The Capital Experience Lying on the northeastern coast of New Providence, The Bahamas’ capital city of Nassau is a popular cruise ship stop and is widely known for its beaches, as well as its offshore coral reefs notable for diving and snorkelling. Featuring colonial architecture from its past as a British colony, the city centre is a busy nucleus where throngs of people regularly gather to shop, dine and sightsee. An always-buzzing attraction is the city’s Straw Market, a traditional open-air market selling everything from local produce to handwoven straw crafts, shell jewellery, wood carvings and various Bahamian souvenirs. Visual arts lovers can explore Bahamian art and culture at the city’s National Art Gallery, as well as at the Heritage Museum of The Bahamas where the history of the country is represented. Among the city’s prominent historic sites is Fort Fincastle, built in 1793 to protect Nassau from pirates. Below the fort is the famous Queen’s Staircase, a walkway of 66 steps carved out of solid limestone originally created as the fort’s escape route. With Nassau’s history significantly marked by the age of piracy, visitors can learn everything there is to know about it at the Pirates of Nassau Museum. An attraction of a different nature is the John Watlings Distillery situated on an estate overlooking Nassau’s harbour. Here, visitors can learn about the company’s production of their famous island rum and observe how it’s bottled by hand the old-fashioned way. With beaches everywhere in The Bahamas, there are more than a dozen of them around Nassau with some of them mere minutes from the city centre. They range in nature from perfectly white sand beaches ideally suited to sunbathing, swimming and snorkelling to those that are blissfully quiet, offering a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. CSANews | FALL 2025 | 17 Travel
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