Belize City

Located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean is Belize City, the largest city in the country, serving a trip to Belize as the country's principal port as well as its financial and industrial centre.

Once a small Maya city called Holzuz, Belize City was founded as Belize Town by British lumber harvesters in 1638. The town’s location on the water made it ideal for the British to ship and trade timber like mahogany and eventually became the home of many African slaves who were brought in to work the lumber industry. Belize City was the country’s capital until a terrible hurricane in 1961 devastated the region and the capital was moved to Belmopan located further inland.