Crystal Cave
Credit: Bermuda Tourism Authority
“BERMUDIANS THEMSELVES DIVIDE THE ISLAND’S
LUSH LOW HILLS AND FLATLANDS, PINK SAND
BEACHES, AND BLUE LAGOONS INTO NINE
PARISHES, WHICH SERVE AS INSPIRATION FOR
THESE NINE TREASURES OF BERMUDA.”
ST. GEORGE
Founded in 1612, soon after Sir George Somers and his men were
shipwrecked on a nearby reef, this picturesque town is the oldest
continuously inhabited English-Speaking settlement in the Western
Hemisphere and a designated UNESCO world heritage site. The
narrow roads, designed for horses and carriages, wind through the
town center and past numerous landmarks, including King’s Square,
the 18th-century Town Hall, and 17th-century National Trust Museum
and St. Peter’s Church. Perhaps no other spot in St. George earns
more camera time than the famous “Unfinished Church,” begun in
1870, but soon abandoned as a romantic neo-gothic shell.
HORSESHOE BAY COVE
Debating the best beach in Bermuda is like debating the best slice
of pizza in New York City; everyone has a strong opinion. But if you
can make it to only one beach during your stay, head to Horseshoe
Bay Cove on the south coast. Here a strip of pink sand — a blend of
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crushed shells, coral, and red foraminifera — curves around a bay of
calm, translucent, and strikingly blue waters. Swim out a bit with your
snorkel and watch parrot fish, angel fish, snappers, and other marine
life. Otherwise, break up the sunbathing by exploring the surrounding
hidden caves and dramatic rock formations.
ROYAL NAVAL DOCKYARD AND NATIONAL MUSEUM
No greater proof of Bermuda’s strategic importance can be found
than the Royal Navy’s vast fortress and dockyard at the tip of the
island’s hook. Indeed, it was from here that the Royal Marines set
sail during the War of 1812 to burn Washington, D.C. and bombard
Baltimore, inspiring Francis Scott Key to write the Star-Spangled
Banner. Nearly an entire day can be spent here exploring the walls
and cannons, watching artists carve, paint, and sculpt at the Bermuda
Arts Centre, nibbling on rum cake, learning history at the Bermuda
National Museum, gawking at the yachts and cruise ships in the
marina, and shopping at dozens of crafts shops. Finish with a ferry
ride to Hamilton or along the full length of the island to St. George.