Previously known as the Blue Turtle, the Gallery St. Thomas is a local art gallery owned by Claire Ochoa. It showcases mainly Caribbean-flavored art. A number of Haitian artists like Teri Jones, Lucinda Schutt, Tracy Monsanto and Lynn Pacassi-Beri contribute to the beautiful contemporary and abstract works on display. Water colors, oils, paper and ceramics form a major part of the collections. Photographs by various artists are also on exhibit.
The third oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere, this gracious building has a sand floor. This signifies the time during the Spanish Inquisition when practicing Judaism was punishable by death. Jews would worship in cellars with sand on the floors to absorb the sound. The congregation began in 1796, but the original and then subsequent building burned down. This building dates to 1833. A small gift shop and the Weibel Museum both sit adjacent to the synagogue. The museum contains mostly historical documents and literature. Visitors are welcome to tour the synagogue and attend services. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.
Various symphonies, ballet companies, jazz performers, and folklore groups often perform at the island's only major performance hall. While many of the offerings are by visiting performers such as the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, others are by local groups. However, pick your seat carefully because you are at the mercy of the weather. The stage and the best seats are under a roof but open to the breezes. The rest of the seats offer no protection from the elements. In March, the center hosts a concert or two of the Festival Casals de Puerto Rico.
Between Hotel 1829 and Government House sits the foot of the famed 99 Steps, a staircase built in the 1700s by the Danes to connect parts of the town. Ironically, however, there are actually 103 steps, all made of ballast bricks from Danish ships. They lead high to a hill above Charlotte Amalie and the stone remains of an old tower, now part of the Inn at Blackbeard's Castle complex. It is a huff and puff to the top, but well worth it for the view.
Even if you're not in the market for a tee shirt, a St. Thomas souvenir or a banana daiquiri, a stop at this touristy attraction is worth it just for the view. At 1,500 feet above sea level, visitors can see up and down the island chain. The area, once known as Signal Hill, served as a strategic communications point for the United States government during the 1940s. Tour buses galore visit this spot, so time your visit when only a few cruise ships are in the harbor. There is no admission charge.
The Virgin Islands Legislature, the territory's only law-making body, meets at this lime green waterfront building. The public is welcome to watch committee meetings and legislative sessions, both held on the second floor Chambers. Often raucous, the events are a glimpse into the territory's political machinations. Built originally by the Danish as a police barracks, this structure later served as the public high school. It was also the site of the 1917 transfer of the territory's ownership from Denmark to the United States.
Previously known as the Blue Turtle, the Gallery St. Thomas is a local art gallery owned by Claire Ochoa. It showcases mainly Caribbean-flavored art. A number of Haitian artists like Teri Jones, Lucinda Schutt, Tracy Monsanto and Lynn Pacassi-Beri contribute to the beautiful contemporary and abstract works on display. Water colors, oils, paper and ceramics form a major part of the collections. Photographs by various artists are also on exhibit.
French Heritage Museum, as its name suggests is a history museum that focuses on generating awareness and appreciation about the various contributions that French culture and tradition have made on society. The museum is housed in an old fire station that was built in 1942, which was later also a health clinic till the early 1950's. The museum features a wide range of 20th-century artifacts, antique furnishings, showpieces, cutlery and scientific tools.
The third oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere, this gracious building has a sand floor. This signifies the time during the Spanish Inquisition when practicing Judaism was punishable by death. Jews would worship in cellars with sand on the floors to absorb the sound. The congregation began in 1796, but the original and then subsequent building burned down. This building dates to 1833. A small gift shop and the Weibel Museum both sit adjacent to the synagogue. The museum contains mostly historical documents and literature. Visitors are welcome to tour the synagogue and attend services. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.
Various symphonies, ballet companies, jazz performers, and folklore groups often perform at the island's only major performance hall. While many of the offerings are by visiting performers such as the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, others are by local groups. However, pick your seat carefully because you are at the mercy of the weather. The stage and the best seats are under a roof but open to the breezes. The rest of the seats offer no protection from the elements. In March, the center hosts a concert or two of the Festival Casals de Puerto Rico.
Miles and miles of pearly-white sand and pristine blue waters welcome you to the Flamenco Beach, rated among the most beautiful beaches of the world. Ideal for numerous water activities such as swimming, snorkeling, sport fishing and scuba diving, the beach attracts exhilarated enthusiasts from all over the world. A plethora of restaurants, bars, kiosks, surround the area making it the perfect tourist spot. Acclaimed as the second-most beautiful beach in the world by the Discovery Channel, Flamenco Beach warrants a visit.
Built in 1867 as a meeting place for the Danish Colonial Council, this gracious neoclassical white edifice houses the governor's office. You are welcome to stroll around the first floor, where you can view four small paintings by the native son and acclaimed Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro. Tours of the lovely second-floor ballroom, with its Baccarat chandelier, mahogany railings and spectacular views of the city and harbor, require an advance appointment.