Sightseeing in Bermuda
In order to visit the sites, you can take a
public transport like a public bus or ferry to reach out to various parts of the island.
Best Tourist Places in Bermuda
This is a wonderful complex along North Shore Road across Flatts Bridge in Hamilton Parish. The Aquarium houses more than 200 species of fish, and features the award-winning North Rock Exhibit. The zoo has more than 300 birds, reptiles and mammals from oceanic islands. Bus routes #10, 11, 3 operating between Hamilton and St. George have services to BAMZ.
Take the guided tour of the caves complex and see the stunning dramatic formations of stalactites and stalagmites as you hear the history of the caves and their discovery. Inside Crystal Caves, you will walk on the wooden bridge over the crystal-clear Cahow lake.
The caves are located in Hamilton Parish and accessible by bus #1 and 3 (and also by #10 and 11) operating between Hamilton and St. George. You can easily combine the caves visit along with Aquarium and proceed further to visit the
historic town of St. George on the same bus routes.
Fascinating stories of Bermuda's history and heritage since the first settlement began in early 17th century are all captured in a 19th-century fortress known as The Keep at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Sandys Parish. This museum was earlier known as Bermuda Maritime Museum which featured mostly maritime history of the island.
After major enhancements and new layout, and having added many new exhibits and collections, it has become The National Museum of Bermuda since December 2009. Tourists visiting from other locations of the island can avail bus #7 or 8 operating between Hamilton and dockyard, or the ferry from Hamilton to reach dockyard.
Located in St. George's Town, this is the oldest church in the western hemisphere. The church looks very simple from outside. Inside the candlelit chandeliers, the open cedar beams and unfinished look of the pillars make a unique ambience. There are two graveyards here - one for the black slaves and the other for the whites. Once you reach St. George's Town Square (bus #10, 11, 1, 3 or by ferry from dockyard), it's an easy walk (100 meters).
This is the oldest cast-iron lighthouse in the world and located at Southampton parish. Climb the stairs (185 steps), go up to the balcony at the top, and look around... the views are amazing. The view of the Great Sound, the many fishing and sailing boats, the landscapes are wonderful to watch.
This was the lighthouse which helped many ships navigate safely through the treacherous water areas during 1800s and beyond. The lighthouse is located in Southampton. Bus #7 comes near, it's a short walk from the bus stop. The famous
Horseshoe Beach is located nearby, and a combined visit is easy. Same bus route #7 goes to the beach in few minutes.
Located at the north-eastern tip of St. George's, the fort's historic exhibits and artifacts and well-preserved interior makes it our top choice of forts in the island. This is one of the oldest forts in the island built in early 1600s when the British settlement began. It was then an wooden fort. However it had to be renovated and rebuilt several times, and now made of stones.
It is also a large museum which show cases many artifacts of British military operations. From Kings Square of St. George, you can walk (about 25 minutes) or take a shuttle.
A Nature Reserve in Hamilton Parish spreading across 12 acres of land area. It's also known as the Tom Moore's jungle and actually the only real forest area in the island. It has amazing natural pool and hidden grottos and caves, nature trails amongst lush vegetation ... a perfect secluded exploration. You can reach by bus #1, 3, 10 or 11, get off at the entry to Grotto Bay Beach Resort, and walk a short distance to the reserve.
A fantastic Dolphin center in Royal Naval Dockyard. If you have a dream to swim with dolphins, touch or feed them, there is no better place than the Dolphin Quest in Bermuda. While it's quite pricey to take part in the dolphin activities like swimming and feeding, you can also just go and watch the great dolphin shows and learn how they are trained to perform. The center is located within the Bermuda National Museum complex in Dockyard.
This is the largest and the most premium nature reserve of Bermuda covering 64-acres of land and is the best bird watching location in the island. Other than the large pond and lush vegetation, you can get marvelous views of the coastline, get to see some strange natural formations on the coast, and also a cave where a slave once hid for a month during the dark days of Bermuda's slavery period. It's located at Smith's Parish. Bus #1 and 3 operating between Hamilton and St. George stop at the reserve.
This church is a wonderful exhibition of Victorian architecture and located in Hamilton City. This imposing structure with its 143-ft tower is one of the most well known landmarks in the city and a very popular place of interest. Awesome architectural work and views from the top of the tower are its main attractions. It's on Church Street and 10-12 minute walk from Hamilton Ferry Terminal.
This is the smallest draw bridge in the world. It's located at Sandys parish in Somerset and was originally built in 1620. An wooden block needs to be removed to allow the mast of a sail boat to pass through. Bus #7 and 8 go over the bridge and have stops nearby.
Another wonderful unspoiled reserve with lush vegetation and wonderful views of Castle Harbor. It's located at St. Davids and next to Clearwater Beach, which is a very popular family beach in the area. Other than shuttle services from St. George, some services of bus #6 caters to the place.
The lighthouse stands on the highest point on the Eastern tip of the island and sends its beam 20 miles over the ocean.
This historic place is known as the 'olde towne'. This is where the first settlement began way back in early 1600s and the town was therefore named after the founder of Bermuda - Sir. George Somers. St. George was the former capital of Bermuda.
The narrow lanes and alleyways on which horse drawn carriages operated, still bear the old names. Numerous historic sites, forts, museums and monuments bear the reflections of the days during the old British colonial era. It's now a UNESCO World Heritage site and a must visit place. You can either take a direct ferry from dockyard (in summer only), or bus #10, 11, 1, 3 from Hamilton to get to St. George.
Haven't heard of anybody who has visited Bermuda but not Hamilton. Being centrally located and easily accessible from all across the island, tourists keep pouring into the capital city, be it for great food, nightlife, shopping or to visit sites like City Hall and Art Center, Cabinet House, House of Assembly, National Library, Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, Hamilton Fort, one of the lovely city parks... the list goes on.
Located in Hamilton Parish (and also part of Smiths), this picturesque sleepy village on waterside once used to be a busy port in Bermuda. Mark Twain spent his final few days here. Bus #10 and 11 go through the northern part of Flatts. The visit could be easily combined with the Aquarium which is located across the bridge.
While land based sightseeing is one thing, there are many spectacular sights that you can see and enjoy only from the waters. And for that you need to take a sightseeing cruise. There are many types of sightseeing cruises available in Bermuda... catamaran sails that show you the lovely coastline and stunning sunset views while you sip in a cocktail, motor boats that take you to western water areas to show partially submerged shipwreck, turtles and fishes that you can feed, and some at the eastern-end take you to Castle Harbor showing many pristine islets, fort ruins and even let you swim at secluded island beaches. You also have a choice of a speed boat that circles around the island showing you the maximum is a short time. And there are more...
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Tourist Sites By Category
There are numerous museums, monuments and historical buildings that have exhibits and artifacts showcasing the four centuries old history and heritage of Bermuda. Some capture the history of marine operations, cultural evolution and even slavery period, while several old historical buildings reflect the British colonial rule and lifestyle of prominent British personalities of such time, and how life in Bermuda has evolved over time.
Bermuda is said to have more number of churches per square feet than any other country, from very small to very large, and belonging to different denominations. Architecture varies as some are based on old gothic style being built in early 1600s, some built on wooden structures, while some are quite modern.
Parks and reserves are wonderful places to explore the flora and fauna of Bermuda and its bird life. And there are plenty of them all across the island.
There were over 90 forts built in Bermuda since the first settlement in 1612 till the time British garrisons were withdrawn in 1957. Out of them there are 16 mini-forts. Check out the above link to know about history of fortifications in Bermuda and many of the great forts that remained prominent in Bermuda's history.
There are some 150 known caves in Bermuda. Many of them are underwater caves and can be seen by the divers only. But there are several fabulous caves that are above the water surface and opened to tourists. Many of these have stunning crystal like mineral formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Check out the link to know about the best caves in Bermuda.
Get to know about the local talents and skills in the island. Visit the top art galleries and watch the exquisite artwork or paintings by Bermudians artists, or the intricate handcrafted glass items made by local flame artists by blowing glasses right in front of you, or see the handmade bronze sculptures. They are amazing.
Watching the sunset over Atlantic while sipping on a cocktail on a beach could be an out of the world experience. In fact there are many vantage points in Bermuda that lure the best of photographers to take a sunset shot. While the western coastline is ideal for such views (such as places like Somerset Bay beach, Black Bay beach, Daniel's Head beach etc), there are great sunset view points in other parishes of the island including St. George at the eastern end.
Many resorts on the south shore too offer stunning sunset views from their open terraces or beach bars and of course from many of their rooms. And there are sunset cruises that set sail to offer some of the best sunset views along with cocktails.
Although you can avail public transports, a guided tour is ideal to see the sites in Bermuda. Plenty of island operators offer both boat tours and island tours to take you around and show you fascinating sites. Some tours are even combined with activities such as swimming and snorkeling.
If you are taking a cruise to Bermuda, the cruise lines too offer shore and water based excursions. But they are far more expensive compared to rest although they use the same island operators. This is because the cruise lines keep a hefty commission themselves.
World's #1 online tour booking service Viator offers a range of sightseeing tours in Bermuda (both shore excursions and boating/sailing tours).
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Bermuda Tourist Map
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 By Raj Bhattacharya
Raj, a seasoned travel writer and Bermuda destination expert, has extensive global travel experience. This website reflects his profound insights, garnered over nearly two decades of dedicated findings and research on the island. Raj has assisted countless Bermuda-bound visitors by providing direct, personalized responses to their queries and imparting his wealth of knowledge through this platform. This site serves as an indispensable guide for those seeking informed and reliable insights into Bermuda's treasures.
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Visitors' Reviews and Comments
Charlene Harris (January 2020)
This will be my first time to Bermuda and I would love to see the pink sands. I can't do much walking because of a bad back. We are cruising on Royal Caribbean in June and need to know your recommendations. I would love to see the rest of the island -- but again -- can't do much walking. If I will be at the beach for any length of time I will need shelter due to sun sensitivity. I know, why am I going to an island? LOL. I would also love to go somewhere where I can get a good seafood meal. (1) What beach with pink sand/shelter/shade accommodations would you recommend. (2) What is a good seafood restaurant and (3) what taxi service would you recommend? Thanks I know I am a challenge. :(
Raj (bermuda-attractions.com) January 2020
Hello, suggest you visit Horseshoe Bay Beach. Taxis or shuttle minibuses from the dockyard can go right up to the car park, from there it's a short walk to the beach. The beach has good amenities including a beach bar, bathrooms etc, and you can rent chairs and umbrellas. Another option is Snorkel Park Beach which is located at the dockyard itself and it's a 5-7 minute walk from the cruise piers. This beach too has all amenities including a beach bar and beach rentals, however this a smaller beach and not as attractive as Horseshoe. All taxis are metered in Bermuda and operate on uniform rates. You can get plenty of taxis from Dockyard (there is a taxi stand). If you want to do an island tour, look for a taxi with a blue flag or insignia on the bonnet... the driver would be a certified tour guide. For seafood, try out Lobster Pot or Barracuda Grill in Hamilton. If you don't want to go that far, you can try Bonefish Bar and Grill in dockyard itself (2-minute walk from the cruise pier).
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