by Monica Conrady

lorida’s St. Augustine, founded in 1565 and the nation’s oldest city, has long been on my travel wish list. My wish was finally granted earlier this year when my husband and I were pondering somewhere special to celebrate an anniversary. St. Augustine sounded perfect.
We made our plans. We’d fly to Jacksonville, rent a car and drive the 50 miles down the coast to St. Augustine. Where to stay? We chose the Casa Monica Hotel—how could I resist when it’s my namesake? Little did we know it was the hotel of St. Augustine.

The gleaming bathroom came with thick terry robes …

It was a bright, sunny Florida morning when we pulled into the carriage entrance of the Casa Monica. The hotel’s exterior is “Spanish Moorish” in style — its five towers, slender arched columns, wrought iron balconies and splashing fountains, reminding us a little of a medieval castle. The elegant lobby continues the theme, with mahogany columns, stenciled beams, Spanish tiles, a bubbling fountain and glowing chandeliers.

The outdoor pool and hot tub area was a real treat, with striped, canopied beds along one side to lounge on. I knew if I ever got on one of those, I’d have a hard time getting up again!

Our suite (yes, we splurged) did not disappoint. The bedroom contained an inviting Spanish-style, wrought iron bed dressed with luxury linens, a mahogany armoire, writing desk and nightstands. The gleaming bathroom came with thick terry robes and an array of tempting toiletries. The spacious lounge had all the amenities we could wish for, including a bar and a formal dining area. Alas, we knew no one to invite to dinner.

Once settled in, we set off to explore the area. St. Augustine is a town just made for walking. We strolled around, enjoying the narrow, cobbled streets lined with 18th century balconied houses, George Street with its many shops and restaurants, and the attractive waterfront.

After a quick break for lunch, we hopped on one of the little sightseeing trolleys that weave around the historic spots.

St. Augustine was founded September 7, 1565, by Spaniard Pedro Menendez de Aviles and his expedition. It was they, not the Pilgrims, who arrived first in the New World—a fact that many are unaware of.

The massive Castillo de San Marcos, circa 1672, was 23 years in the making. It withstood numerous attacks and today stands as the cornerstone of the city’s history. You can quite imagine the Spanish defenders holding off a British attack using those huge cannons still in place.

When railroad magnate Henry Flagler arrived in 1885, he envisioned St. Augustine as a winter getaway for wealthy northerners and so constructed two lavish hotels, the Ponce de Leon and the Alcazar. Both are across the street from the Casa Monica, the former now a college and the latter a museum.

We took a tour of Flagler College and were suitably impressed by the stately rotunda and the dining hall with its Tiffany windows. We hoped the students would not be distracted in such a setting.
Old St. Augustine Village was another charmer. A collection of historic homes dating from 1790 to 1910 take up one city block. The oldest, the 1790 Prince Murat House, is named after its most famous occupant, Prince Achille Murat, a nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte.

That evening, we dined in the Casa Monica’s renowned restaurant, the 95 Cordova. It was wonderful.

There were still many sights to see—the Lightner Museum, the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth and so on. Tomorrow, tomorrow …!

Casa Monica Hotel: tel. 800/648-1888; www.casamonica.com. Visitors Information Center: www.visitoldcity.com.

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