St. George's Treasons Walk & Tobacco Bay Beach

Discover the lesser-known, sometimes sordid history of St. George on a walking tour, the perfect prelude to a relaxing respite on one of the island’s most picturesque beaches.

After tendering to St. George, you will begin a leisurely walking tour of town, which was founded in 1612 and became the island’s first capital. As you meander the cobblestone streets and quaint lanes, you will soon understand why UNESCO designated St. George a World Heritage site for being an authentic example of an English colonial town in the New World. The ambiance and 17th- and 18th-century architecture exudes history.

Along the way, you may pass the Tucker House Museum and St. Peter’s Church, the oldest continually used church in the western hemisphere. You will notice that many of the alleys, such as Needle & Thread and Barber’s, are named for former trades that flourished here. Shinbone Alley refers to the colonial soldiers that overindulged in its pubs and crawled out on their hands and knees, banging their shinbones.

A different side of Bermuda awaits you at Tobacco Bay Beach, where you will linger over lunch before heading for the shore. Now a national park, the beach was named for the wild tobacco that grew here when survivors of a shipwreck came ashore in 1609.

Feel free to swim in the shallow waters or snorkel along the dramatic limestone formations. Colorful parrotfish, sergeant majors and grouper are commonly spotted in the clear seas.