Nassau
The Islands of the Bahamas
The capital city of The Islands of the Bahamas is found on 21-mile-long New Providence, our 11th largest island. The harbour of Nassau is protected by Paradise Island for a three-mile stretch. This sheltered harbour attracted settlers from the early days when British colonists discovered the harbour in the late 1600s, enticing some to leave the island of Eleuthera to live on New Providence. Nassau’s history can be traced back to days of the legendary pirate Blackbeard and the original inhabitants the Arawak, Lucayan, Carib and Taino Indians. The sheltered harbour, numerous mansions, cathedrals and 18th-century fortresses have been beautifully preserved.