Updated to: 4/12/2021. How many times have you wished that the paradise island of your dreams was within reach of a car ride? The famous Florida Keys , the southernmost portion of the United States, are one of those corners of the world.
A handful of islands dotted between Miami and the confluence between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, connected by a highway of 181 kilometers and 22 bridges. The journey to the last of the keys has memorable stages of wide panoramic views over the turquoise sea, preparing the traveler in the essence of these islands.
It is not surprising that once reached Key West (named for the human bones found there by settlers) Many travelers over time decided to drop anchor in the water and settle in the cheerful town.
Refuge for pirates and fishermen, rejected people and even treasure seekers, the spirit of the ‘Republic of the shell’, as the island is affectionately called by the locals, is best understood at sunset , in flip-flops, sun-tanned shoulders and a margarita in hand.
Typical architecture of Victorian-style wooden houses in Key West.
1. SEE THE DESK WHERE HEMINGWAY WROTE FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS?
Although the thirty-third president of the United States, Harry S. Truman, kept his "Little White House" on the island for years, there is no doubt that Ernest Hemingway was the most famous resident of Key West of all times.
The writer, whose house can be visited in the heart of the city, gave birth to three quarters of his literary creation in the desk that still remains intact today, separated from the main building and within reach of a metal staircase. His typewriter rests on a simple little table, the breeze circulates and the sparkle of the pool and tropical plants is reflected in the north window.
Hemingway's presence on the island is so enveloping that his photographs are in many establishments, and there is even a reasonable look-alike contest that attracts hundreds of trimmed white beards on his birthday (July 21).
Ernest Hemingway's typewriter at the Hemingway Home Museum.
two. FILL UP WITH SEAFOOD AND LIME PIE
The best option to enjoy the local cuisine in Key West is to opt for seafood. One of the local specialties are Conch Fritters, that you can find as an appetizer in most bars and restaurants. The catch of the day is always excellent: grouper, snapper and lobster abound to enjoy at open-air venues like Blue Macaw or The Thirsty Mermaid , with a more minimalist vibe.
For dessert, do not miss one of the specialties of the place, the Key Lime Pie or key lime pie (made with local limes) . It is a spectacular sweet with an intense lemon-lime flavor, whose best and oldest recipe is highly disputed in the city. For a more select environment, it's worth taking a short ferry ride to dinner or breakfast on tiny Sunset Island, where Latitudes, considered one of the most romantic restaurants in the entire United States.
Latitudes, a restaurant with sea views where you can go for dinner in the evening.
3. TAKE A DIP AND NAVIGATE ITS WATERS
There is no better way to get to know Key West than through the sea that surrounds the island. Beach lovers have a good handful at their disposal, among them stands out Fort Zachary, a state park with military ruins included, forest by the sea and areas where you can have an ice cream, practice snorkeling or visit the old fort and its cannons.
For those who prefer to contemplate the water from its surface, a sunset ride on one of their beautiful classic sailboats restored is a real gift. Hindu or Classic Harbor Line are two excellent specimens.
Four. WATCH THE SHOW AT MALLORY SQUARE AND GO OUT AND HAVE FUN
Everyone recommends visiting the Mallory Square Pier in the evening. There, in addition to the spectacular sunset, a whole collection of the best entertainers, jugglers and street vendors who cheer up the passing crowd which has been meeting there daily since the 1960s.
As the day winds down, sip a margarita on the colorful Sunset Pier, which offers live music and a prime view of the sunset. From there you can walk to the dozens of bars dotting Duval Street, from the Smallest Bar in Key West (barely a bar that can fit two people) to the classic Sloppy Joe's with its marine atmosphere and music from the 70s. Surely in one of the stops of the night you will hear songs by Jimmy Buffet, another of the famous island residents.
Stroll through Mallory Square and stop at Sunset Pier for a margarita.
5. DISCOVER ITS HISTORY AND ITS MORE CUBAN SIDE
For an island of only 11 square kilometers, Key West has many small and interesting museums.
From the Museum of Local History and Culture, to an interesting aquarium with the best of local marine species (including sharks, manta rays and caimans) or the amazing Butterfly Museum (with butterflies from all over the world, spectacular vegetation and a pair of nice pink pelicans), to the House Museum of the American President Harry S. Truman or the Museum of sunken ships, with authentic treasures found under the sea, such as coins from the Spanish galleon Santa Margarita, which sank off the coast of Key West in 1622.
There will be times when you don't remember if you are in the United States or in Cuba.
The large buoy that points to the southernmost distance in the United States, an Instagrammer claim that gathers queues of tourists, indicates the distance of only 90 miles to the island of Cuba. But it is not necessary to go so far, without leaving Key West, you can taste authentic Cuban sandwiches and listen to Spanish as if you were just one step away from the Caribbean island.
Do you want to know what is heard in Key West (Key West)?
The islands of Key West are connected by a 181 kilometer highway.