Nassau, capital city of The Bahamas

Nassau is the capital city of The Bahamas

Nassau is a true feast for the senses. The air is thick with the sweet aroma of tropical flora, locals can be heard bargaining over jewelry, rum cakes and coins at the duty-free shops of Bay Street and cotton candy-colored Georgian-style buildings nearly glow in the historic district. The capital of the Bahamas has a high-energy vibe that will cure any case of cabin fever and delight even the most well-traveled visitors.

There are a few notable museums in the city, and the most interesting is likely the Pirates of Nassau Museum. The world-class collection includes interactive displays complete with recreations of pirate life, cutaways of ships and walk-throughs that make visitors feel like authentic swashbucklers. There is also a great gift store to plunder and a friendly Pirate Bar serving up tall glasses of cool beer.

A modest collection of documents and artifacts is on display at the Bahamas historical Society Museum. The collection tells the story of the islands from the Lucayan era through today, and the admission price is worth it just to see the incredible model of the Santa Luceno, a Spanish galleon.

Nassau is a bustling city filled with vibrant energy, but there are many places to go to catch a break from the chaos. Above the rock perch on Bernard Road is St. Augustine's Monastery, one of the most imposing yet peaceful places on the islands. Call ahead to schedule a tour of the working monastery.

The Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Park also offer a lovely escape from the sometimes overwhelming action of the city. More than 50 species of animals, reptiles and birds call the zoo home, and indigenous species of flora thrive in the gardens. Visitors can see many animals up close, including West Indian flamingos, monkeys, iguanas, the endangered Bahama parrot, snakes, hutias and caimans.

Kids and adults will both enjoy the Atlantis Waterscape, the world's largest open-air aquarium. More than 200 species of marine life can be experienced up close, including 14,000 fish. The underwater Plexiglass walkway lets visitors see the creatures like never before, and the park also includes an interpretation of the ruins of Atlantis, a lagoon full of sharks and a lazy river for tubing.

One of the most beautiful buildings in Nassau is the Government House, a cheery pink Georgian structure that tops Mount Fitzwilliam and houses the country's governor-general. Walking the grounds is permitted, but visitors must schedule interior tours in advance and a military guard is a required chaperone. Twice each month, visitors are welcome to watch the changing of the guard and to sit for tea with the wife of the governor-general.

Blackbeard's Tower is another popular tourist attraction in the city. The cut-stone tower sits just south of Fort Montagu and offers an outstanding view of Nassau.

Other sights worth exploring in Nassau include the bustling Rawson Square, the lovely gardens at the Bahamas National Trust, the white-sand Cable Beach, the 18th-century Balcony House and the Eastern Cemetery, where pirates and other rascals are buried in above-ground tombs.