Thursday, November 3, 2011

HISTORIC ST. GEORGE'S

The first stop on our week long cruise to Bermuda was to a town called St. George's- its where the settlement of Bermuda actually started in 1609.  St. George's is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It's picturesque, its history is well preserved, and you should try to visit if you jet set to Bermuda.  St. George's is small, but there is quite a lot to see...so how do you see it all?  Well, we did most of the suggested walk from Fodor's and it really helped us to get a good feel for this historic place.  If you go, print this out and take it with you to help you see where to go!
St. George's Walk:
Start your tour in King's Square...
Then stroll out onto Ordinance Island to see a replica of Deliverance II: the ship built as a replacement for the Sea Venture.  The Sea Venture- a flagship of an English fleet carrying supplies to Jamestown, Virginia was wrecked on Bermuda's reefs in 1609.
Behind you, just up the street is the Bermuda National Trust Museum at the Globe Hotel, and across the square is the town hall.
Walk up Princess Street to Duke of York Street and turn right, following the sidewalk to the Bermudian Heritage Museum.
Across Duke of York Street, you can find Somers Garden, where Sir George Somer's heart is reportedly buried. After walking through the garden, climb the steps to Blockade Alley for a view of the Unfinished Church on a hill ahead.
To your left are Duke of Kent STreet, Feathered Alley, and the St. George's Historical Society Museum, Printery and Garden. Next, cross Clarence Street to Church Lane and turn right on Broad Alley to reach the Old Rectory.
Straight ahead (or as straight as you can go among these twisted streets) is Printer's Alley, which in turn links to Nea's Alley where a whiff of 19th-century scandal still lingers.
Return to Church Lane and enter the yard of St. Peter's Church, a centuries-old sanctuary that, until the building of the Old State House, did double duty as the colony's only public meeting place. (The main entrance is on Duke of York Street.)
From the church, continue down Duke of York Street until you reach Queen Street on your right. A short walk up it brings you to the Bermuda Perfumery and Gardens at Stewart Hall, which will be on the left. Turn around and walk back to Duke of York Street and go right until you get to Barber's Alley, turning left to reach Tucker House, which has been transformed from a prominent merchant's home into a museum.
From there continue along Water Street, veering left again on Penno's Drive to visit the new World Heritage Centre at Penno's Wharf.  After seeing the Unfinished Church, we diverted for a bit from the Walking Tour and went to check out Tobacco Bay Beach which is a stunning cove with such clear water.  We had a bite to eat there (a little food shack that served a REALLY good curried fish sandwich which we washed down with some of their white sangria- delicious!)
 We also went to see Fort St. Catherine before heading back into town to complete the tour.
We had a great time St. George's!

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