St Augustine had been sacked, looted, burned and occupied by
pirates and Spanish, British, Georgian and South Carolinian forces.
Today the city's buildings, made of coquina - a DIY concrete made of sedimentary rock
mixed with crushed shells - lend an enchanting quality to the slender streets. The city's
long and colorful history is palpable, narrated vividly by what seems like innumerable mu-
seums, monuments and galleries.
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