South of Rawson Square, roughly bounded by Elizabeth Avenue to the east and Cumberland Street on the west, the Hillside area has a charming historical flavor enlivened by small cafés that offer refreshing drinks, full-fledged lunches and much local color.

A block south of Parliament Square is the Nassau Public Library and Museum , an octagonal former city jail (daily; free) whose crowded rooms house a remarkable collection of maps, photographs and engravings. Across from the library on the south side of Shirley Street is the delightful Royal Victoria Garden, where you're free to wander among three hundred species of tropical plants on the former grounds of its namesake hotel, now a crumbling ruin. Following East Road, which runs along the eastern edge of the grounds, the road forks at East Hill Road. A right turn here will take you along a stretch containing much of Nassau's historic architecture , most prominently Jacaranda House, a two-storey structure with peaked roofs and carved mansards.

Moving west, East Hill Road turns into West Hill Road, where you'll find both the Dunmore House , built in the 1790s by Lord Dunmore, and Graycliff , a fabulous Georgian residence from the 1720s and now an exclusive hotel. Alternatively, stay on East Road past the Royal Victoria Gardens and take a left turn on Sand Road, which will link up with Elizabeth Avenue, where the road slopes up toward the highest points in Nassau: the 1793 Fort Fincastle and the Water Tower (daily; free), providing fabulous views of the harbor. Just east of the Water Tower, the unique Queen's Staircase is a deep limestone gorge into which stairs were carved for the convenience of Nassau's elite.

The areas west of downtown are best visited by hopping on the #10 jitney from in front of the British Colonial Hotel. A mile or so from downtown is Fort Charlotte , on a magnificent overlook between Nassau Street and Chippingham Road (daily 9am-4.30pm; free). Begun in 1787 by Lord Dunmore, the fort offers daily tours by guides occasionally sporting period costumes. Opposite Fort Charlotte is Arawak Cay , a manmade island and local hangout featuring food shacks where native cooks sell conch salad and cracked and fried conch. Connected to Arawak Cay is Silver Cay , home to one of Nassau's most famous sights, Crystal Cay Marine Park , Chippingham Road (daily 9am-4.30pm, weekends closes at 4pm; US$16; tel 242/323-1036), a 16-acre hands-on experience of local marine life, complete with an underwater observatory, shark exhibits and 100ft observation tower, where you can take in breathtaking views of Nassau Harbour, Paradise Island and Cable Beach.

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