Basseterre Travel Guide, Saint Kitts And Nevis

Basseterre Travel Guide – The Low Land and Its River-Streets

This Basseterre travel guide will give you an insight into one of the oldest cities in the Caribbean that stands as the capital of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Basseterre has an estimated population of 16.000 inhabitants and it functions as the most important port of the island country, being located on its southwestern coast in the Basseterre bay. It was named like this by the French (its name literally translates into “low land”) and it stretches on the shore lane, surrounded by rich vegetation and forests. There are two rivers that run through the city, College River and Westbourne River, which are used as streets most of the year as they are completely dry, but major floods that seriously damaged the city have been recorded throughout history. The climate in Basseterre can be defined as tropical marine, with an average high of 32 degrees in September and an average low of 24 that lasts from January to April.

Basseterre Travel Guide – Street Arrangement and Function

The town pattern is very simple as the streets are arranged in a grid with four main boulevards running from east to west and one vertical street that divides the city and its two centers. This is Fort Street and it is home to most of the city’s banks and shops, while on the left, there is the centre called The Circus, which has mostly touristic purposes, and on the right, there is the Independence Square with the Courthouse and the Cathedral. This square can also be regarded as the old city, as it is home to most of the old buildings in the city. Although Basseterre is very small and Saint Kitts and Nevis is itself a small country, a significant fact that should appear in all Basseterre travel guides is that it won the rights to host the 2007 World Cricket Cup, becoming the smallest country ever to host a World Cup event.

Basseterre Travel Guide – Economy and Transportation

Economically, Basseterre can be regarded as one of the centers of the whole Eastern Caribbean, as it is a major harbor and home to many businesses and banks, the most important of which are the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange. Industry is also developed in the city, and the most important products are electronics, bass, beverages and salt. Basseterre is also the main hub for all transportation on the island. In the city there are taxis and public buses, the driving is done on the left and the speed limit throughout the city is 40 km/h. the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport provides flights to San Juan and Ponce in Puerto Rico, but it also has direct routes to London and Miami.