Gustavia, the capital of the island was built around its natural harbour, sheltered from storms. Its Swedish style architecture bears witness to its history. This town contains just about everything you could want on the island. It abounds in restaurants of all kinds, located on the port or in the alleys near the Golden Square. It is also the ideal place to go shopping: local brands rub shoulders with international luxury brands. Not far away is Shell Beach, where you can spend a pleasant time by the water. The Gustavia district is the administrative capital of the island. That’s right! Saint-Barthélemy is a commune and the hamlets are its districts. Coming to Saint-Barth by air or by sea gives everyone a different feeling. As the boat gets closer to Gustavia, we are slightly seized by the landscape that offers itself to us, like the effect of a freshness that slightly encircles our thoughts: a procession of small houses that point their red roofs around the roadstead. Documented surely in advance, the Swedish past of the city is confirmed to you, despite the many natural and human disasters. The Swedish history of the island can be seen in the presence of forts Karl, Oscar and Gustav, as well as other buildings. In fact, the city has chosen to claim a little more of this past by re-establishing dual street name signs in French and Swedish.
