Kingstown

Kingstown is a port town on the southwestern coast of Saint Vincent, where commercial buildings and residential neighborhoods spread between the waterfront and the forested slopes. The streets climb from the harbor through several terraces lined with churches, schools, and small parks.

French settlers founded the settlement after 1722, before the British took control and administered it until independence in 1979. The town grew as a trading center for sugar and later bananas, which were shipped through the harbor.

The city takes its name from King George III and this royal connection remains visible in several public buildings from the colonial era. Locals buy fresh fish directly from fishermen in the early morning at the market, while small bakeries in the side streets prepare cassava bread.

Argyle International Airport sits about 12 miles (20 kilometers) to the east and is reachable by taxi or minibus. Cruise ships dock directly at the harbor, from where the main streets and market are within walking distance.

The botanical garden was established in 1765 and is among the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. Descendants of the breadfruit trees that Captain Bligh brought from his famous voyage still grow here.