Departing from Bermuda’s Royal Navy Base at Ireland Island (Kings Wharf) you will have a brief orientation on the history, purpose and some of the buildings of the arsenal and fortress that date back to the 1700s. Your first stop is at the Heydon Trust, a 43 acre preserve most famous for its chapel, once a laborer’s cabin, that dates from 1620. Most mornings and afternoons, the nuns who care for the chapel sing the Psalms in the manner prescribed by St. Gregory more than 1,400 years ago. The Latin chants nurture the mind, heart and soul. Nearby is Scaur Hill Fort and Park where the remains of a British fort dating to the 1860s still stand. The park also offers majestic views of the Great Sound. You will then cross the smallest drawbridge over the Atlantic Ocean as you drive over the Somerset Bridge and its 18 inch opening. The bridge dates back to the 17th century and links Somerset with the main island of Bermuda.
Traveling to the South shore in the Parish of Southampton, you will make a stop at the Gibbs Lighthouse. Built in the mid 1840s, this 117 foot-tall lighthouse offers pastel views over the south shore as well as the Great Sound. Those wishing to climb the 185 steps to the top, can see from Dockyard to the Eastern end of the island on a clear day. (Lighthouse admission is not included) Driving along the South Shore you will look down on some of Bermuda’s famous pink sand beaches. The wide, lazy arched Horseshoe Bay Beach is popular with families, while the steep cliffs and shrub covered hills of Warwick Long Bay are popular with joggers, horseback riders and sunbathers looking for privacy.
A photo stop will be made at the Gibbons Gardens. The Gibbons family has donated several parcels of land for the preservation of the natural flora and fauna of the island. Continuing along the South shore Road you will pass Ariel Sands. One of the few properties on the island with direct access to its own private beach, the property was owned by friends of the Dill Family. The Dill family is a prominent Bermuda family that was present on the island since the early 1600s. Diana Dill, an actress, used to bring her two sons from her marriage to Kirk Douglas to the beach at Ariel Sands in the summer for swimming. In the 1990s, her son Michael, along with other partners, purchased the property and have since built a very trendy resort by the same name.
Tuckers Town was for the better part of 300 years, one of the most unwanted, poorest areas on the island. Attempts to settle it, use it as a cotton farm, a whaling station, and a free town after the abolition of slavery, were short lived. In the 1920s the Bermuda Development Company was formed to create an exclusive enclave for wealthy tourists. A golf course and a new hotel, the Mid Ocean Club, were developed and the world’s elite were encouraged to build summer homes here. Abby Rockefeller and Childs Frick were some of the earliest home builders. With the hotel’s opening and a guest list that included Babe Ruth, Albert Einstein, Irving Berlin and Shirley Temple, Tuckers Town was no longer an outcast. Today, residents include Presidential candidate Ross Perot and New York City’s Michael Bloomberg.
An optional stop can be made at the Crystal and Fantasy Caves. Discovered in the late 1800s, the caves contain crystal (calcite mineral deposits) stalactites and stalagmites surrounding a clear salt water lake that reaches depths of 55 feet . Admission to the caves is not included in the tour price.
St. George was the first settlement, due to a ship wreck in 1609, and was therefore a major part of Bermuda’s history. It also played a part in shaping that of the colonies that would one day become the United States. St Georges retains much of its architecture from the 17th to 19th centuries, and as you travel its narrow streets, you will learn of its colorful history. You will also pass by St Peter’s Church which is believed to be the oldest continually used Anglican church in the Western hemisphere.(1612) Most of the present structure dates from 1713. The first Bermuda Parliament met here in 1620, making it the third oldest parliament in the world. Departing St. George, you will drive to Hamilton.
The town of Hamilton is the capital of Bermuda and is located on the protected shores of Hamilton Harbor. Although not the oldest town on the island, it was made the capital in 1815. An orientation drive through the city will show you Front Street with its shopping, the Hamilton Cathedral (1897) the city hall and views of the Italianate Government House, the Governor’s residence, that sits on nearby Langton Hill. Your tour ends at the Ferry Terminal in Hamilton. From here you can explore the town at your leisure or catch the ferry to Dockyard (King’s Wharf). Ferries run almost every hour and the trip takes approximately 30 minutes. The ferry ticket is not included in the tour price. Optional stops can be discussed with your driver/guide at the beginning of the tour to plan your day.
Please note: Tour requires a minimum of four people to operate.
