Originally the dwelling of powerful feudal lords, the The Château Comtal (Count’s Castle) has undergone many changes over the centuries. This very well looked after and repaired 12th century Medieval castle is part of Cité de Carcassonne (the medieval city). Learn more about its history by taking an informative audio tour. The castle also houses a small museum with historical painting, statues and relics.

Located in the Old Town, this was the official Key West residence of Nobel Prize winning author Ernest Hemingway, as in 1968 it enjoyed the distinction of becoming a U.S. National Historic Landmark. Tour the spectacular gardens, with an impressive variety of flowers and trees, and observe the 20,000-dollar swimming pool — an unusual opulence at that time. You'll also be able to visit the bookstore lined with the author’s famous books and a plethora of other souvenirs.

In the Céramique district, you still feel the industrial past, even though you’re standing in the newest and most modern part of the city. It’s the kind of place where you look up and keep looking, to take in the impressive architecture, even as the ground around you buzzes with culture and activity. Céramique arose in the early 1990s on the site of ‘Société Céramique,’ a ceramics factory that operated from 1850 to 1985, best known for its tableware. When the factory was offered for sale to the municipality in the late 1980s, the idea to redevelop the area as a quality residential and commercial district quickly emerged, and Government Architect Jo Coenen was engaged to develop a master plan. One of his fundamental premises was to bring something of a Mediterranean feel to this part of the city. To achieve this, he brought in luminary architects from southern Europe for the design of the various residential and business complexes. The result is a total package of architectural high point after high point, like Mario Botta’s ‘La Fortezza,’ Alvaro Siza’s ‘Tower of Siza,’ and perhaps the crowning glory, Aldo Rossi’s Bonnefanten Museum. But despite all the forward-looking architecture, the connection to the past remains, in the street names, remnants of older buildings and tableware that turn up unexpectedly, and the exhibitions in the Bonnefanten Museum and Centre Céramique. Each and every one is a golden thread of history interwoven into the fabric of today.

Duval is the most famous and most visited street in Key West. It stretches out from shore to shore, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean, with a multitude of restaurants, pubs and shopping opportunities unfolding before you. Duval Street is not only home to Ernest Hemingway's favorite pub Sloppy Joe's, but also to a rich nightlife. Several times a year the street attracts crowds to take part in diverse festivals that celebrate art, lifestyle, history and culture.