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Kingston

Tucked in between the Blue Mountains and the world’s seventh-largest natural harbor, Kingston simultaneously impresses you with its setting and overwhelms you with its sprawl, noise and hustle. This is the island’s cultural and economic heart, and a place named a Creative City of Music by Unesco in 2015. Like a plate of spicy jerk washed down with a cold Red Stripe beer, a visit to Kingston is essential to taste the rich excitement of modern Jamaica.

Kingston is a city of two halves. Downtown is home to historic buildings, the courts, banks, street markets and one of the Caribbean’s greatest art museums. By contrast, Uptown holds the city’s best hotels and restaurants, largely confined to New Kingston, with its cluster of tall buildings around Emancipation Park.

Uptown and Downtown haven't always mixed well, but taken together they form a compelling and sometimes chaotic whole. Kingston is certainly never boring – we encourage you to jump right in.

Explore Kingston

National Gallery of Jamaica
The superlative collection of Jamaican art housed by the National Gallery is the finest on the island and should on no account be missed. As well as…
Bob Marley Museum
The large, creaky, colonial-era wooden house on Hope Rd, where Bob Marley lived and recorded from 1975 until his death in 1981, is the city’s most-visited…
Devon House
This beautiful colonial house was built in 1881 by George Stiebel, the first black millionaire in Jamaica. Antique lovers will enjoy the guided tour,…
L
Life Yard
An innovative art and permaculture scheme, Life Yard is regenerating an area of downtown Kingston once beset with gang problems. The program is centered…
L
Liberty Hall
At the end of a tree-lined courtyard, decorated with cheerful mosaics and a mural depicting Marcus Garvey, stands Liberty Hall, the headquarters of Garvey…
P
Parade
William Grant Park, more commonly known as ‘Parade,’ is the bustling heart of Downtown, and originally hosted a fortress erected in 1694 with guns…
T
Trench Town Culture Yard
Trench Town, which began life as a much-prized housing project erected by the British in the 1930s, is widely credited as the birthplace of ska,…
T
Tuff Gong Recording Studios
Tuff Gong is one of the Caribbean’s largest and most influential studios. It was Bob Marley's favorite place to record and is now run by his son Ziggy…
A
Alpha Boys School
Few have had an impact on modern Jamaican music like Alpha Boys School and its students. A nonprofit vocational school serving young men from the inner…

National Gallery of Jamaica
The superlative collection of Jamaican art housed by the National Gallery is the finest on the island and should on no account be missed. As well as…
Bob Marley Museum
The large, creaky, colonial-era wooden house on Hope Rd, where Bob Marley lived and recorded from 1975 until his death in 1981, is the city’s most-visited…
Devon House
This beautiful colonial house was built in 1881 by George Stiebel, the first black millionaire in Jamaica. Antique lovers will enjoy the guided tour,…
L
Life Yard
An innovative art and permaculture scheme, Life Yard is regenerating an area of downtown Kingston once beset with gang problems. The program is centered…
L
Liberty Hall
At the end of a tree-lined courtyard, decorated with cheerful mosaics and a mural depicting Marcus Garvey, stands Liberty Hall, the headquarters of Garvey…
P
Parade
William Grant Park, more commonly known as ‘Parade,’ is the bustling heart of Downtown, and originally hosted a fortress erected in 1694 with guns…
T
Trench Town Culture Yard
Trench Town, which began life as a much-prized housing project erected by the British in the 1930s, is widely credited as the birthplace of ska,…
T
Tuff Gong Recording Studios
Tuff Gong is one of the Caribbean’s largest and most influential studios. It was Bob Marley's favorite place to record and is now run by his son Ziggy…
A
Alpha Boys School
Few have had an impact on modern Jamaican music like Alpha Boys School and its students. A nonprofit vocational school serving young men from the inner…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Kingston.

See
National Gallery of Jamaica
The superlative collection of Jamaican art housed by the National Gallery is the finest on the island and should on no account be missed. As well as…
See
Bob Marley Museum
The large, creaky, colonial-era wooden house on Hope Rd, where Bob Marley lived and recorded from 1975 until his death in 1981, is the city’s most-visited…
See
Devon House
This beautiful colonial house was built in 1881 by George Stiebel, the first black millionaire in Jamaica. Antique lovers will enjoy the guided tour,…
See
Life Yard
An innovative art and permaculture scheme, Life Yard is regenerating an area of downtown Kingston once beset with gang problems. The program is centered…
See
Liberty Hall
At the end of a tree-lined courtyard, decorated with cheerful mosaics and a mural depicting Marcus Garvey, stands Liberty Hall, the headquarters of Garvey…
See
Parade
William Grant Park, more commonly known as ‘Parade,’ is the bustling heart of Downtown, and originally hosted a fortress erected in 1694 with guns…
See
Trench Town Culture Yard
Trench Town, which began life as a much-prized housing project erected by the British in the 1930s, is widely credited as the birthplace of ska,…
See
Tuff Gong Recording Studios
Tuff Gong is one of the Caribbean’s largest and most influential studios. It was Bob Marley's favorite place to record and is now run by his son Ziggy…
See
Alpha Boys School
Few have had an impact on modern Jamaican music like Alpha Boys School and its students. A nonprofit vocational school serving young men from the inner…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Kingston

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