Note: this is a revision with more details and pictures for the same walking tour; 2011.

Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, is a tourist mecca just off the coast of Florida. It attracts thousands of people every day and most arrive by cruise ship. Many come for the warm climate and the beaches, while others just want to enjoy their short cruise. Here is an alternative: Take a Hike.

But let me explain a couple things first. This is designed for people who like to walk and when I first considered this in Nassau I found the one by Frommer's. It has no pictures, no map, just words; and there are some apparent errors. This one is based on Frommer's walk but has pictures and a map (and errors??).
At the end of this page you will find an interactive map. It has numbers that refer to the following sections.
I have also included some historical information printed in green, some of you may want to skip that, but I think it adds to the 'story of Nassau'. Thanks also to the people who published pictures on Google.

When cruise ships approach the city, they pass through a narrow channel that separates the main island from Paradise Island. It is this narrow strip of land that protects the harbor of Nassau and makes it such an important port for the old sailing ships; including the pirate ships of the Caribbean.

There are usually three or four ships docked in the same area. When you get off the gangplank follow the crowd. You will see this yellow tower. It is like a control tower at an airport and is a beacon when you return.

It used to be that you could walk straight out off the gate and go into town. Now, however, they guide you through this 'terminal' which is nothing more than a series of shops where they try to sell you souvenirs, drinks, etc (including drums if you are so inclined). Follow the directions, but after you leave the building make a left turn. Have a look at the map and head for the small fountain.

Behind the fountain and trees is the start of our walk. It is: Rawson Square.

1. The statue is of Sir Milo Butler, the first Bahamian governor of the islands after it became an independent nation in 1973. He is considered by many to be a local hero.
Now is perhaps a good time to introduce a bit of history.

The first known inhabitants of the islands were the Siboney Indians (around 7000 years ago), but it was after Columbus 'discovered' the islands that the European influence took hold. The Spanish conquest of the South Americas and their plunders of gold from the Incas meant treasure ships sailing through these waters. Soon pirates followed and found the many sandy coves and hideouts ideal for their purpose. Nassau became one of their favorite places and many made this their base of operations. The notorious Blackbeard, the most infamous of them all, took over Fort Nassau and law abiding citizens were chased away.
It was not until 1718 when the British appointed a former privateer, Woodes Rogers, to be Royal Governor of Nassau. He offered pardons to all pirates who agreed to cease their operations except for Blackbeard, Charles Vane, and eight other swashbucklers. It was the start of a peaceful existence for the remaining settlers. Then at the end of the 18th century some Americans arrived to start the cotton industry. They brought black slaves along and the island's population grew rapidly.

Let's start walking and we can talk more about history later. Go left to the corner of West Bay and East Street. Here you should see a policeman directing traffic. The large Bacardi store might be of interest to some of you, so go look, but I would wait with any purchases until later. Obviously, the uniformed police officer looks very British; a left over from the days when the islands were under British rule.

Cross West Bay and go back to your right to the pink buildings with white columns and the statue in front. We are heading for

Parliament Square.

2. The three buildings you see above contain the main governmental functions of the Bahamas. The building to the left has various official offices while the one to the right has the primary legislative branch of the government. This is where the House of Assembly is vested, the seat where bills are introduced and laws are enacted by representatives selected from the two major political parties. At the head of this delegation is the Prime Minister. The building in the center is for the Senate, a group of citizens appointed by the Governor General. However, the Senate has very limited political power. The governmental structure is quite like the British, and indeed the statue in front is that of Queen Victoria. The buildings date from the end of the 18th century. You can try to enter them and see the inside. Usually you will find someone who will show you around.

Continue around the Court House and cross the little park with its palm trees. The building in front of you is: The Public Library.

3. This octagonal, pink building is rather small for a public library but you should go inside and have a look. The building was originally built in 1798 as a prison, in fact some of the shelves inside extend into the former jail cells.

There are some exhibits including artifacts of the Arawak Indians, the now extinct indigenous people of the Bahamas. If you are interested, there is also a collection of centuries old prints and colonial documents.
Go to the top floor for an interesting view of the surrounding area.

You are now at the corner of Parliament and Shirley Street. Go east on Shirley and notice a couple more pink buildings. One is a Baptist Church and the other a museum that has seen better days. This is a busy street with cars driving on the left hand side. As you encounter other pedestrians be polite and greet them. People in Nassau are very kind and friendly. They don't mind you asking questions.

When you come to Elisabeth Avenue turn right. On the corner is this strange gray building with the unlikely name of 'Snug Haven'. I believe it is an attorney's office. As the road narrows, the rocky walls become steeper and finally you come to the alley leading to the :Queen's Staircase.

4. As you walk towards the stairway, you are surrounded by steep sandstone cliffs. Tropical plants grow along the sides and at the end is a small waterfall. But the main attraction is the stairway. It was carved out of solid rock by slaves in 1793 and has 66 steps to reach the top. All of this was part of the construction of Fort Fincastle which we will see later on the top. The stairs were later named in honor of Queen Victoria, who was instrumental in abolishing slavery on the islands. The second picture above is looking back from above. You are now on Bennett's Hill, with its water tower and:
Fort Fincastle.

5. The concrete water tower was built here in 1928 and provides much of Nassau with their water supply. It is the highest spot in the city and offers nice views from its top, but you will have to climb more steps. Notice some of the local graffiti and more souvenir stalls. The tower is open to the public most of the time. The photo below was taken from the top and shows the fort and its strange shape.

Fort Fincastle was built by Lord Dunmore around 1793. He named it after his second title, Viscount Fincastle. At the time, in a letter to the Secretary of State he describes his fort as "a battery upon a hill in this island to the Eastwards of the Government House mounting two 24 pounders, two 32 pounder Carronades, two 12 pounders, and one Howitzer, which not only covers the Battery in Hog Island (Paradise Island) but all the Town and Road to the Eastward where the enemy might probably have effected a landing."
Who the enemy was is not clear and a landing or major attack upon Nassau never came to pass.

You can walk up to the platform and have a look at the five cannons. From here we take a small path down to Sands Road (notice the railing above) and continue our walk west to East Street. Turn right at the corner where you see this huge grape myrtle tree. Then turn left onto East Hill Street. We will follow this road a few blocks.

Continue along East Hill until we come to: Gregory Arch and St. Andrew's Kirk.

6. Be careful or you might miss this spot. In the picture below, East Hill Street comes from behind the church to the left and goes over the arch. The road below the arch is Market Street. Just for reference, the building with the columns is the Providence House. If you want to, go under the arch and come up again on the road leading back to East Hill Street. You can also do it in reverse. This is a crazy intersection of roads and hills.

Below are a couple pictures of St. Andrews, a Presbyterian church. East Hill Street stops at the top of the arch and you come to a guarded gate. This is the entrance to the: Government House.

7. The imposing building (1801) is the residence of the Governor General. You may visit the grounds and watch the changing of the guards, but you are not allowed inside. There is a guard at the gate shown above. He or she can tell you about the house and if the Governor is at home.

Every other Saturday there is a more formal changing of the guards ceremony. It includes the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band in full uniform. If you should be in Nassau on Saturday, check in town to see if it is the right day. The event starts at 10:00 am and is worth seeing.

On the steps leading to this pink palace is a statue of Columbus, the 'founder' of these islands.

From here we continue along East Hill Street and one block further we come to: Graycliff

8. Graycliff is a stately, Georgian colonial style mansion. It is believed to be almost 200 years old. It is now a hotel and restaurant but it has an interesting history. It has been said that this once was the officer's mess for the West Indian Garrison, a British elite group. There is one building with thick walls and bars on the windows.
At one time it was a guest house owned by Mrs. Polly Leach (a friend of the notorious gangster Al Capone) and Winston Churchill stayed here with his daughter.

The hotel is quite charming with lots of antique furnishings and a typical British flair. Go inside and check at the front desk for permission to see the gardens. If they are not too busy, they may even give you a brief tour.

9. St. Francis is at the end of East Hill Street. Just continue west and you cannot miss it.
Built around 1885, it is the oldest Catholic Church in the Bahamas. You can walk around to the left side and see a more modern church building. However, the old church is more interesting to visit. It may be closed during the week, but if you happen to see someone there, ask if it is possible to go inside.

From here we are going back to the water front. The quickest way is to take West Street. There are a couple interesting homes and half way down the block you pass the Greek Orthodox Church. The Bahamas also have some Jewish people and those of other faiths. Of the 250,000 people on the islands, 32% are Baptists and 20% Anglican and Roman Catholic each.

At the end of West Street (see picture below) you can take a short detour by going left to a public beach. I include a couple pictures for those who want to see and explore this further. Otherwise turn right where you can stop for lunch at the Conch Fritters.

There are essentially two ways to enjoy conch. The most popular one is to have it deep fried. To prepare this, the conch is first chopped fine and mixed with cornmeal or other staple. Then it is fried and served with a creamy sauce. The latter is usually made with ketchup and a spicy mayo.

Conch is also eaten raw as a salad with lemon or lime juice, chopped onions, tomato and peppers. Again the conch is chopped into small pieces. The taste is a bit like oysters or crab.

Enjoy it with a local beer.

10. The Hilton is the nation's most famous hotel (at least before the Atlantis on 'Hog Island'). It was built in 1923 on the site of the old Fort Nassau. A couple James Bond movies have been filmed right here.

In 1999 it became a Hilton Hotel. Since then there have been several renovations and it is quite up to date. Go take a look inside (as well as the beach and gardens in the back) to see what it has to offer.
For a fee you can also use the pool and other facilities as a 'cruise guest'. Check with the front desk for details or give the pool guard a 'tip'.

The picture to the right was taken from the Hilton. I include it because it gives you an idea of where we have been. On top you can see the Government House. It really is not all that far away. The street going up is Blue Hill Road and Conch Fritters is just to the right (out of the picture).
From the hotel come to this intersection, where you can continue our tour or cut it short by going to the Straw Market to your left. So, cross where you see the 'zebras' and continue one block to:

George Street.

Across the street is another church. It is the Christ Church Cathedral built in 1837. Several state functions take place here including the opening of the Supreme Court sessions. This is quite an event with a procession of the judges in their wigs and robes followed by barristers and the police band in their colorful uniforms.

Now follow George Street down towards the waterfront again, cross West Bay Street and you will see a large tent. It is:

The Straw Market

13. Before you go into the market, take a look at the pink building to the right. It is Vendue House, one of Nassau's oldest buildings. This used to be the Stock Exchange and was the site of many slave auctions. Now it is a museum.
Oh, the little red bin to the right is a mailbox where you can deposit your postcards.

The straw market does not need any explanations, let the pictures below show you why. You should be aware that most shops in Nassau close at five o'clock in the afternoon. So browse, barter and buy.

When you leave the straw market you might want to stop at Senor Frog's for a rum-something-or-another. Then walk east along the water front. This is known as Woods Rogers Walk named for one of Nassau's notorious governors. When in London, he was jailed because of bad debts, then he returned to Nassau as the royally appointed governor and cleaned up the pirate town.
Along this stretch you can do some more shopping. You might also encounter some industrious soles selling conch shells.

Now it is back to the ship (or you could go back to West Bay Street for some more shopping).

The map below is interactive. Just click on a number and it takes you there.
If you want to print this map click here for a pdf file.

I hope you enjoyed this short walking tour. You covered about two miles.
This is number eight in a series of walking tours. The others are in Europe and include Amsterdam, Bruges, Tallinn, Rotterdam, Delft (see 'Travel Europe').

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