Cruising St. Kitts Style
St. Kitts is a popular stop for many cruise lines in the Eastern Caribbean, offering a perfect base to explore some of the best Caribbean vacation spots, including the charming capital city of Basseterre. You’ll arrive at Porte Zante, in the center of the harbor. And from there, you’ll need to decide whether to devote your time shopping, visiting sights—or both.
The port offers a duty-free shopping district with more than 60 shops offering deals on watches, jewelry, diamonds, and colored gemstones. You can also sign up for an island excursion with one of the many ground operators here, as well as pick up brochures and ask questions at the St. Kitts Tourism Authority office, located on the ground floor of Pelican Mall.
Blocks away awaits the city’s historic quarter, an amiable mix of pastel gingerbread homes and pedestrian-friendly streets, against a dreamy backdrop of velvet-green peaks. Highlights include the National Museum, housed in a brown-and-white Georgian estate; and the Circus, an octagonal plaza resembling a mini version of London’s famous Piccadilly Circus. The Berkeley Memorial Drinking Fountain and Clock here, erected in 1891, commemorates a 19th-century politician and estate owner.
The Circus is an ideal place to catch a taxi to explore some of St. Kitts’ alluring destinations farther afield. Popular excursions include Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, a beautifully preserved British fortress; historic Romney Manor, setting for a fascinating batik factory; Mount Liamuiga, a trail-laced dormant volcano; and the festive Strip, edged with buzzy restaurants, bars, and hotels (the party begins at 10am!).