CC BY-SA 3.0, Ukexpat, Wikimedia CommonsLandmark· St Kitts· Leeward Islands
Brimstone Hill Fortress
17° 20.8′ N · 62° 50.2′ W
A UNESCO World Heritage fortress built by enslaved Africans on a 972 ft volcanic hill above the leeward coast - the 'Gibraltar of the Caribbean', besieged and taken by the French in 1782 and one of the best-preserved colonial fortifications in the Americas.
Practical
Open daily 9:30am-5:30pm. Admission US$15 (children 12 and under half price; locals XCD 10); the official site does not date the prices, so verify at the gate. Tour the Fort George Citadel and museum, the Western and Eastern Places of Arms, the Magazine Bastion breached in 1782 and the ruined officers' quarters - reached by a steep walk up ramps and steps from the car park. Closest anchorage is Sandy Point (or haul-out at St Kitts Marine Works next door); most visitors come by taxi or on an island tour from Basseterre. Bring water and a hat.
Best for
History and a 360-degree view to Statia, Saba and Nevis