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Bermuda Hamilton City Tour
Half Day
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Bermuda Hamilton city is really the heart of this island. Being the port capital of Bermuda, Hamilton is the center for shipping and trade. All the major business houses are located at Hamilton.
Bermuda's all the glittering shops and the best of restaurants and nightlife are all mostly centered around the city of Hamilton.
This is where you have the main Bus and the Ferry Terminals.
Here is a half day self guided Hamilton tour.
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Starting the Bermuda Hamilton Tour:
Start at the Head Office of Bank of Bermuda, which is on Front Street behind the ferry terminal.
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Bank of Bermuda is one of the few high-rise buildings in Hamilton, as most of the town structures are less than 3 stories in height.
Inside, the bank keeps a collection of rare and valuable coins dating back through Bermuda's history.
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Don't miss the 1887 made 5-pound coin which caused a lot of anxiety among the British once. Since the crown that was pictured on queen Victoria's head was far too small. Many thought the queen looked ridiculous with such crown on her head.
From the bank, head for Queen Street, which leads north towards a metal cage called the Birdcage.
This was once used by policemen to direct the traffic that regularly comes to halt on Front Street. Traffic lights now regulate this junction of Bermuda Hamilton city.
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Remember to look right as you prepare to cross the road.
On the left as you walk up Queens Street is Perot Post Office, named after the man who was appointed Bermuda's first Postmaster General in 1821.
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The little post office, is still very much as Perot kept it, neat and simply furnished. The building still houses an active post office. Perot himself used to deliver the mails by hand.
Just behind the post office is a building that houses the Bermuda National Library and the Bermuda Historical Society Museum, prime collections devoted to important historical documents and artifacts from the island.
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Bermuda Historical Society Museum - The public rooms are small but full of Bermudian treasures. Coins, Silver and furniture have been gathered together, including rare and valuable "Hog" money.
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The house is set in gardens, now called the Par-La-Ville Park, that are open to the public. Here you find businessmen eating lunch, chattering school children, and a family of cats who call the place home. Perrot planned the gardens during his time at the post office, and the spot has changed very little since.
From Queens street, climb as far as Church street, a main east-west thoroughfare, named for the many houses of worship located on its two sides.
When you reach Church street, take a right turn.
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A little way up the street on the left is the Hamilton City Hall and Arts Center, a bright white building with a painted clock on the front facade.
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It now contains the Bermuda National Gallery, built around the Watlington collection of 17th & 18th century European paintings by such artists as Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. Also here is The Bermuda Society of Arts, a venue for local artists, to display their work and be host to visiting exhibition.
Next to City Hall is the Bermuda Hamilton city's main Bus terminal, the hub of Bermuda's public transportation system, which is usually on time, clean and efficient. You will see here the boarding locations for the island's various bus routes.
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Across Victoria Street from the bus terminal is Victoria park, originally a children's play ground but later landscaped to commemorate the silver jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. Walk along the shaded path watching many kinds of trees and shrubs.
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Return to Church street and walk east for the Bermuda Cathedral, consecrated in 1911 after a fire destroyed the previous edifice in 1884.
The style is early English, with a tower rising 143 ft. and provides a nice view of Hamilton Bermuda.
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You can climb to the top, for small donation to the Church funds; the tower is open on weekdays only.
If you go further along church street, you will find the oldest church in Hamilton city, St. Andrews Presbyterian church (founded in 1843), as well as Wesley Methodist church. Across Church street from here, you will see the rear part of Sessions House, home to Bermuda Assembly and the Supreme Court.
Walk down Parliament Street to reach the front of the building. Sessions House dates from 1819. Bermuda's parliament is the oldest in British commonwealth and is still modeled after its predecessor in London.
The annual opening ceremony and regular sessions are open to visitors who can sit in the public gallery to watch the Speaker preside over the legislative deliberations. Supreme court can be viewed while in session through out the year.
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The home of the Bermuda Senate is further down Parliament street at Cabinet House (built in 1833).
The building has welcomed a number of world leaders to its meeting rooms, including Sir Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy.
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The ceremonial sword of state, mace and oar are kept here and used at the opening of the parliament, held each year in early November.
By the way, Bermuda Senate has no legislative powers and is rather more like a debating forum.
Outside the Cabinet is the Cenotaph, which commemorates Bermuda's dead of the two world wars. The monument dates from 1920. Its design is based on that of the war memorial that stands in London White Hall. Remembrance day is 11th of November each year, when silent homage is paid to those who gave their lives.
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From Front Street, a 10 minute walk up the steep incline of Kings Street leads to Fort Hamilton which was built in 1870s to protect the harbor and form a line of defense for the navy to the west.
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With many canons and ramparts and a beautiful lush moat around the fort, it offers a spectacular views of the Hamilton landscape and the shoreline.
East on Front Street, out of Bermuda Hamilton city yet only a few minute walk from the shops & restaurants of the town center, is the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute. This institute has helped us enormously to understand the mysteries of the ocean with its exhibits and has great collection of artifacts.
For lunch or dinner, Visit Bermuda Restaurants and check the section on Special Restaurants in Hamilton City Bermuda.
See Hamilton Map for all the main roads leading to the important places within the city.
Have you visited Hamilton City in Bermuda?
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