Self Guided Walks in Charlotte Amalie

Charlotte Amalie rewards walkers who plan around the sun. Routes are short on the map, but the town is hot, the hills are steep and some pavements are uneven. These self-guided stretches can each be done in under a morning.

Route one: harbour and Main Street

Start at Fort Christian, where entry costs US$10 and the usual hours are Monday to Friday. Walk past the bandstand in Emancipation Garden, a free park with a Liberty Bell replica, and carry on to Main Street. Its Danish name is Dronningens Gade. Shops line it, and the old warehouse alleys that connect it with the waterfront give you some shade on the way back.

Route two: up Government Hill

Government Hill, formerly Kongens Quarter, holds Frederick Lutheran Church and Government House. Treat both as exterior views. Because the 99 Steps on Store Taarne Gade were being renovated, with public access restricted, take a road route to the top and ask locally before using the steps. Blackbeard’s Castle stands at the top. It is the Skytsborg tower, from the late 1600s, and local listings show limited hours, so confirm them first.

Route three: Crystal Gade

The synagogue at 2116 Crystal Gade welcomes visitors on weekdays: Monday to Thursday from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm and Friday from 9:30 am to 2 pm. Tours are free, with donations asked. Photo ID is needed on a first visit, and the synagogue is closed on Jewish holidays. The visit is best made in a calm frame of mind, as the building is an active place of worship.

When to ride instead

The waterfront walk to Havensight is long, hot and short on shade, so take a taxi for it on cruise-ship days. Agree a fare before you set off, and carry some cash.

Staying comfortable

Wear a hat and sturdy shoes, bring water, and start early. Cruise-ship days put the most people on Main Street, and quieter hours come before the first ships unload. Choose mineral sunscreen, because the territory bans the retail sale of oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene products. The hurricane months are 1 June to 30 November.

Guided food and rum walks are available in town. Read current listings and recent reviews before booking. Another take on the same streets is here: Sightseeing in Charlotte Amalie .

Browse walking tours on GetYourGuide . Opening details for Fort Christian and the synagogue are on their own pages.