Why go
The Queen’s Staircase is a flight of steps hewn out of solid limestone rock on the eastern edge of downtown Nassau, cut by hand rather than built up from blocks. Enslaved people cut the steps between 1793 and 1794 to give the British garrison a direct route between Fort Fincastle, on the hill above, and Nassau city below. It is named for Queen Victoria, who reigned for 64 years. The staircase is officially 66 steps, though you will only count 65, since the bottom step was paved over when the path at street level was resurfaced.
What you will see
Walking up, the limestone walls close in on either side, left rough from the chisel work rather than smoothed off, and ferns and vines grow out of the cracks in the shaded, damp air. It is a short climb, but the scale of the cut rock on both sides is the point: a reminder of how much was dug out by hand to link the fort to the town. The staircase ends at the top of the hill, right by Fort Fincastle, the colonial-era fort the steps were built to serve.
Visiting: hours, admission, booking
The Queen’s Staircase is an open-air public walkway with no gate and no admission charge, so you can walk it at any time of day. There is no ticket booth and nothing to book in advance; just climb the steps on your way to or from Fort Fincastle.
Getting there
The staircase sits just off Elizabeth Avenue near Fort Fincastle, a short walk uphill from downtown Nassau. A taxi from the cruise port or a hotel in town is the simplest way in, and it is an easy add-on if you are already walking up to the fort for the harbour views.
Nearby
Fort Fincastle, at the top of the steps, is the natural next stop, and downtown Nassau’s shops and harbourfront are a short walk back down the hill. For more of what Nassau offers, see the Bahamas things-to-do page.