St Thomas, USVI

Stone steps rise between pastel buildings and palm trees on a tropical street.

The capital of St Thomas is Charlotte Amalie. The city is the largest of the United States Virgin Islands. Located on a side street in Charlotte Amalie are the 99 steps to Blackbeard's castle. The steps are a popular tourist (and exercise) spot.

According to Trip Advisor, the 99 steps were built from the ballast bricks of the tall ships coming from the old world, which would then return to Europe loaded with products from the islands.

Stone steps climb through tropical greenery between homes in St. Thomas.

Stone steps rise between tropical buildings, surrounded by palms and red flowers.

Blackbeard’s castle was closed due to the recent hurricanes, but it was still neat to see the famous steps. A little frog leaped from behind me to say hello.

Stone steps rise between tropical greenery and colorful buildings on St. Thomas.

The overlook areas where you can see Magen's Bay were breathtaking. I saw the view of the turquoise blue water and shape and movement of all the islands in the water and immediately wanted to move in! 😉

Turquoise bays and green islands stretch across a panoramic view of St. Thomas.

Turquoise bay on St. Thomas surrounded by green hills, with sailboats and distant islands.

Turquoise bays and green islands of St. Thomas, dotted with homes and sailboats.

After Magen's Bay, I made my way into town. It was hard to pass up photo opportunities along the way, as the blues of St Thomas are mesmerizing.

Winding coastal road above turquoise water on St. Thomas, bordered by lush hills and palms.

Turquoise bays and green islands off St. Thomas, viewed over wooded hills.

Getting into town, one of the more immediate and hard to miss sights is Fort Christian. It dates back as early as 1671, and is the oldest standing structure in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Fort Christian

Palm-lined St. Thomas street with colorful storefronts and the ocean in the distance.

The main road in town is rightfully named Main Street. Here you can find jewelry stores and quaint alleyways containing cafes and shops with views to the ocean. I saw a cool building that housed a Rolex store and some other high end stores including Tiffany & Co, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton.