Charlotte Amalie Harbour and Skyride

Charlotte Amalie sits around a deep, sheltered natural harbour that made it one of the great trading ports of the Caribbean long before cruise ships, and the best way to understand its shape is from above. A gondola runs from beside the cruise dock at Havensight up some two hundred metres to Paradise Point on the ridge, a seven-minute ride over red roofs and hillside houses, ending at a viewing deck that takes in the whole harbour, the town, and on a clear day St Croix forty miles south. There is a short nature trail at the top and, inevitably, a bar selling a rum drink. The town below holds Danish warehouses converted into duty-free shops, the synagogue with its sand floor, and the ninety-nine steps.

What you actually see

• The gondola ride - seven minutes up over the rooftops to the ridge.
• The harbour view - the whole deep bay, town and outer islands from Paradise Point.
• The synagogue - one of the oldest in the Americas, with a sand floor.
• The 99 Steps - the Danish stepped street climbing from the town.

When to go

December to April is the dry season. The gondola runs on cruise-ship days and its hours follow the ship schedule, so check whether ships are in; sunset rides operate on some evenings and are the best time for the view and the temperature.

Honest expectations

Operations are tied to cruise traffic, so on days without ships the gondola may not run at all, and on busy days there are queues at the base. Charlotte Amalie's shopping district is aimed squarely at cruise passengers and empties completely when the ships leave. The view is the product here; the top station is small.

Nearby

Magens Bay is over the ridge; the ferry to St John leaves from Red Hook and downtown.