Saint George

On the eastern end of Bermuda's Great Sound, the town of St. George is a place where the history of the English-speaking New World begins — literally. Founded in 1612, it is the oldest continuously inhabited English settlement in the Americas, predating both Plymouth Colony and Jamestown's permanent establishment. UNESCO recognised this distinction in 2000, inscribing the historic town and its associated fortifications as a World Heritage Site that preserves four centuries of colonial architecture, military engineering, and Atlantic maritime culture.

The character of St. George is one of carefully preserved charm. Narrow lanes paved in local limestone wind between pastel-coloured buildings whose architecture spans the full history of Bermudian construction — from the earliest cottages with their distinctive stepped white roofs (designed to collect rainwater, the island's only freshwater source) to Georgian mansions and Victorian commercial buildings. King's Square, the town's central gathering place, features replicas of the stocks and pillory once used to punish miscreants — including a ducking stool for "nagging wives" that now serves as a popular photo opportunity.

The fortifications surrounding St. George are among the most extensive in the Western Hemisphere. Fort St. Catherine, rebuilt multiple times between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, crowns the headland above the town with massive ramparts and a collection of antique weapons. The unfinished church — a grand Gothic Revival structure abandoned mid-construction in the 1870s when funds ran out — stands roofless and magnificent, its arched windows framing the sky in a way that seems intentionally artistic.

Bermudian cuisine reaches some of its most traditional expressions in St. George. Fish chowder — thickened with crushed Bermuda biscuit and seasoned with sherry peppers and rum — is the island's signature soup, served at nearly every restaurant. Hoppin' John — black-eyed peas with rice — reflects the African heritage of much of Bermuda's population. The Bermuda fish sandwich — fresh wahoo or rockfish breaded and fried, served on raisin bread with tartar sauce and coleslaw — is the island's contribution to the global pantheon of sandwiches, and it is magnificent.

St. George is located at the eastern end of Bermuda, connected to the main island by bridge. Cruise ships dock at the purpose-built Heritage Wharf and King's Wharf at the Royal Naval Dockyard on the western end; St. George is accessible by ferry, bus, or scooter. The subtropical climate is pleasant year-round, with the warmest and most popular months being May through October. The Bermuda Day celebrations in late May and the town's Christmas walkabout in December are particular highlights.