Shopping in St Kitts: where to shop for local crafts and souvenirs

If you visit St Kitts, you’ll find plenty to entice you while browsing the shops in Port Zante. Here you’ll find colourful clothing, t-shirts and gifts in the Amina craft market.

But if you are shopping in St Kitts for original artisan souvenirs of vibrant batik, artworks that reflect the richness of life on St Kitts or foodie gifts that are produced locally, here are a few things to look out for;

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On this best of St Kitts tour you’ll see landmarks of cultural, natural, and historical significance

Shopping in St Kitts – The Gallery Café on Independence Square Basseterre

To find one of the best St Kitts shopping areas, walk to the green and shady Independence square. It’s just 5 minutes walk from the Port Zante St Kitts shops. Look for the pastel shutters and awnings on a whitewashed wooden house that signal the Gallery Café.

This traditional St Kitts house is one of the oldest in the square. The same family owned it for centuries until it came up for sale.

It was bought by local artist Rosey Cameron Smith who now runs it as an art gallery and café. The airy rooms contain Rosey’s colorful artworks and scarves by well known St Kitts artist, Kate Spencer. It also showcaes sculptures, pottery and glass from other local artists.

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Buy a small print or miniature artwork as a St Kitts souvenir, to remind you of the nature and street scenes of this beautiful Caribbean island, long after you’ve unpacked your suitcase. Be sure to try a fresh juice and home baked bagel with local smoked wahoo fish in the tranquil Gallery Café garden before you leave.

Update: The Gallery Cafe has now closed but you can find beautiful artworks in other galleries around St Kitts

St Kitts shopping – Caribelle Batik at Romney Manor

Most island tours stop at the Wingfield Estate and adjoining Romney Manor where you’ll visit Caribelle Batik. This shop is set in the plantation house once owned by the great great great grandfather of US President Thomas Jefferson.

The ladies who make the batik will explain to you how the cotton cloth is painted with wax designs and dyed multiple times. No two pieces turn out the same.

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If you are wondering what to buy in St Kitts that will make an authentic souvenir, the shop sells a wide range of vibrant batik items. Choose from sarongs and cushions to all types of clothing to brighten your wardrobe.

In the gardens take some time to stand on the lawns under the majestic 350 year old Saman tree. Stroll through the botanic garden and sit with a cool fruit punch on the terrace looking down onto the old Wingfield Sugar Estate.

What to buy in St Kitts – Foodie Souvenirs

To recreate the spice and flavour of the Caribbean long after you return home there are plenty of foodie souvenirs from St Kitts that will easily pack into your luggage. Many shops sell bottles of the fiery Mrs Greaux or Brimstone pepper sauce made with tiny scotch bonnet peppers.

For something milder look out for jams and preserves made from the local fruits such as guava, tamarind and sorrel. Your sweet tooth will thank you for a bag of the local jelly sweets known as Guava Cheese.

If you’ve developed a taste for the local rum while on St Kitts, you’ll find miniatures of Belmont, Brinley Gold and CSR in the liquor stores of Port Zante.

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Experience locally made food and drinks on this Basseterre food and walking tour

The Shell Workshop at Palm Court Gardens in Basseterre

Take home a little piece of the ocean from the Shell Works at Palm Court Gardens, which is a short walk from the shopping in Basseterre St Kitts. Their workshop produces handcrafted boxes, decorations and jewellery made from shells, driftwood and other local materials.

There’s often someone demonstrating their craft outside the small gift shop. Check out their range of very pretty jewellery made from freshwater pearls and coral at affordable prices, from $35 for necklaces.

The botanic gardens are planted with exotic palms and flowering shrubs. You can have lunch in the café and also buy a day pass if you wish to use the pool with stunning views across the bay. There’s a small entrance fee to the gardens that helps support a children’s educational charity on St Kitts.

Read more about St Kitts: Top 10 things to do in St Kitts for cruise visitors

Artistic glass designs

An artistic glass dish or plaque to hang in your window is a charming reminder of the fish, turtles and boats you may have seen on your visit and make a perfect St Kitts souvenir . You’ll find small artistic glass designs reflecting the natural world and scenes from life on St Kitts at galleries on the island. Check out The Gallery Café and Les Mains d’Or gallery in Frigate Bay, which also sells a wide range of pottery.

Look out for the work of Calvin Delpleche of Caribbean Glass who sells through the galleries mentioned and sometimes has a stand in the Amina Craft Market in Port Zante (smaller glass items $15-40).

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Pink Conch jewelry

Fall in love with the delicate shell jewellery that is made on St Kitts by local artist Jenny Peets of Living DeLife Jewellery and accessories. Conch fritters and chowder are on every beach bar menu but the shells are often thrown back into the sea. Here the naturally pink shell is polished and made into pretty bracelets, earrings and necklaces.

There are also pendants and rings made from the ice blue quartz larimar stone, and natural speckled brown jewellery from large whelk shell. Rings, bracelets and pendants start from $15 and Jenny’s stand can be found in the Amina Craft Market of Port Zante.

Read more about St Kitts: Top 10 things to eat and drink in St Kitts

More fun things to do on St Kitts

Spend the day out on the waters off St Kitts on a 4-hour sail and snorkel with open bar and lunch

Explore Mount Liamuiga beyond the cloud forest on this volcano hiking and sightseeing excursion

Some places to shop for local crafts and souvenirs

• Amina Craft Market, Port Zante, Basseterre
• The Shell Works at Palm Court Gardens, Wilkin Street, Fortlands, Basseterre
• Caribelle Batik at Romney Manor
• Les Mains d’Or Gallery, St Christopher Club, Frigate Bay
• The iFlamboyant artist’s collective started by local potter Dale Kelley holds exhibitions of local work at Christmas in leading hotels around the island.

Discover things to do in St Kitts on a cruise – that will suit all ages

Visitor Information for St Kitts

To plan your visit to St Kitts check out the tourism board website at www.stkittstourism.kn

British Airways flies to St Kitts from London Gatwick twice a week on Saturdays and Wednesdays with the flight going on to nearby Antigua. There are regular ferries every day to Nevis, with a journey time of 45 minutes from Basseterre, making it easy to plan a combined stay on both islands.

Check out prices and book hotels on St Kitts.

For a full range of private tours available check out these St Kitts tour options.

If you’re looking for a guide book for use on a Caribbean cruise, we recommend the DK Eyewitness Caribbean Travel Guide which covers all your likely ports of call. For something more in depth try the Footprint Guide to St Kitts, Nevis, Antigua and Montserrat.

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Thanks to St Kitts Tourism for hosting* Heather’s visit to St Kitts.

* More info on my policies page

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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