Key West, Florida, USA

A journey through the islands

Key West is the southernmost of a large chain of islands, reached by a truly amazing road. The road stretches from island to island across bridges, and it is one of the most beautiful roads in the USA. Truly captivating-an intensely bright blue sky and clear blue water filled with the reflections of warm sunshine. Along the entire route from the mainland to Key West there are 42 bridges. Key West is connected to the neighboring island by the longest of them-an eleven-kilometer bridge, or the Seven Mile Bridge. When you drive across it, you get the complete impression that you have fully come off the land-on both sides there is crystal-clear water with no shore, and ahead there is only a narrow strip of road disappearing into the sky.

Historic city center

The architecture of the Old Town is simply charming. It’s worth spending a couple of hours strolling its lanes, enjoying the beautiful colors and picturesque houses. The architecture of Key West, like a tropical cocktail, combined and blended architectural traditions from the Bahamas, the northeastern coast of the USA, and Africa. Elements and details made of wood were handcrafted, and the houses were built by carpenters who also worked on building yachts and ships. Most of the houses stand on pilings or stilts, which ensures air circulation and prevents damage from moisture. Despite their seemingly short lifespan, the houses are very sturdy-each room is insulated and provides protection during hurricane season.

Aquarium

The famous Aquarium was built in 1934, and they say it was the world’s first open-air aquarium. It draws thousands of tourists with its unusual feeding shows featuring sharks and enormous sea turtles. And you can also touch with your hands various underwater creatures, see barracudas, eels, and sea bass-there’s just too much to list. The sharks and turtles are fed 4 times a day; the feeding times are posted on numerous signs, so it’s easy to time your visit to both see the Aquarium and watch a shark or turtle meal.

Hemingway House Museum

It’s impossible to visit Key West and not stop by Hemingway. Perhaps he was, and still is, the island’s best-known resident. He first came here on the advice of his friend John Dos Passos in 1920, and the place charmed him so much that, in 1931, Hemingway bought a house here with a large garden. Another museum attraction is the cats. They are the true owners of this home. Among them are the famous “six-toed cats,” descendants of the six-fingered creature named Snowball, whom the writer himself once took in. These cats are included in the United States’ national heritage list.

Shipwreck Museum

In the golden age of sail, around 100 ships a day sailed past Key West, the waters surrounding which were well known as some of the most treacherous in the world. On average, one ship a week would be wrecked on the reefs of the Florida Keys archipelago. Brave local residents kept watch day and night from such observation towers or patrolled around the island on small boats. When a wreck was spotted, a cry would ring over the island - “Shipwreck!” - and all the island’s men would drop everything and rush to the docks in a race to the reef. The first person to reach the sinking ship became the “master”; he oversaw the rescue operations and received a large share of the cargo sales. Today, all of this is told by an excellent museum on the island.

Beaches

The beaches in Key West are by no means the most beautiful and convenient, but nevertheless they are quite cozy. Fort Zachary Taylor State Park is considered the island’s best beach. It is located at the island’s southern tip. The beach has parking, restrooms, showers, and lounge chairs for rent. Higgs Beach is a retro-style beach and is very popular with local residents. Beach kiosks from the 1950s, volleyball nets, and a narrow wooden pier extending far out into the ocean. The water is shallow, so you can comfortably swim with children. South Beach is located at the opposite end of Duval Street from the city center. Unlike its namesake in Miami, this is a very decent beach-relaxed yet elegant, with the atmosphere of a Caribbean island. The beach is very well maintained; there is lounge chair and umbrella rental, as well as restrooms.

Sunset at Mallory Square

You can talk endlessly about sunsets in Key West, but it’s better to see them with your own eyes at least once. One of the city’s nicknames is “home of the sunset” - the home of sunsets. And they are truly wonderful here. In the evening, locals and tourists gather at Mallory Square for just one purpose - to catch the famous sunset. The inscription on the welcome sign in front of the square reads: “Welcome to Mallory Square, where the sun sets and the fun begins.” The sunset celebrations take place every day, and no matter where on the island you are, the sunset will surely lure you to this square. Locals put on small performances here - you can watch fireproof fakirs and cats jumping through rings of fire.

Sea fishing

Fishing in the Florida Keys islands, including Key West, with their incredibly rich underwater life-one of the best in the world. On one of the islands, an international fishing tournament is held every year. Here, you can try to catch a swordfish or a barracuda. Local fishermen claim that sharks are also sometimes caught, but this is a very rare occurrence. Fishermen in Key West follow an unwritten rule: don’t catch more fish than you and your family can eat.

For a more detailed list of excursions and their prices, you can view it after booking your cruise in your “Personal account.”