The most populous city in Trinidad and Tobago, San Fernando sprawls around an iconic hill and was built on the site of a Capuchin mission. San Fernando is famed for its annual Carnival that ignites the streets and Skinner Park with band competitions and parades.
Things to do in San Fernando
Harris Promenade, the main thoroughfare running east to west through San Fernando, is a pleasant spot to wander. It’s here that the stately City Hall and Magistrates Court stand, together with Anglican, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches.
Make sure you stop at the famous “last train” engine, which was the final train to operate in Trinidad. Nicknamed “Library Corner”, the ochre-coloured Carnegie Free Library stands at the eastern end of Harris Promenade, fusing Victorian colonial architecture with neo-classical elements.
Running parallel to Harris Promenade is the High Street of San Fernando, which serves as the city’s main shopping district. Small shopping malls and street vendors are packed together with fast-food restaurants and Caribbean eateries in a lively atmosphere.
No visit to San Fernando is complete without a trip to the summit of San Fernando Hill, which dominates the city skyline. Enjoy panoramic views across western Trinidadand, on a clear day, all the way to Venezuela on the South American mainland.
Getting around San Fernando
San Fernando is connected to the Port of Spain by regular water taxis and public buses, with the Piarco International Airport around one hour’s drive north. Mini vans are the main means of getting around San Fernando and to neighbouring towns, while taxis are also readily available.