Roanoke: the mystery of the lost colony

The name Roanoke remains linked to the unsolved mystery of an English colony that vanished in the 16th century, now celebrated by the city on Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains.

The centre is easily explored on foot, thanks to its modest size.

The Roanoke Market, active since 1882, remains one of the oldest continuous agricultural markets in Virginia, with local product stands open every day of the year.

Climbing toward Mill Mountain, the illuminated star that gives Roanoke the nickname 'Star City', one observes from above the entire surrounding valley.

Just minutes away, the Virginia Museum of Transportation displays historic locomotives tied to the city's railroad past, once an important cargo junction for the region.

Toward evening, the Market district comes alive with restaurants and outdoor venues in late nineteenth-century buildings.

The 'Lost Colony' of Roanoke Island, founded by the English in 1587 on the Atlantic coast, disappeared without a trace within a few years: the mystery of its fate remains unsolved even today, kilometers away from the city bearing its name.

The Mill Mountain star, built in 1949, was the largest artificially illuminated structure in the world at the time of its inauguration.