Mount Liamuiga and Black Rocks
Not for the faint-hearted or the unfit, the steep hike to the crater of dormant volcano Mount Liamuiga rewards walkers with great views of neighbouring islands from St Kitts' highest point, at 1155m. Guided tours start in Belmont Estate and take about two hours each way. Dramatic cliffs formed by the erupting volcano many years ago can be seen at Black Rocks, near the village of Saddlers. It's a breathtaking sight – despite the presence of cheap souvenir and snack stalls.
• Tour companies include Kantours (+1869 466 2098, kantours.com); Tropical Tours (+1869 465 416, tropicalstkitts-nevis.com); and O'Niell's Tours (+1869 665 1384)
Brimstone Hill Fortress
As one of the earliest of Britain's colonies, St Kitts was so highly prized that the vast Brimstone Hill Fortress was built to defend it. Standing 240m above sea level, it is a breathtaking complex, constructed in about 1690 by African slave labour. It now houses a museum that gives a good insight into what life would have been like for the soldiers living in the dramatic surroundings. Once called the Gibraltar of the West Indies for its domination of 18th-century battles, Brimstone is now a Unesco world heritage site. It is worth also climbing up a little further to Monkey Hill for the coastal views.
• Taylors Range, Basseterre (+1869 465 2609, brimstonehillfortress.org). Open daily 9.30am-5.30pm
St Kitts Scenic Railway
The prettiest way to see St Kitts is from The Sugar Train, the island's scenic railway that trundles around the coastline – it's the only one of its kind in the Caribbean. The colourful double-decker train was formerly used to transport sugar from plantations to factory. Built between 1912 and 1926, the railway remained in use until 2005, when sugar production ceased. These days it is popular with cruise-ship passengers and during the journey a group of a cappella singers steps aboard to sing calypsos. It sounds cheesy, but the views of plantation houses, disused mills and lush vegetation are great. Allow about three hours.
• Needsmust Train Station, Basseterre (+1869 465 7263, stkittsscenicrailway.com). Timetables vary: Nov-April several daily departures; May-Oct limited schedule
Bloody Point
About a mile west of Basseterre on Old Road, you find Bloody Point, a spot that represents a grim moment in Kittitian history. This was where, in 1626, about 2,000 Carib Indians were massacred by joint French and British forces, pre-empting a plan by the Caribs to drive the foreigners from the island and take back their native land. Legend has it that the blood from the slaughter ran for three days. There's not much here these days apart from a plaque, but the road from this point sweeps up to a headland from where you can clearly see the islands of Saba and St Eustatius – so it's a good stop for photographs.
Petroglyphs, adjacent to Romney Manor
St Kitts is dotted with intriguing rock carvings, or petroglyphs, made by the original Carib inhabitants before the Europeans arrived in the 17th century. The most prominent are on two large rocks at the approach to the Wingfield Manor Estate, adjacent to Romney Manor. They look slightly crude, as if newly painted over in white, yet these rock drawings are very much authentic and are said to be in their original location. Some experts think they depict images of the Carib Zemi, or gods, although others believe they were fertility symbols.
Romney Manor and Old Road
Old Road was the first British town in the entire Caribbean. Sir Thomas Warner landed at Old Road Bay on 28 January 1623 with 15 settlers. Just above Old Road Town is the 17th-century Romney Manor sugar estate, now home to Caribelle Batik. Artisans at the workshop provide live demonstrations of the batik process, and sell their products here as well. Best of all are the beautifully restored gardens surrounding the manor and featuring a magnificent saman tree said to be 350 years old. Nearby, the church of St Thomas – the first Anglican church in the British Caribbean – is still standing.
• Caribelle Batik, near Basseterre (+1869 465 6253, caribellebatikstkitts.com). Open daily 9am-5pm
Basseterre
The island's capital Basseterre (it was named by the French, meaning lower ground) has a relaxed, slightly ramshackle appearance, with paint peeling from some of the fine Georgian buildings. However, the little city is undergoing modernisation. The main square – once the site of a slave market – was formerly known as Pall Mall and the area around the adjacent green clock tower and water fountain is known as Piccadilly Circus, or The Circus. While it is difficult to spot many similarities with their namesakes, the Circus is as good a spot for people watching as the London original.
Rainforest
Even though St Kitts covers just 176 sq km, more than a quarter of it is a designated national park largely composed of rainforest that is said – unusually – to be expanding. There are a number of trails to follow, none of which is very challenging and most of which offer good wildlife viewing: you will probably see cheeky green vervet monkeys swinging through the trees and elegant displays of hummingbirds, as well as lizards and mongooses. At certain points there are natural springs where it is possible to swim. Take a good local guide to show you the largely hidden bird life and identify the fascinating plants.
• Guide companies include Greg's Safaris (+1869 465 4121, gregsafaris.com) and Poinciana Tours (+1869 665 1459, poincianatours.com)
The Treasury Building and National Museum, Basseterre
The lovely pedimented colonial building on the Basseterre waterfront is the Old Treasury Building, dating from 1894. It now houses the National Museum, run by the St Christopher National Trust, and offering an overview of the culture and heritage of St Kitts and Nevis. The Treasury Building was once also known as the gateway to the island because its archway was the point of entry from the pier for passengers arriving by ship. The old pier has long since been replaced by an apron from which you can see Port Zante and the new cruise-ship dock, which has a lively craft market.
• +1869 466 2744, stkittsheritage.com. Opening times vary by season
Fairview Great House and Gardens
This French colonial mansion dates back to 1701 and is set in two lush acres. It has been well restored and today visitors can see how it would have been furnished and decorated as an elegant private home. The original kitchen and bathing room – which used heated rocks to warm spring water for the tub – still exist. There is a restaurant, Nirvana (+1869 465 3021, nirvanafairview.com), which serves local dishes and sometimes runs cookery classes. The great glory, though, is the garden – with interpretive signage and monkeys and birds galore.
• +1869 465 3141. Open daily 9am-5pm
Judith Baker is editor of Caribbean World magazine
