Prince George Wharf is the largest cruise port in The Bahamas. It's the place to see massive cruise liners load and unload passengers. More than a million passengers arrive at Prince George Wharf every year.

Cruise ship passengers come and go through Festival Place, which is a great place to shop for resort wear and souvenirs. Festival Place is a bright and colorful area that features over 45 artisan and seller stalls. You'll find traditional crafts such as hand-crafted straw bags, textiles, and paintings.

Prince George Wharf is a great place to arrange tourist attractions such as horse-drawn carriage rides, scooter rentals, boat excursions, and hair-braiding. Visitors can also check out live Bahamian music on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

The adjacent Woodes Rogers Walk offers a great viewpoint of the historic wharf.

The Queen's Staircase is known as the 66 steps and is one of Nassau's most visited attractions. The staircase was cut from limestone and completed in 1794. The staircase provides a direct route to Fort Fincastle on Bennet's Hill.

When the staircase and fort were built, The Bahamas feared invasions by other European nations who wanted to control the Caribbean. As a result, the British built several forts to defend the country against European attackers and pirates. These forts include Fort Fincastle, Fort Montagu, and Fort Charlotte. Fort Fincastle is the highest of the three forts, and residents wanted a direct access route to and from the fort in case of an attack.

Six hundred slaves worked for over 16 years to complete the staircase. The enslaved people used hand tools to cut through solid limestone.

In the 1800s, the staircase was renamed after Queen Victoria, who ruled Britain from 1837 to 1901.

The Queen's Staircase has a beautiful water feature that cascades next to the staircase to a pool at the bottom of the stairs. The staircase is surrounded by a peaceful garden area with high stone walls and lush foliage.

Today, the staircase is still used to access Fort Fincastle. The garden setting makes it a wonderful place to visit during the day or night. Residents and visitors can enjoy the peaceful grotto in the middle of bustling Nassau.

The Nassau Public Library and Museum is both the oldest and the largest library in the country. It was founded by the Bahamas Society for the Diffusion of Knowledge in 1837 as a reading society. The institution became an official library 10 years later.

The building that houses the Nassau Public Library and Museum was built in 1797. Functioning as a jail, the building owes its octagonal design inspiration to the Old Powder Magazine in Williamsburg, Virginia. The Old Powder Magazine is thought to have been designed by Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood in 1714.

The jail was converted into a library in 1873. The prison cells are now used to hold documents, newspapers, charts, books, historic prints and Arawak artifacts. It also has computers with internet access that can be rented for a minimum of 15 minutes at a time.

The Nassau Public Library and Museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 5:45 PM and Saturdays from 10 AM to 3:45 PM. It is closed on Sunday.

Bay Street is Nassau's busiest shopping destination. Visitors will find local vendors selling handmade crafts as well as luxury brands. As you stroll, you'll find shops selling jewelry, designer purses, liquor, and souvenirs.

The Island Book Shop features a variety of local interest books. Shoppers will also find several exclusive cigar shops. In addition, Bay Street is home to the world-famous Nassau Straw Market, where you can barter and bargain for hand-crafted straw items.

Bay Street is also home to museums and historical attractions. The interactive Pirates of Nassau Museum is one of Bay Street's attractions. In addition, you'll stroll past the Nassau Public Library, Rawson Square, Parliament Square, and the Pompey Museum. There are many waterfront adventure outfitters along Bay Street where you can book a sailing, diving, or fishing charter.

Bay Street features a variety of restaurants, cafes, and bars. Try Bahamian conch fritters or enjoy American comfort food. Two miles west of Rawson Square, you'll find the Fish Fry, a favorite place for Bahamian food and beverages.

The Nassau Straw Market features thousands of hand-crafted items and has been a Nassau tradition since the 1940s. Traditionally, Bahamians weaved and braided straw baskets to use as fish traps and fruit baskets. After World War II, Americans began visiting The Bahamas on vacation and bought these beautiful hand-crafted baskets and bags.

The original Straw Market burned down in 2001. The current two-story structure was completed in 2011 and provides an indoor, air-conditioned space.

Visitors will find handmade straw items, wood carvings, shell jewelry, and delicious treats at over 400 stalls. Visitors are welcome to barter and bargain for eye-catching items. In addition, there are plenty of mass-produced souvenirs, t-shirts, and knock-off designer bags.

The Straw Market is the place to go for unique Bahamian gifts and fun souvenirs.

The first Bahamian church was built on Christ Church's site in 1670. Unfortunately, the Spaniards destroyed the first two churches, the third church was made of wood, and the fourth church was constructed with cut stone.

The current Christ Church Cathedral was built in 1841. In 1861, Nassau became a city, and Christ Church became a Cathedral. Christ Church Cathedral is an Anglican/Episcopal Church.

Christ Church Cathedral features Gothic-style architecture with a stunning white stone tower. The interior features vaulted mahogany ceilings. Look for a tiny mouse carved into the baptismal font.

The handmade stained glass windows are one of the church's most attractive features. The stained glass depicts scenes from the life of Jesus.

Visitors will find tablets along the cathedral's walls that describe Nassau citizens' lives during the 1800s.

Outside, visitors can walk the 400-year-old grounds and experience the Garden of Remembrance.

Government House is the Governor General's official residence and is one of Nassau's most stunning examples of Georgian Colonial architecture.

The beautiful house is painted conch-pink, and four Ionic columns support its entrance. The architecture shows a mix of American and Bahamian British styles. The wood shutters and bright pink paint are examples of Bahamian influence. The columns and circular driveway are examples of American style brought by Loyalists who arrived in the Bahamas after the Revolutionary War.

The first Government House was built in 1737. Government House is located on the top of Mount Fitzwilliam and overlooks the harbor. The current house was completed in 1806. The 12-foot tall statue of Christopher Columbus was added in 1830.

Government House has been renovated several times. The east wing was added in 1909. A hurricane in 1929 damaged the house, and in the 1930s, the roof, facade, and entrance were replaced.

The Duke of Windsor was the Governor of The Bahamas from 1940 to 1945 and one of Government House's most famous residents. The Duke of Windsor was the former King Edward VIII of Great Britain who famously abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry the divorcee Wallace Simpson.

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor ordered many renovations, including the addition of the west wing, known as the Windsor Wing. The Duchess of Windsor added a black glass plaque to the front door. The plaque was shipped from the Windsor's house in France and features the Duke's Order of the Garter.

John Watling's Distillery is located on the Buena Vista Estate, which was founded in 1789. The distillery is named after John Watling, a pirate captain who sailed Bahamian waters. John Watling was known as "the gentleman pirate" who observed the Sabbath and threw out gaming boards.

Buena Vista Estate overlooks Nassau harbor and has two acres of landscaped grounds. The beautiful estate features more than 300 years of antiques and prints that showcase the area's history and culture. Visitors will also find a well carved from limestone over 200 years ago.

The distillery has over 1,000 white oak barrels. Guests can tour the estate and watch the rums being bottled by hand. Guests can also taste the various liquors, which are known as the Spirit of The Bahamas. Try the Amber, Pale, or Beuna Vista Rum. The Red Turtle Vodka is filtered with Eleuthera's pink sands, and the Gin is infused with botanicals from Andros.

The on-site Red Turtle Tavern offers special hand-crafted Bahamian cocktails.

Arawak Cay is known as Fish Fry Street to all those who visit Nassau. Arawak Cay is the location of a wide number of Bahamian restaurants. Traditional food, including fried fish, dominate the cay. It is accessible from Arawak Cay Drive and Fish Fry Way.

Arawak Cay dates to 1969. Sand was taken from Nassau Harbour to build the cay as a tourist attraction. The original plan was to only provide restaurants and bars. However, Arawak Cay now offers a performance stage that features international and local music. The name comes from the original West Indian inhabitants of the island.

Though entertainment is on the menu, food is still the primary draw to Arawak Cay. Most restaurants specialize in seafood. Conch is a particularly popular dish though grilled ship and lobster tails are also easy to find. Most restaurants serve Bahamian beer and cocktails as well.