Historical & Cultural Escapes in Paradise
Eco Tours; “Roughing” it in Paradise
Biking, Segway and “glass bottom” Kayaking tours – Take a tour of our tropical island on bike, “glass bottom” kayak or even by a segway to see the natural side of Nassau. The focus of your tour includes historical sites, national parks, beaches, native flowers and plants and, on some tours a picnic lunch, all accompanied by an experienced guide. Some tours ride along scenic coastline trails passing mangrove creeks and pine forests. For more information visit http://www.bahamasoutdoors.com and http://bestonbahamas.com/bahamas-segway-and-beach-experience.html
Historical/Cultural Site Seeing Tours
Walking tours are a great way to get some exercise while on vacation. You can see beautiful sites and learn a little about the history and culture of The Bahamas. Take a guided tour or an independent tour with map in hand. Maps can be obtained at the Ministry of Tourism information booth downtown in Rawson Square.
Here are some suggested sites for walking tours on your own -
- Rawson Square
- Parliament & Supreme Court
- Garden of Remembrance
- Nassau Public Library – the 18th century jailhouse
- Queen’s Staircase, Fort Fincastle & The Water Tower
- St. Andrew’s Kirk Church
- Government House
- Graycliff Hotel
- St. Francis Roman Catholic Church
- Christ Church Cathedral
- Straw Market
- Bay Street Shopping
- Prince George Wharf
- Water Taxi to Paradise Island
1. & 2. With map in hand start off downtown at the crossroads of Nassau; Rawson Square. Take a jitney from Cable Beach or a cab from Paradise Island to get there. Up there you will find a statue of Sir Milo Butler, the first native Bahamian governor. Directly across from Bay Street you will find the charming pink buildings of Parliament and the Supreme Court.
3. Then on to the Garden of Remembrance whose monument serves as a memorial to Bahamians who lost their lives in World Wars I and II and the four Royal Bahamas Defence Force Marines.
4. Beyond that is the Nassau Public Library, which once served as the Nassau jail in the 18th century. You can still see the small prison cells here that now contain books. There are also historic prints and old documents dating back to colonial days.
5. The 66 steps of the Queen’s Staircase were cut from limestone by slaves in 1793 to provide British troops a protected route to Fort Fincastle.
Fort Fincastle was built on the highest point of the island as a lookout by the British captain Lord Dunmore in 1793. Fort Fincastle was built to protect Nassau Harbour and watch for encroaching marauders and pirates. However, its cannons were never fired.
Walk up the 218 steps of The Water Tower behind Fort Fincastle for a breathtaking view of Nassau Harbour. It was built in 1928 with funds provided by the United States Government to reward the Bahamas for Nassau’s role in storing bootleg liquor during Prohibition.
6. St. Andrew’s Kirk Church dates back to 1810 and is located on Duke and Market Streets.
7. The pink Government House is the official residence of the Bahamas' governor-general. Visitors can walk the grounds but need permission to enter and tour inside. Twice a month you watch the changing of the guard ceremony and take tea at a traditional tea “party” with the governor general’s wife. The original home was built in 1737 by Governor Fitzwilliam and was the home to the Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII of England) when he arrived as governor in 1940.
8. The historic Graycliff Hotel was once the home of the “gentleman pirate” Captain John Howard Graysmith. Notable guests of Graycliff Hotel were Winston Churchill, The Beatles and the Duke & Duchess of Windsor just to name a few. This 18th century hotel was once captured by the American Navy in 1776, and became their headquarters and garrisons. Hence the bars on the windows of the world renowned wine cellar. Graycliff boasts a wine cellar of over 250,000 bottles of wine from vintners worldwide and has its own cigar factory on the premises.
Located at 12 West Hill Street.
9. St. Francis Roman Catholic Church is the oldest Roman Catholic church in The Bahamas. It is located on West and West Hill Streets.
10. Christ Church Cathedral was built in 1670 in the gothic style architecture and is the oldest of the Anglican churches in the Bahamas. A little tidbit of information; It is made of locally quarried cut lime-stone blocks, which are held together primarily, though not entirely, by their size and the weight of gravity rather than by cement.
11. The Straw Market is a unique place to shop for handmade straw items like baskets, hats, bags and dolls. It’s also a place to shop for wood carvings and handcrafted jewelry. A trip through the Nassau Straw Market is a great way to experience a bit of culture and pick up unique souvenirs. Bring cash and your negotiating skills.
12. Bay Street is full of great shops from clothing and jewelry to luggage and perfume. Take a detour from all the historical and cultural sites to do a little shopping for high-end luxuries. Then head back up to Woodes Rogers Walk toward the cruise ship port.
13. Prince George Wharf is where the cruise ships come into port. Shop at Festival Place, the indoor market that offers a truly Bahamian experience, for an opportunity to purchase hand-made crafts from many artisans. Festival Place features handicrafts; like wood and stone carvings, jewelry, clothing, bags, souvenirs, gifts and more, all awaiting your bargaining skills. You can even sample local Bahamian food, desserts, teas, and spices while enjoying local musicians. You will also find the Junkanoo Expo museum here, dedicated to the musical bi-annual festival and where the colorful costumes are on exhibit. The horse and carriage rides also begin at Prince George Wharf and take you around downtown Nassau. The water taxi to Paradise Island also embarks here.
14. If you continue on to Paradise Island, the water taxi is $6.00 (USD) per person and is a leisurely 10 minute ride across Nassau Harbour. Once there you can walk to the Bahama Craft Centre for unique handmade straw items, wood carvings and souvenirs. Just a little further and towards the Atlantis Resort is the quaint Marina Village where shopping is more upscale and you can take a break from shopping at any number of restaurants serving American, Bahamian or Italian food. While you are there, stop in the Atlantis casino or just stroll through the luxury shops at Crystal Court in the Royal Towers.
Tourists looking for a guided walking tour can book one through The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. They offer a tour at the main tourist center downtown in Rawson Square or usually through your hotel's concierge service. Tours are $10 per person and usually last about 1 hour. For more information call (242)302-2000 in the Bahamas or (954)236-9292 in the US and Canada.
For groups or large families a bus tour (that may include some walking) may be the way to go. Here are a few companies from which you can get further information:
- Island Pearls International (242)394-4092 or www.islandpearlsintl.com
- Bahamas Experience Tours (242) 397-5014 or www.BahamasExperienceTours.com
- Majestic Tours (242) 322-2606 or www.majesticholidays.com
- Dan Knowles Tours (242) 393-2220 or http://www.danknowlestours.com