Place · Main Street & the waterfront
St Thomas SynagogueHebrew Congregation of St Thomas
A working 19th-century synagogue just off Main Street, one of the oldest synagogues in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere; the sand floor is the detail everyone asks about, and it is closed on the Jewish sabbath and holy days, so check the schedule before you walk over.
Key facts
- Time on site
- 30–40 min
- p95 60 min
- Price
- Free
- Hours
- unknown
- Best time
- weekday mornings
- quietest window
- 28″ bags
- Painful
- Main Street & the waterfront: painful
- Getting there
- Crystal Gade, a short walk uphill from Main Street (field-verify)
- Go weekday mornings
- Free entry
- Mostly indoors
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Rules in force · 8Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bah…
- Caribbean ↗Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bahamas and Jamaica) jail visitors for a single stray bullet or cartridge in their luggage; empty every bag and pocket before you pack.
- Caribbean ↗From August to October keep a free last day before your flight home and check the national hurricane centre daily; airports close when a named storm approaches.
- Caribbean ↗Wearing camouflage clothing is illegal for civilians in several islands, including Barbados, Antigua, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica; leave it at home, children's clothes included.
- US Virgin Islands ↗Entry follows US rules: international visitors need a US visa or ESTA as for the mainland. US citizens need no passport from the mainland, but must clear customs when leaving for the mainland.
- US Virgin Islands ↗The British Virgin Islands are a separate British territory: a ferry trip there is an international crossing and needs a passport.
- US Virgin Islands ↗Protect the reefs: do not stand on coral, and follow national park rules on St John.
- Charlotte Amalie ↗Cruise-ship days change everything: check the port schedule for the days you plan to be downtown and go before 09:00 or after 16:00.
- Charlotte Amalie ↗After dark, take taxis between clusters and back to your bed rather than walking.
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
What to know before you go, how long it takes, when to be there
Weather here, next 7 days
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Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Time on site
Minimum
20min
Worthwhile
30min
Typical
40min
p95
60min
Visiting hours and holy-day closures are set by the congregation and are not printed until verified for your date.
On the ground
Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Crystal Gade, a short walk uphill from Main Street (field-verify)
- Exit
- —
- Ticket
- free · official site
- Stairs
- note: none of note
- Shoes
- Shoes on.
Crowds and switching
- Crowd clock
- Quiet most days; a stop on some heritage walking tours by mid-morning.
- Sensory load
- 2/5
- Exposure
- low
Bailouts
heat
Main Street shops (AC, field-verify)
rain
Main Street shops (AC, field-verify)
Nearest rescue anchor: D — Main Street shops (AC, field-verify)
Combine in the same cluster
- Market Square (walk, a few minutes)
Red lines
- Dress modestly and keep voices down inside; it is an active house of worship, not only a museum.
- Closed on the Jewish sabbath (Friday evening–Saturday) and Jewish holy days; confirm before you go.
Deep dive
Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources
Questions and answers
No questions answered here yet.
Nearby
Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.
- ClusterMain Street & the waterfront90 m · 1 min walk
- Sleep areaDowntown & Government Hill150 m · 2 min walk
- ClusterGovernment Hill & the 99 Steps210 m · 3 min walk
- ClusterFrenchtown waterfront790 m · 13 min walk
- Sleep areaFrenchtown840 m · 14 min walk
- ClusterHavensight & Yacht Havennearest point: Yacht Haven Grande promenade (food, seated rest)1.3 km · 21 min walk
Sources
- officialUS Virgin Islands Department of Tourism
- secondaryWikivoyage — Charlotte Amalie