Front Street

Front Street runs along Hamilton Harbour and is the commercial and social spine of Bermuda's capital. Cruise ships dock directly along its length, making it the first thing many visitors see of Bermuda — which is unfortunate, because the duty-free shops and jewellery stores that line the waterfront give a misleading impression of the island's character.

Walk it anyway: the harbour views are excellent, the architecture is a handsome mix of pastel-painted colonial buildings, and the Wednesday evening Harbour Nights market (May to October) transforms the street into a lively pedestrian gathering with food stalls, local crafts, and live music. A.S. Cooper and Sons, established in 1897, is still trading here — one of the oldest department stores in the Western Atlantic.

things to do sight neighbourhood
A story
Front Street's famous "Birdcage" — a raised white octagonal traffic stand at the junction with Queen Street — was where Bermuda's police directed traffic in their distinctive white helmets for decades. By the 1990s it had become more landmark than operational, and the last traffic officer stepped down from the cage in 2000, but the structure remains one of Hamilton's most photographed spots.