SUMMER has officially arrived, and with it, international vacation photos have begun populating the social media feeds. However, with airfare and hotel prices soaring, many would-be travelers have found themselves stuck at home. Those travelers looking to experience the beautiful sights of European architecture, need to look no further than St.
Augustine, Florida . Located on the northeast coast of Florida, St. Augustine boasts an extravagant evolution of Spanish Colonial architecture which can be seen all over the city.
The city — located 204 miles from Tallahassee — is reportedly the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African-American origin in the US. Founded on September 8, 1565, the town predates the founding of Jamestown in 1607 and was established well before the Pilgrims managed to land at Plymouth Rock in 1620. Historians credit the founding of St.
Augustine to Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés who arrived in Florida at the behest of the former ruler of Spain , King Philip II. According to the city's official website , St. Augustine was named as such because Menéndez set foot on the shores of Florida on August 28, the Feast Day of St.
Augustine. The website states that Spain used the town for two purposes: a military outpost to fight the French invaders and a base to establish Catholic missionary settlements throughout the southeastern part of North America. While much of the city has adapted to modern times, there are still many places wher.