St. Armands Circle

St. Armands Circle is a triumph of vision — John Ringling's 1920s dream of a European-style shopping piazza on a Florida barrier island, realized and refined over a century. The Circle itself is a beautifully landscaped roundabout lined with upscale boutiques, galleries, and restaurants, accented by classical statuary from Ringling's personal collection. Walking the Circle on a warm evening — past window displays of resort wear and jewelry, with the scent of jasmine in the air — feels transported from a Gulf Coast island to a Mediterranean village. The residential neighborhoods surrounding the Circle are equally charming. Mediterranean Revival homes with barrel-tile roofs and tropical landscaping line quiet streets. Many properties offer water views — either of Sarasota Bay to the east or the Lido Key canal system. The beach is never more than a 5-minute bike ride away. Columbia Restaurant — a Sarasota institution with roots in Tampa's Ybor City dating to 1905 — anchors the Circle's dining scene alongside modern additions like Shore and craft cocktail bars. It's island living with a decidedly cultured edge.

St. Armands Circle, Sarasota, Florida, United States