Known in the 1600s as the "Pearl of the Antilles," Cap Haitien (pop. 133,000) is where Columbus celebrated the first Christmas in the New World. Cap Haitien is a port and fishing village. Although the beaches in town are not suitable for swimming because of the port facilities, some of Haiti's finest beaches are nearby: Cormier Beach (which has tennis courts, scuba diving and restaurants that serve fresh lobster) and Rival Beach (which has places to rent equipment for water sports). About 9 mi/15 km west of town is Labadie Beach, which has a beautifully landscaped water park, restaurants and water-sports rentals. (Don't expect to have the beaches all to yourself, though: Cruise ships often stop there, too.)
Cap Haitien is also a good place to view the work of Haiti's artists—you might stumble on some of their galleries or studios. Other sights of interest in town include Toussaint L'Ouverture Square, a public park with a statue commemorating the general; Vertieres, a bronze monument to the slave insurrection; and Barriere Bouteille, the stone columns marking the entrance to the city.
But the main reason to go to Cap Haitien is to see the Citadelle and Sans Souci. The Citadelle, a massive mountaintop fortress, was built nearly two centuries ago by 20,000 men under the direction of former slave, general and self-proclaimed King of Haiti, Henri Christophe. Thousands died during the 13 years of building, yet it was never used (cannonballs are still piled up in anticipation of battle). Because it was never besieged, everything is intact—the Citadelle remains a spectacular, large and impressive building, requiring at least an hour to tour.
It's located near the town of Milot (12 mi/19 km south of Cap Haitien) and can be reached by either motorcoach tour or rental car with driver (agree on a price beforehand). We prefer the private car—the driver can supply background information, and you can tour the area at your own pace, stopping in the hills on the way for some fresh coconut water (drivers will generally wait as long as you want while you explore the fortress). In either case, visitors are not dropped off at the Citadelle's doorstep—the pavement disappears some distance shy of the fortress, and you continue via mule or on foot. No matter which method is used, it takes a few hours. We prefer walking, though it's a hefty uphill and downhill hike. (A few in our party who went on muleback complained of motion sickness.)
At the base of the mountain is the palace of Sans Souci. Built in the early 1700s and originally planned as a royal residence and administrative center, it included a mint, a hospital, a library and a church. It is styled after Frederick the Great's Sans Souci in Potsdam, Germany. An earthquake in 1842 left it in its current, ruined state. The aluminum dome on the cathedral is said to be the only one of its kind in the world.
We recommend starting the journey early in the morning, as rain clouds often arrive early in the afternoon, and the whole excursion takes about five hours from start to finish. Wear hiking shoes, trousers and a hat. Take film with you—there are no stores near the Citadelle. Cap Haitien is 80 mi/130 km north of Port-au-Prince.
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