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Bermuda: Travel Guides, Attractions
Hamilton
Hamilton, the hub of Bermuda, serves as both its capital and commercial centre. While it's not a large city, it has a surprising amount of hustle and bustle - at least compared to the rest of the island. Locals refer to it simply as 'town' - 'going to town' means, without a doubt, going to Hamilton.
The city's pulse is located in Front St, a harbourfront road lined with turn-of-the-century Victorian buildings in bright pastel lemon, lime, apricot and sky blue. Many buildings have overhanging verandahs, where you can linger over lunch and watch the boats ferry across the harbour.
Royal Naval Dockyard
When the British were no longer able to use ports in their former American colonies, they chose this site as their 'Gibraltar of the West'. In addition to the Bermuda Maritime Museum, you can pass a pleasant hour or two strolling about the Dockyard grounds, stop in at the pub, the movie theatre, the craft market or the Bermuda Snorkel Park.
The fort is built of limestone blocks in Georgian style and was first used by the British navy as a base to launch their raid on Washington, DC, in 1814. It later served as a North Atlantic base during both World Wars but was abandoned as a costly outpost in 1951. Since then the buildings have been renovated and given a second life.
South Shore Park
This coastal reserve protects some of Bermuda's finest beaches. A coastal trail runs through the park, linking a series of coves and bays divided by outcrops of craggy rocks. The 12 beaches range from medium-sized half-moon bays like Horseshoe Bay to postage-stamp-sized inlets like Peel Rock Cove.
One of the most appealing areas, forming the eastern fringe of the park, is the splendid stretch of pink and white coral sands known as Warwick Long Bay. Since it's unprotected by headlands, this beach generally has good waves suitable for bodysurfing.
St George
This unspoilt town overlooking St George's Harbour was Bermuda's
first capital and remains the sightseeing hotspot. Steeped
in period charm as befits a place that was Britain's second
settlement in the New World, many of its original twisting
alleyways and colonial-era buildings remain intact.
Attractions include Kings Square, where the attractive Town
Hall overlooks the pillory and stocks once used to publicly
chastise those who offended colonial mores. Nearby is the
ducking stool where gossips and petty offenders were forced
to endure the humiliation of being dunked in the harbour.
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