If you're getting around by scooter or car: There's a bridge to Paradise Island. The water taxi departs right at the cruise pier.
Nassau, with its approximately 297,000 residents, is a bustling city. Numerous shops and upscale boutiques invite you to spend. Many Americans hop over from nearby Florida by ferry or mini cruise for the duty-free shopping.
Bacardi calls Nassau home, as does Eddie Murphy.
Nassau — Capital and Location of the Bahamas
Location:
Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas, located on the island of New Providence. With approximately 297,000 inhabitants (2022 census), it is the largest city in the Bahamas.
The Bahamas lie in the western Atlantic, southeast of Florida and north of Cuba. The island nation consists of over 700 islands and cays.
Other Caribbean destinations: Barbados, St. Maarten and Saint Thomas.
Entry Requirements for the Bahamas
Note: Entry requirements may change at short notice. Please check with the relevant authorities before traveling.
German citizens do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Required:
- Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond departure date
- Return or onward flight ticket
A national ID card is not sufficient. All former COVID entry requirements (Health Visa, tests) have been fully lifted since 2023.
Getting to Nassau
There are no direct flights from Germany to Nassau. The most common routes:
- Via London: British Airways flies nonstop from London Heathrow to Nassau (approx. 10 hours)
- Via Miami: Lufthansa, Condor or Eurowings to Miami, then connecting flight with American Airlines, JetBlue or Bahamasair (approx. 45 minutes)
- Via Atlanta/New York: Delta or United with a stopover in the US
From Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS), it's about 15 minutes by taxi to downtown Nassau.
Paradise Island and the Atlantis Resort
Paradise Island lies directly off Nassau and is connected by two bridges. The island is famous for the Atlantis Resort, one of the largest hotel and entertainment complexes in the Caribbean. Highlights include the Aquaventure Waterpark, the Marine Habitat Aquarium and the Casino. Even non-guests can visit the waterpark as day visitors.
At Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island you'll find one of the Bahamas' most beautiful beaches — fine white sand and turquoise water.
The Most Beautiful Beaches around Nassau
The Bahamas are famous for their dream beaches. Around Nassau and New Providence, highlights include:
- Cable Beach: Nassau's most popular beach with hotels, restaurants and water sports
- Cabbage Beach: On Paradise Island — quieter and more natural
- Junkanoo Beach: Right in the city center, perfect for a quick beach break between shopping and sightseeing
By boat, you can also reach the Exuma Cays with the famous swimming pigs, and Blue Lagoon Island for dolphin encounters.
What Makes Nassau Special:
Among the colonial-charm attractions are the Parliament, Court and Government buildings, erected in 1801. The city's Pirates Museum is equally noteworthy, where you can learn about infamous buccaneers like Blackbeard (Edward Teach), Charles Vane and Calico Jack (Jack Rackham).
Queen's Staircase is Nassau's most visited attraction — a recently renovated 65-step stairway carved by slaves between 1793 and 1794. Beyond its impressive character, the 31-meter-high staircase provides a shorter route up and down Bennet's Hill. Beside it stands an artificial waterfall, the only one in the Bahamas.
The Boxing Day festival takes place every December 26th. This well-organized celebration features elaborate costumes and traditional drum music.
The History of Nassau:
Piracy and Blackbeard:
1656 Nassau was founded by British settlers under the name Charlestown. Around the same time, pirates increasingly used the settlement and surrounding islands as hideouts. The city was destroyed by a Spanish-French fleet in 1684 and rebuilt in 1687, receiving the name Nassau in 1689. Pirates quickly regained influence, prompting the Spanish army to destroy the colony a second time in 1695.
Nassau was rebuilt by pirates in 1697. To end the raids for good, a Spanish-French fleet destroyed the colony in 1703 — again without lasting success. The pirates rebuilt and from 1706 controlled the Bahamas from Nassau. 1716 marked the golden age of piracy, when Blackbeard became widely known as the magistrate of the Pirate Republic.
To tackle the problem, former pirate Captain Woodes Rogers was appointed the first Crown Governor of the Bahamas in 1717 and charged with driving out the pirates — which he accomplished in 1718.
1728 saw the establishment of the first parliamentary government.
Although Nassau attracted American tourists since the early 20th century, the tourism boom began in the 1950s when high society discovered the island paradise. Hotel construction surged and hasn't stopped since. Due to generous tax policies, numerous financial firms settled here through the early 21st century, as Nassau remains a tax haven to this day.
Weather and Climate of Nassau:
Nassau has a subtropical climate. In summer, average temperatures reach around 28°C; in winter, the warm Gulf Stream rarely lets temperatures drop below 20°C.
