17 Best Sights in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

The white, neoclassical structure that houses offices for the governor of the Virgin Islands was built in 1867. Outside it, the bright red Danish-style guardhouse is a perfect place for a photo. The view of the harbor from the First Lady's garden directly across the street is also photo-worthy. The inside of the building is currently closed to visitors.

This small museum contains a wealth of pirate artifacts, as well as West Indian antique furniture and art (some of which dates from the 1600s), old-time postcards, and historic books. You can book historic Charlotte Amalie walking tours, three-hour Hassel Island tours, and self-guided audio tours at the on-site trust office.

Stone quarried on the island was used for this church, which built in 1848 to commemorate the end of slavery in the USVI. It has thick, arched window frames lined with yellow brick that was used as ship ballast and left on the waterfront by merchants when they filled their boats with molasses, sugar, mahogany, and rum for the return voyage.

A peaceful place amid the town's hustle and bustle, the park has memorials for three famous Virgin Islanders: educator Edith Williams, J. Antonio Jarvis (a founder of The Virgin Islands Daily News), and educator and author Rothschild Francis. The last gave many speeches here.

Locally called Tortola Wharf, this is where you can catch the Native Son and other ferries to the BVI. The restaurant upstairs is a good place to watch the Charlotte Amalie harbor traffic and sip an iced tea. Next door is the Charles F. Blair Jr. Seaplane Terminal, where Seaborne Airlines offers service to St. Croix.

A bronze bust of a freed enslaved person blowing a conch shell commemorates slavery's end in 1848—the garden was built to mark emancipation's 150th anniversary in 1998. The gazebo here is used for official ceremonies. One other monument shows a scaled-down model of the U.S. Liberty Bell, with a plaque remembering the Virginia-bound English settlers who stopped here in 1607, a month before they established Jamestown.

The former Coconut Park was renamed in honor of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. It's a great place to put your feet up and people-watch. Five granite pedestals represent the five branches of the military, bronze urns commemorate special events and can be lighted, and inscribed bronze plaques pay tribute to the territory's veterans who died defending the United States. There's also a playground.

This historic (1793) church has a massive mahogany altar, and its pews—each with its own door—were once rented to families of the congregation. Lutheranism is the state religion of Denmark, and when the territory was without a minister, the governor—who had his own elevated pew—filled in.

This imposing building stands at the head of Main Street. Once the island's premier hotel, it has been converted into offices, shops, and a restaurant. It houses the Hamilton & Lafayette Rum Cafe and Boutique, which hosts guided tours of its micro-distillery.

The synagogue's Hebrew name, Beracha Veshalom Vegmiluth Hasidim, translates as the Congregation of Blessing, Peace, and Loving Deeds. The small building's white pillars contrast with rough stone walls, as does the rich mahogany of the pews and altar. The sand on the floor symbolizes the exodus from Egypt. Since the synagogue opened its doors in 1833, it has held a weekly service, making it one of America's oldest continuously operating synagogues and the second-oldest (after the one on Curaçao) in the western hemisphere. Guided tours can be arranged, and brochures detailing the key structures and history are available. Next door the Weibel Museum showcases Jewish history on St. Thomas.

Its light-yellow, colonial-style exterior is the face of the vociferous political wrangling of the Virgin Islands Senate. Constructed originally by the Danish as a police barracks, the building was later used to billet U.S. Marines, and much later it housed a public school. 

Locals gather daily—especially by 4 am on Saturday mornings—at what was once a slave market in the 18th-century, to sell local fruits such as mangoes and papayas, root vegetables, and bunches of fresh herbs. Sidewalk vendors offer brightly colored fabrics, tie-dyed clothing, and handicrafts at good prices. A smaller number of vendors set up shop here all week long.

Built in 1884, this church was named to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Moravian Church in the Virgin Islands.

Consecrated as a parish church in 1848, this building serves as the seat of the territory's Roman Catholic diocese. The ceiling and walls are covered with 11 murals depicting biblical scenes that were painted in 1899 by two Belgian artists, Father Leo Servais and Brother Ildephonsus. The marble altar and walls were added in the 1960s. Over a dozen statues of handcrafted saints represent the many nationalities of the congregants who worship here. Guided tours are available.

Founded in 1744, this church has been rebuilt twice after fires and hurricanes and retains an austere loveliness that's amazing considering all it's been through. The unembellished cream-color hall is quite peaceful. Call ahead if you wish to visit at a particular time, as the doors are sometimes locked.

While you buy stamps, contemplate the murals of waterfront scenes by Saturday Evening Post artist Stephen Dohanos. His art was commissioned as part of the Works Project Administration in the 1930s.

Red-roofed, pastel-painted kiosks house vendors selling everything from T-shirts to leather goods. Look for local crafts and art among the ever-changing selections at this busy market.