City of Hamilton

Hamilton is the capital and vibrant hub of Bermuda, serving as the home of most government offices and many international businesses.

With a population of just over 1,000 it’s one of the smallest capital cities in the world and can easily be explored on foot in just a few hours.

The city is named after Henry Hamilton, Bermuda’s Governor between 1788 and 1794. It is situated on the north side of Hamilton Harbour within Pembroke Parish (not Hamilton Parish as many visitors incorrectly assume).

Hamilton, Bermuda

Front Street runs along the waterfront and is the capital’s main street. Reid Street, Church Street, Victoria Street, and Dundonald Street are the other major streets and run parallel to it. They are linked by Par-la-Ville Road, Queen Street, Burnaby Street, Parliament Street, Court Street, and King Street.

Cruise ships used to dock in Hamilton, but today the port cannot accommodate the modern, larger vessels. All of the ships regularly visiting the island now call at Royal Naval Dockyard instead.

Places to Stay

There are currently no hotels within the boundaries of Hamilton. There is, however, a good choice of places to stay in Pembroke Parish. Options include the Hamilton Princess, Edgehill Manor, Oxford House, Rosedon, Rosemont, Royal Palms, and Sunflower. All these properties are located just a short distance west of the city centre.

Attractions

The Visitor Information Centre (VIC) a good place to begin your tour of the city (it is right next to Hamilton Ferry Terminal). While here we strongly recommend you pick up a copy of the Department of Tourism’s Handy Reference Map. It’s really useful and includes a map of the whole island, detailed area maps (Hamilton, St George, Dockyard, Somerset, and Flatts), plus loads of other useful information.

West of the VIC you’ll see the headquarters of HSBC Bermuda. Go behind the building you’ll find Albuoy’s Point and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.

Queen Street lies just east of the VIC. At the junction of Queen Street and Front Street you’ll see a police traffic box nicknamed the ‘Birdcage’. It was designed by Geoffrey Bird, a city engineer, to keep police officers safe and sheltered while directing traffic. You’ll still see police officers standing there, though their main function nowadays is posing for photographs with tourists.

Wander up Queen Street and you’ll come to the Perot Post Office, a functioning post office with a fantastic period interior. Continue walking north and you’ll come to Queen Elizabeth Park, a charming city centre park and sculpture garden, and the Bermuda Historical Society Museum.

At the top of Queen Street turn right onto Church Street and you’ll see City Hall. Designed by Wilfred Onions, Bermuda’s best known architect, it is home to Bermuda National Gallery, the Bermuda Society of Arts Gallery, and the offices of the Corporation of Hamilton. Victoria Park lies just north.

Continue along Church Street and, after passing the Central Terminal, you’ll come to Bermuda Cathedral. For a small fee you can climb the steps to the top of the tower for a great view of the city.

Sessions House is a little further east and is home to the House of Assembly, one of the oldest parliaments in the world. Go down to Front Street via Parliament Street to see the Cabinet Building and the Cenotaph.

Events

Hamilton hosts a number of events throughout the year. Most are free to attend. They include:

Restaurants & Bars

Hamilton’s restaurant and bar scene is the busiest and most varied in Bermuda. Places to eat and drink are listed below.

The list was last updated on Friday 29th of November 2019.

NameAddressCuisinePriceDetails
Angelo's BistroReid Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Italian$$Italian cafe in the Walker Arcade in Hamilton. Indoor or atrium seating. Italian food with a local twist.
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Barracuda Grill24 Burnaby Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Seafood$$$Seafood restaurant in Hamilton, just off Front Street. Specialises in seafood but also offers meat options. Located above the Hog Penny pub.
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Bolero Brasserie95 Front Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
European$$$Upscale brasserie on Hamilton’s main street. Chef owned. Offers a small balcony with view of Front Street and Hamilton Harbour.
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Bouchee75 Pitts Bay Road
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
French$$French bistro at the western end of Hamilton, close to the Hamilton Princess. Formerly Monty’s.
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Devil's Isle19 Burnaby Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Cafe$$Busy cafe and bar in Hamilton. Hip and casual.
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Docksider121 Front Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Pub$$Pub and restaurant at the eastern end of Front Street. Menu offers pub grub, burgers, sandwiches, and pizza. Popular watering hole. Live sports, DJs etc. Reasonably close to Fort Hamilton.
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Flanagan's69 Front Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Pub$$Irish pub located in a prime spot on Front Street in Hamilton. Veranda offers excellent views of Hamilton Harbour. Incorporates a separate sports bar.
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Hog Penny24 Burnaby Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Indian, British, International$$British-style pub just off Front Street. Cosy wooden interior. Reputed to be the inspiration for the Cheers pub in Boston. Live music in the evenings.
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House of India58A North Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Indian$$Indian restaurant at the northern end of Hamilton. Specialises in Tandoor-cooked dishes. Takeaway service available.
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L'Oriental32 Bermudiana Road
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Asian$$Asian fusion restaurant in Hamilton’s business district. Best known for its sushi and teppanyaki. Situated above the Little Venice.
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La Trattoria23 Washington Lane
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Italian$$Family-friendly Italian restaurant in the centre of Hamilton. Known for its pizzas; cooked in a wood-burning brick oven.
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Little Venice32 Bermudiana Road
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Italian$$$Founded in 1971, the Little Venice is Bermuda’s oldest Italian restaurant.
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Lobster Pot6 Bermudiana Road
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Seafood$$Seafood restaurant established in 1973. Close to Queen Elizabeth Park.
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Mad Hatters22 Richmond Road
Pembroke Parish
International$$Innovative restaurant offering an eclectic menu. Restaurant is loosely theme around Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Diners can don one of their wacky hats for the night. Located in Pembroke, near the Robin Hood pub, and just a short walk from Hamilton.
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Portofino20 Bermudiana Road
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Italian$$Established Italian restaurant in Hamilton’s business district.
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Robin Hood Pub and Restaurant25 Richmond Road
Pembroke Parish
Pub$$Popular pub on the outskirts of Hamilton. Shows Premier League games.
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Rock Island Coffee48 Reid Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Coffee$Coffeeshop in Hamilton known for its delicious baked goods. Walls display works by local artists.
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Rosa's121 Front Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Tex-Mex$$Established Tex-Mex restaurant in Hamilton. Offers burgers, burritos, quesadillas, tacos, fajitas, steaks etc. Located above Docksider.
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Ruby MurrysChancery Lane
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Indian$$Indian restaurant just off Front Street. Reasonable prices.
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The Astwood Arms85 Front Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
British, Pub$$British style pub on Hamilton’s main street. Friendly staff. Live music and NFL/Premier League games.
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The Dog House93 Front Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
Pub$$Popular bar on Front Street. Live music and Premier League/NFL games. Outdoor terrace.
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The Pickled Onion53 Front Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
International$$Bar and restaurant on Front Street, Hamilton. Veranda offers excellent view of Hamilton Harbour. Live music and DJs.
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The Terrace on Front Street55 Front Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish
International$$Restaurant on Front Street. Outdoor terrace has fantastic views of Front Street and Hamilton Harbour. Formerly Red Steakhouse.
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Transport – Buses, Ferries, Taxis, Scooters

Most bus services depart from the Central Terminal, the island’s only bus station. For timetables, fares, and details of routes see our guide to buses.

Hamilton Ferry Terminal is situated at the western end of Front Street. Here you can catch a ferry to Royal Naval Dockyard (Blue Route), Paget/Warwick (Pink Route), or Southampton/Sandys (Green Route).

Front Street is the best place to catch a taxi. There are taxi ranks outside Gosling’s, Butterfield, and the Port O’ Call. There’s also a taxi stand on Church Street, next to City Hall/Bermuda National Gallery.

There are currently no scooter rental shops within the boundaries of the city. Wheels Cycles used to have branches on Front Street and Dundonald Street but are no longer in business. Both Oleander Cycles and Smatt’s Cycle Livery have branches in Pembroke Parish, just a short walk from the city centre.

Services & Information

A good place to begin exploring Hamilton is at the Visitor Information Centre. It’s situated right next to Hamilton Ferry Terminal. It’s a good place to pick up brochures, maps, and obtain general tourist advice.

There is no shortage of banks in the city. All of the island’s banks are headquartered here. HSBC Bermuda, Butterfield, and Clarien all have ATMs where you can withdraw cash (see our guide to money for exact locations).

The General Post Office is Bermuda’s main post office and is on Church Street, close to Bermuda Cathedral. However, we strongly recommend visiting the Perot Post Office on Queen Street to buy your stamps and post letters and postcards. The landmark building was where Bermuda’s first stamp was printed and boasts a delightful period interior.

The Bermuda National Library lies just a few yards up the road from the Perot Post Office. It carries a good selection of books about Bermuda, international magazines and newspapers, local newspapers (including archived copies). It also offers computers with internet access and free wireless internet access.

WiFi is available across the city centre. The service is provided by TeleBermuda International (TBI). To connect, just search for the TBI network on your device and open your browser to connect to the sign-up page (fees apply).

Map


Interactive map of the City of Hamilton. Click on any icon for further information.

Comments and Additional Information

  1. Please can you help. Our cruise will now be docking in Hamilton for two days in November. I have been told that as it is out of season most things will be closed. Is this true?

    Reply
  2. We are coming to Bermuda next month on a cruise. We would like to spend one day in Hamilton. What would be the best things to do and places to visit in one day?

    Reply
    • First of all I would come on the ferry from Royal Naval Dockyard. It will drop you off at the western end of Front Street/Hamilton. The Hamilton Visitor Information Centre is here. You can go in and get your maps and guides etc. if you haven’t already got them. The lady that runs it (Alison Outerbridge) will be able to tell you if there are any special events happening on the day of your visit.

      After here I’d head straight up Queen Street and have a quick look inside the Perot Post Office. After that have a walk around Queen Elizabeth Park and admire the sculptures and gardens. Then walk back to the park entrance on Queen Street and check out the Bermuda Historical Society Museum here.

      After that carry on walking up Queen Street and you’ll come to City Hall on Church Street, a large white building. Go inside and upstairs you’ll find the Bermuda National Gallery. Then carry on along Church Street to the Bermuda Cathedral. Climb to the top of the tower for a good view of the city.

      By now it will probably be lunch time so go down Burnaby Street to Front Street. There are a lot of restaurants in Hamilton.

      After lunch have a wander around Front Street and do a bit of shopping in the stores here.

      Then I’d walk east along Front Street (out of the city). Eventually you come to the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, a facility with lots of interactive exhibits, treasure displays, etc.

      Then head back to Hamilton. If you’ve got time visit Fort Hamilton for great views of Hamilton Harbour.

      Get some dinner in Hamilton if you like. You can catch the ferry back or for a different experience, get bus number 7 back to your cruise ship at Dockyard. It will take you along the South Shore. You’ll see many of the beaches (Horseshoe, Elbow etc.) that you may visit on another day of your trip. It’s a nice scenic ride in any case.

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