Port Royal (UNESCO World Heritage site)and Downtown Kingston Tour
Description
Our history tours have been enjoyed by many visitors. We offer an enriching travel experience - accompanying and guiding visitors around Port Royal, a guided tour of Fort Charles, visit the Grand Excelsior Hotel, the National Gallery of Jamaica, Kingston Craft Market, Water Lane Art Murals and Emancipation Park. We take lots of photos for visitors, provide valuable insights and make the day memorable. We promote places which we ourselves have explored, loved and would visit again and again! This way we are familiar with the localities and routes Benefits of using our services: - - Certified Jamaica Tourist Board Tour Operator - Offering personalized itineraries and the flexibility to tailor your trip to your preferences. - Having in-depth knowledge of destinations and offering valuable insights and recommendations. - Competitive prices and affordability
Tour Options
Itinerary
Tour of Fort Charles. The first fort to be erected in Port Royal was Fort Charles. It was built in the late 1650-60 and was originally called Fort Cromwell but was renamed Fort Charles. The fort underwent several changes between 1656 -1670. In 1667, the fort had 36 guns and by 1765 it had 104 guns and a garrison with 500 men. The World Heritage Committee inscribed The Archaeological Landscape of 17th Century Port Royal, Jamaica on the World Heritage List.
Sightseeing tour of Port Royal, including the fishing village and The Grand Excelsior Hotel. One of the oldest and most historic regions of the country, Port Royal has maintained much of its independence as well as its heritage. Once the enclave of pirates and other outlaws, there is still a strong seafaring tradition. Much of the old city, described in the 17th century as the "wickedest city in the west", lies underwater beside the town, the result of an earthquake that in 1692 swallowed about two-thirds of the then-living space. Since then, another earthquake in 1907, numerous hurricanes, fires, and various population-decimating diseases have plagued the town. Despite all, the waters around Port Royal are a virtual archaeological gold mine, filled with pieces of history that tell of everyday life in the earliest days of English occupation.
Tour of IOJ's National Gallery of Jamaica
Sightsee along the Kingston Waterfront Stroll along Water Lane enjoying the gallery of street art and mural paintings. Pay a short visit to Kingston Craft Market located in the vicinity of the Waterfront. There are over one hundred shops on location. Kingston Craft Market is known for its brand Jamaica
The park is located in New Kingston and is themed “Tribute to Freedom” with a pair of 11 feet bronze statue, titled “Redemption Song”. It depicts a black man and woman looking towards the sky and is located at the south east entrance of the park. Embedded in the statue’s symbolic meaning is the triumph over the tragedies of slavery. West African spiritual symbols can be seen throughout the design of the park and the colorful tropical plants and flowers make for a relaxing day. It’s a symbol of hope and freedom to the Jamaican people.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We will pick travelers up from addresses in Kingston.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(22)
Tour with Marie was both educational and entertaining. Vehicle, service , places , guide everything was well arranged. Kingston Mural walk was my favorite part of the tour. She accommodated our vegetarian lunch request by taking us to veg place. She knows lot of local people and has tons of information about Kingston. Last but not the least, her enthusiasm and passion for Jamaica, made experience unique. I would highly recommend her tour.
Hi Parul, Thank you for your review. It was such a pleasure meeting you both and giving you an 'authentic' experience in Kingston. I must say that I was pleased you had an enjoyable hiked up and down our world famous Blue Mountain and even ventured out Downtown on your own. Anyway, back to our tour, I'm Glad you enjoyed the Mural Walk and our visit to the National Gallery of Jamaica. Visiting Dubwise Cafe was lovely and the fact that you sampled the various food outlets was great. I hope you enjoyed your evening meal and your remaining few hours in Kingston.
Our cultural tour of Jamaica was one of the highlights of our trip! From start to finish, Marie and Donovan were engaging, knowledgeable, and passionate about sharing Jamaica's incredible history, culture, and music. Exploring Port Royal and touring Fort Charles gave us a fascinating glimpse into Jamaica's rich colonial and maritime history. The admission fee for Fort Charles was $15 US per adult. We loved that the sites weren't overcrowded, making the experience feel relaxed and personal. Visiting Heroes' Square and emancipation park was equally inspiring as we learned about the remarkable individuals who helped shape the nation. One of our favorite parts of the day was exploring Old Kingston. The vibrant art murals brought the streets to life, telling stories through colorful, expressive artwork that reflected Jamaica's culture and heritage. We also loved experiencing the heartbeat of Jamaican music throughout the area. A special highlight was stopping at a charming vintage record shop, where we browsed classic reggae and ska albums while learning about the artists and sounds that helped shape Jamaica's worldwide musical influence. It was an authentic and memorable experience that music lovers will truly appreciate. Our visit to Grand Hotel Excelsior Port Royal was another enjoyable stop, where we experienced genuine Jamaican hospitality in a beautiful setting. Marie and Donovan's warmth, enthusiasm, and deep knowledge made every stop come alive. This tour perfectly blended history, art, music, and culture into an unforgettable experience. The tour is exactly as described by the company. The tour was approximately 6.5 hours. If you're looking to experience the true spirit of Jamaica beyond the beaches, we highly recommend this tour. Thank you, Marie and Donovan, for an amazing day!
Hi Kerry-Ann Thank you so much for your kind words! We are thrilled that we made you and your mums experience so special. It was an amazing day exploring Jamaican culture, history, meeting people and taking nuff photos. We had fun, good Ital food from Ibo Spice and engaged with lots of people. Thank you again for booking with us. All the best
The most amazing day. As a solo female traveler I was totally safe. I received the true Jamaican experience. They tailor your experience to you. 100% recommend. Owners are phenomenally kind and generous. Thank you ❤️❤️❤️❤️🇯🇲😍
Hi Wendy Thank you! We greatly appreciate your review. It was such a pleasure meeting you and touring Port Royal and Downtown Kingston with you. Our 'authentic Jamaican' meal at Jackie's Restaurant was greatly appreciated. I do hope you will not wait another 20 years before you visit Jamaica again, as there is truly so much to experience on this beautiful Island, especially In Kingston. Enjoy your remaining time here.
The driver and the guide were very friendly and helpful. Port Royal is very interesting and a lot of history. You should book a tour to go there because it’s far from the city and hard to find a taxi to get back to the city.
Hi Hong, Thank you for your review. Yes, Port Royal is very interesting, especially as we discovered 'Fort James' which is now underwater. It was lovely to hear of your travels around Kingston, using a combination of Ubers and buses. All the best with your travels.
Big thanks to Marie and Donovan for this great day tour of Port Royal and Kingston! The two gave a great impression of Kingston and explained a lot about the country and people both on the drive and when exploring on foot. We were also able to adjust the program at short notice and visited the Bob Marley Museum. The two are super informative and totally uncomplicated. I like to book a tour with them again.
Hi Michael Thank you for your review. It was a pleasure meeting you and showcasing Port Royal and Kingston to you. I am pleased you enjoyed the guided tour of Fort Charles, Bob Marley Museum and our famous Devon House IceCream. Enjoy your remaining time in Kingston and trip to Ocho Rios.
I was picked up at the hotel on time. We visited so many places in such a short time. Port Royal is a world heritage site with so much history. Devon House is a nice place for lunch. It was so great to see how the government transformed the downtown area with mural and art works. The tour manager Marie and our driver Donavan were excellent. They provided us so much knowledge and history about the city. This tour is perfect for anyone visiting Kingston but does not have a lot of time. I would highly recommend this tour.
Hello Khon, Thank you for your review. We are pleased you enjoyed your tour of Port Royal and Downtown Kingston, with its rich history and culture. You really must visit Jamaica again sometime soon to visit Bob Marley Museum and other attractions as there is so much to explore in Kingston, both daytime and nightime.
Marie and Donovan provided a very memorable tour of Port Royal and also the Trench Town Ceramics and Arts Center. What stands out is how much they enjoy what they are doing and how attentive they are. I HIGHLY recommend them for any of their tours anyone might be interested in.
Hi Francesca, Thank you so much for your 5 star review! We really enjoyed touring Port Royal with you and discovering a few added bonuses. Having lunch at Digicel Food Court was great along with our visit to Trench Town Ceramics & Arts Centre. Enjoy your remaining time in Blue Mountain and Negril.
Great tailor made day tour. Marie and Donovan were very warm, attentive, and always ready to go above and beyond to make sure I made the most of my free day in Kingston: From Port Royal to Marley Museum passing by the exceptional mural in downtown:)
Elena Thank you for your review. We are glad you enjoyed Fort Charles and our tour of Port Royal and The Grand Excelsior Hotel. Our Stroll along Water Lane art murals, Kingston Waterfront and Guided tour of Bob Marley's Mansion made for a lovely day touring Kingston. Enjoy your remaining time in Kingston.
A wonderful experience! I would do it all over again. Marie and Donovan were very courteous, caring and willing to go the extra mile to ensure we got the most out of the day. To be frank, it felt as though we did a week's tour in the one and yet we did not feel rushed nor exhausted. Incredible!
Hi Rayon, Thank you for your kind words. Donovan and I had a great enjoyed touring Port Royal and Kingston with you and your guests. The guided tour of Fort Charles and Bob Marley Museums were fantastic, along with the delicious patties and IceCream at Devon House. We ought to do a part II as there is so much to explore in Kingston from our UNESCO Blue Mountain to the historic city of Spanish Town. Thank you again
A tour day with Marie and Donovan exploring Port Royal and downtown Kingston, including the Water Lane murals and the National Gallery, was so delightful! Well-organized and thoughtfully guided, I really came away from my tour with a better sense of Kingston, Jamaica and its culture and history. Port Royal and Fort Charles are lovely areas and the fort tour revealed much I did not know about seafaring in the Caribbean. Marie did an excellent job pointing out lots of tidbits and answering all my questions about the area. We walked and observed and I was grateful for Marie’s attention to my interests. I highly recommend this tour to everyone! Thank you, Marie and Donovan, for a wonderful tour!
Hi Pauletta, Thank you for your review. Yes, we had a great time exploring Port Royal and Downtown Kingston. I was pleased you found the guided tour of Fort Charles to be informative, along with our visit to the Old Naval Hospital and The Grand Excelsior Hotel (formerley Morgan Harbour Hotel). Strolling in the Art District was interesting along with a visit to the National Gallery of Jamaica and the Water Lane Art Murals. I really enjoyed our time together over a two-day period. Thank you again
