St. Thomas is steeped in history and the island’s cultural side is as fascinating as the snorkeling and other natural attractions. Peel yourself away from your fabulous Time & Place luxury vacation home and be sure to explore some of the historical aspects of this breath-taking island.

• Did we say breath-taking? Test your skill by climbing all 99 Steps of Charlotte Amalie for an unforgettable vista of the Caribbean. Made by bricks that were once used as ballast on Danish and British ships, the steps were built into the hillside to keep the orderly grid of the city intact.

• The 1680-built Fort Christian, a U.S. National Landmark, is the oldest standing structure in the Virgin Islands and home to the Virgin Islands Museum, where early island memorabilia and old maps trace the islands’ history.

• Market Square, a bustling produce marketplace was once one of the West Indies’ busiest 18th-century slave markets.

• The kids will love Blackbeard’s Castle on nearby Government Hill, looming over Charlotte Amalie. Known during colonial times as Skytsborg, this 17th-century fortified tower also serves as a popular restaurant and hotel and it is listed as a National Historic Landmark.

• Don’t miss the second-oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere and the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the United States, Synagogue of Beracha Veshalom Vegmiluth Hasidim.

Who said history had to be boring?