I visited Charlestown while on a Caribbean cruise. Located on the smaller of the two islands that make up St Kitts and Nevis, Charlestown is the capital of Nevis and is a quiet haven with lovely beaches and a much smaller tourist crowd than you find on some of the other islands. A towering volcano rises from the centre of the island, its green slopes covered with lush rainforests.
Despite the more peaceful ambience, gone are the days when your cruise ship was likely the only one calling at Nevis. Although St Kitts still gets the lion’s share, Nevis was expecting 52 cruise calls last season bringing some 18,000 visitors to the island.
Charlestown has a small population of only 1,500 people. The buildings of the town are unique because of its history of earthquakes. With two-storey buildings the lower floor is built of concrete, while the upper level is usually timber.
On a topical note, Charlestown was the birthplace of American founding father and aide to George Washington, Alexander Hamilton. His life is featured in the Broadway musical Hamilton, currently on tour throughout North America and also performing at London’s West End and the Lyric Theatre, Sydney.
