St. Augustine | Florida’s Romantic Ancient City

The town of St. Augustine, Florida, is considered the oldest city in North America. 🏛️ According to the city’s official website, it is “the oldest continuously inhabited settlement of European and African-American origin in the United States.” St. Augustine is also a deeply romantic town 💖—well worth spending a day immersed in its historic atmosphere and rich Spanish colonial charm. Unfortunately, due to limited time, I only visited the famous Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas, located half an hour south of the town. 📍 Castillo de San Marcos The oldest structure in St. Augustine, now part of the National Park System 🏰. Entrance is $15, or free with an NPS Annual Pass. Built between 1672–1695, this fort survived two British sieges and changed hands multiple times among Spain, Britain, the United States, and even the Confederacy during the Civil War. After the Civil War, the fort lost military significance and was repurposed as a prison, specifically for captured Native American resistance fighters. Today, you can still see recreated prison scenes inside. 📍 Fort Matanzas If you look closely at the map around St. Augustine 🗺️, you’ll notice two key passages leading to the Atlantic—one directly east of the city, and another 15 miles south along the river. Naturally, a defensive fort was also needed here—enter Fort Matanzas. To visit, get a free boarding pass from the visitor center 🚤. A ferry departs hourly to the fort. Once there, a park ranger shares its history, and you can climb to the top—just like an 18th-century Spanish sentry! #TravelUSA #Florida #LifeInTheUS #HistoricTowns #CastilloDeSanMarcos #FortMatanzas