If you are going on a cruise leaving from Florida, there is a pretty good chance that it will include a stop at Nassau. What can you do there? One popular (and free) activity is to walk to Queen's Staircase. This article will give you more information about this historic site.
The Queen's Staircase was built for a quick escape in case of an emergency to Fort Fincastle which is located on Bennet’s Hill, which is the highest point in Nassau. Fort Fincastle in turn helped protect Nassau Harbor. At the time, the British were worried about an attack. The Queen's Staircase is composed of 66 steps carved out of limestone. 600 Slaves manually carved it between 1793 and 1794. The Queen's Staircase was later named in honor of Queen Victoria since she abolished slavery in 1837.
Fun fact: If you count the steps, you only find 65 steps visible today as the bottom step is buried in asphalt.
What is the best way to tour? There are two options. You can take a guided tour that includes a stop here. Another option is to or go there yourself. It is a very easy walk from the cruise port. It takes 10-15 minutes to walk there. You can follow the crowds or break out a mapping app like Google Maps to lead you there. I recommend doing this first thing in the morning when it is cooler. It is a good idea to bring water with you too. Walking there from the cruise port will take you to the top of the stairs. Allot 45 minutes including walking to/from for this excursions if doing on your own. You can easily combine this with another activity while visiting Nassau.
