99 Steps Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the 99 Steps. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• The Best of St. Thomas Private Sightseeing Tour

• 6 Hour St. Thomas Private Sightseeing Tour

• Children's Treasure Hunt Walking Tour

• Ghosts and Legends of St. Thomas Charlotte Amalie Walking Tour

• Charlotte Amalie Local Rum Tasting and Main Street Day Trip

As 99 Steps is a public staircase, there's no fee to visit it. Many sightseeing tours include a stop at the stairs, such as walking tours, which range from US$25–US$55, and private sightseeing tours that include transportation and cost between US$600 and US$700 per group.

The 99 Steps are one of a number of staircases that were built by Danish settlers as a way to make walking up Charlotte Amalie's steep streets a bit easier. The 103 (not 99) stairs themselves were repurposed from ballasts used in Danish trade ships.

It depends on your fitness level and how comfortable you are with stairs. While climbing the 103 steps (the name is a misnomer) isn't terribly difficult for athletic people, those with mobility concerns or people who are prone to vertigo may prefer not to make the ascent.

Yes, there are tours that include the 99 Steps. In fact, many tours of St. Thomas include a stop at the famous attraction, and most guides will give you the opportunity to not only stop for photos, but also ascend the famous staircase if you so choose.

The 99 Steps are located in Charlotte Amalie, just north of Kongens Gade and south of Dronningens Gade. You can reach them on foot from Blackbeard's Castle or by walking from the cruise port, about a half-hour stroll away, but hot weather makes it more comfortable to visit by car or on a tour that includes transportation.