Must-see attractions in Nassau

  • Bahamas, New Providence Island, Nassau: Detail of National Art Gallery

    National Art Gallery of the Bahamas

    Nassau

    Anchoring the West Hill St tourist enclave, the National Art Gallery is a welcome oasis inside the stately 1860s-era Villa Doyle and one of the gems in…

  • Graycliff Cigar Co

    Nassau

    Wandering into this cigar factory is like falling into 1920s Cuba. In a narrow, smoke-yellowed room with old-fashioned mosaic floors, torcedores (cigar…

  • John Watling's Distillery

    Nassau

    Watling's, relatively new to the Bahamian rum-distilling game, has found a home in the beautifully restored 18th-century Buena Vista Estate, its extensive…

  • Junkanoo Beach

    Nassau

    Between downtown Nassau and Arawak Cay, Junkanoo is popular with locals and visitors alike, with beach-shack bars, volleyball nets, sky-juice vendors and…

  • Pirates of Nassau

    Nassau

    It's hard to ignore the pirate pacing outside and posing for selfies on the pedestrianized strip off George St. The walk-through exhibition space trades…

  • Fort Fincastle & the Queen’s Staircase

    Nassau

    Set on a small hill just south of downtown Nassau, this small fort was built by Lord Dunmore in 1793 to guard the harbor against invaders. Never used, it…

  • Government House

    Nassau

    This splendid Georgian mansion, residence of the governor-general, surmounts Mount Fitzwilliam (central Nassau's low hill) like a festive pink cake…

  • Cable Beach

    Nassau

    New Providence’s biggest and most popular beach is five curving kilometers of white sand and sparkling turquoise sea, just west of downtown Nassau. Named…

  • Graycliff Chocolatier

    Nassau

    Completing the Graycliff's Heritage Village trifecta (wine, chocolate and cigars), this boutique chocolate factory uses Caribbean cacao to produce a wide…

  • Doongalik Studios

    Nassau

    Offering an eclectic window into modern Bahamian art, Doongalik runs exhibitions on solo artists' work, and everything from quilts to straw crafts and…

  • Pompey Museum of Slavery & Emancipation

    Nassau

    Located in the Vendue House – a queen-conch-pink building from the 1760s in which slave auctions were once held – this one-room museum features…

  • Heritage Museum of the Bahamas

    Nassau

    Mostly comprising a substantial private collection of antiques and artifacts relating to the history of the Bahamas, this small museum covers a lot of…

  • Bahama Barrels

    Nassau

    The Bahamas' first winery, in the former Sisters of Charity chapel, is the latest Graycliff venture. You can sample wines for free and chat with the…

  • Delaporte Beach

    Nassau

    Delaporte is a little quieter than the resort-backed, vendor-strewn Cable Beach to the east, with the same sand and the same sea.

  • Fort Charlotte, Nassau, Bahamas

    Fort Charlotte

    Nassau

    Built between 1787 and 1790 to guard the west entrance to Nassau Harbour, this massive fort was the pet project of Lord Dunmore, who named it after King…

  • Prince George Wharf

    Nassau

    The historic cruise-ship wharf, north of Rawson Sq and Bay St, is the gateway to Nassau for more than a million visitors a year. Fronted by bustling…

  • Rawson Square

    Nassau

    Rawson Square is a natural place to begin exploring Nassau, and a meeting-point for guided walks. Nearby is a life-sized bronze statue of a Bahamian Woman…

  • Parliament Square

    Nassau

    The area immediately south of Rawson Sq on Bay St is known as Parliament Sq. On three sides of the square nestle three pink-and-white Georgian…

  • The Retreat

    Nassau

    Established in 1977 as the first national park on New Providence, this 4.5-hectare property re-creates a Bahamian hardwood forest and is a refuge for bird…

  • Nassau Public Library

    Nassau

    For chills with your historical thrills, stop by this 1797 pink octagon, once a jail and workhouse for the poor. The cells are now tranquil reading nooks,…

  • Balcony House Museum

    Nassau

    Thought to be the oldest surviving residence in Nassau (it dates to just after the American Revolution, and was built by Loyalists fleeing the fledgling…

  • Bahamas Historical Society Museum

    Nassau

    Documents, household artifacts, pirate engravings, model ships and more tell the story of 500 years of life in the Bahamas at this small but engaging…

  • Junkanoo Expo Museum

    Nassau

    Tucked away south of downtown, this festive niche museum is most often visited on city tours. It's dedicated to the Bahamian carnival extravaganza of…

  • Fort Montagu

    Nassau

    Dating to 1741, this limestone fort is the oldest on the island, built to guard the eastern approach to Nassau Harbour. It's well preserved and worth a…