The charming town of ST AUGUSTINE IN FLORIDA

Photography Courtesy of the St. Augustine Tourism Company

By Rebeca Herrero

The Old is New in St. Augustine. Precious cobblestone streets pave the way to this charming, quintessential city situated on the Northeast coast of Florida. Nestled between Jacksonville and Daytona, this historical gem not only serves as home of the cute but ferocious alligators, it is also a plethora of old colonial buildings, mixed with late 1800’s era hotels, mansions and museums built by some of the most influential industrialists from the Northeast region of the nation. One of these prominent men was Henry Flagler, former partner of John D. Rockefeller in the Standard Oil Company, who in the late 1800’s built a resort known for the wealthy: “The Ponce de Leon”. Now it has been adapted as an institution of higher learning, embracing 1700 students and offering a traditional four-year arts and science degree program. The other two hotels: The Alcazar (once hosted the largest indoor pool in the world) now called “The Lightner Museum” and the “Casa Monica” which operates as a beautiful upscale hotel with Moroccan design in the center of the city.

The beautiful town of St. Augustine has charming restaurants and bars.

Perusing the window shops of the narrow streets, tourists and locals alike enjoy an array of fun “divertissement” fill with local music, upscale cuisine, fun bars, and even one of the oldest Spanish cuisine restaurants in the country: “Columbia Restaurant” located at 98 George Street. Founded in 1905, the important enterprise was conceived by a Spanish-Cuban immigrant, Casimiro Hernandez Sr. who arrived with his four young sons to Tampa, Florida. He founded the Columbia Saloon in 1903 which later became the Columbia Restaurant in 1905. Over nearly 120 years, the original restaurant expanded to an entire city block and it is the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. The one in St. Augustine is a delight and it’s one of seven restaurants in Florida. Other culinary gems are spread around the “Ancient City”. Located on the scenic Calle Cuna in Historic St. Augustine, Michael's offers a unique casually elegant dining experience with a celebrated chef, dedicated staff, and passion for exquisite flavors and worldclass wines. Michael's has received numerous honors and accolades including Wine Spectator’s mention as an Award of Excellence for their wine list. Chef Michael has also been recognized as Best Chef in the region. The truffled creamy pasta is superb, as well as the dreamy desserts we experienced.

The coastal dunes also host an ecosystem of plants and birds that is unique to the region. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset at the “Reef Restaurant”, where the breeze is felt constantly while you listen to the waves come and go. On the coast, there is Anastasia State Park with tidal marshes, maritime hammocks, and ancient sand dunes consisting of more than 1600 acres of unspoiled beaches. Here you can also find the remains of the King’s Coquina quarries. Coquina is a type of limestone composed of mollusk shells and sand. It was used in the early structures of the city including the fortress of Castillo de San Marcos.

The oldest areas of the city comprised some of the most beautiful and historical places in the New World. St. Augustine dates to 1513 when Juan Ponce de Leon touched land for the first time in what is known as the United States today. It is considered the oldest city in America.

Here, the first mass was celebrated before the English colonized Jamestown and before the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth Rock. The Castillo de San Marcos completed in the late seventeenth century, represents a bastion of Spanish history and is still standing beautifully in the city of St. Augustine.

The first Governor of the region, who founded St. Augustine in 1565, was the Spanish admiral Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles. The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche is a Catholic Marian shrine located at the Nombre de Dios Mission in St. Augustine and it is the oldest shrine in the United States. Following Menendez’ veneration of the Cross, thus proclaiming this land in the name of God, Father Lopez celebrated Mass at a rustic altar made of wood. The sky served as the roof for what was the first parish Mass in what is now the United States. Here is the sacred ground where Spanish settlers would begin devotion to Our Lady of La Leche. People from around the world travel to St Augustine to visit the shrine – known to heal expectant mothers and to provide miracles to women praying to conceive children.

Other relevant places to visit while vacationing at this Florida destination are: Villa Zorayda built in 1883 by Franklin W. Smith, The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, and the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. The new outdoor eatery Asado Life is a great dining experience and marketplace for locals and tourists to enjoy all year long. St. Augustine is considered one of the top destinations in the United States for people of all ages, due to its amazing dining scenery, as well as five star hotels and incredible history. For more information: www.visitstaugustine.com (also on Instagram as: @viajasanagustin @floridashistoriccoast)

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