Discover Nassau: History, Gardens and Junkanoo

Nassau reveals itself in many different ways: historic sites tell the story of the city, gardens bring tropical plants and animals into focus, and Junkanoo adds colour and sound to the cityscape. Bahamian cuisine can also be part of your travel experience. If you’re looking for a holiday rental in Nassau, you can consider which of these aspects you’d like to shape your stay most.

Downtown: Art and Historic Architecture

Downtown Nassau covers around twenty city blocks. Historic architecture sits alongside luxury shops, modern murals and important monuments. The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas is located downtown and is within walking distance of the city centre. It is housed in the historic Villa Doyle, a landmark dating from the 1860s. The gallery experience also includes the Art Park, where site-specific sculptures stand among native flora. Art lovers can explore works in a gallery setting as well as an outdoor space featuring sculptures and plants.

Queen’s Staircase and Fort Fincastle

The Queen’s Staircase, also known as the 66 Steps, is a major attraction in the Fort Fincastle Historic Complex. Enslaved people carved it out of solid limestone between 1793 and 1794. Its history is therefore as much a part of this place as its connection to the city: the staircase provided a direct link from Fort Fincastle to Nassau City. The fort was built from cut limestone on Bennet’s Hill around 1793 and strategically positioned to protect the historic city of Nassau and its harbour. Visitors interested in the city’s history can encounter two distinct aspects here: the fort’s strategic location and the history of the people who created the staircase.

Museums, Vendue House and Junkanoo

Vendue House also connects a historic use with a present-day museum name. The building, also known as the Bourse, was built sometime before 1769 and served as a marketplace until the late 19th century. The Pompey Museum of Slavery & Emancipation at Vendue House became a museum in 1992. The Educulture Mini Junkanoo Museum offers a different cultural perspective, displaying parts of Junkanoo costumes, related accessories and instruments. The Junkanoo parade in Nassau features colourful costumes, singing and cheers, as well as goatskin drums, trumpets and cowbells. Those interested in the parade can focus on individual components and instruments at the museum.

Tropical Gardens and Nature

For a focus on plants and animals, two different garden settings offer distinct themes. Ardastra Gardens has more than four acres of lush tropical gardens in the heart of Nassau. Various animal species live there, including the Caribbean flamingo. By contrast, the Nassau Botanical Gardens span 18 acres of tropical flora, with more than 600 species. These include the Yellow Elder, the national flower of the Bahamas. The size and different areas of focus help distinguish the two places: animals are also part of the description of Ardastra, while plant diversity takes centre stage at the Nassau Botanical Gardens.

Cuisine and the Harbour as Additional Travel Experiences

Fish Fry on Arawak Cay offers a Bahamian dining experience, with casual restaurants and beachside grill stands. This is a different side of Nassau from its historic buildings, museums and gardens. Sea Bridge Bahamas offers another perspective on the surrounding area: guests can take a cruise around Nassau Harbour and the sister islands of Paradise Island.

When choosing a holiday rental in Nassau, it can help to first weigh up the experiences you prefer: historic sites and art, gardens and wildlife, Junkanoo or Bahamian cuisine. The experiences described here offer different themes for your stay without requiring you to focus on just one side of the city.

For the broader travel overview: Bahamas.