The Bermuda Angle

From Cambridge cottage calm to secret swim coves, here’s how to get the most out of a Bermuda getaway. —Noa Nichol

Stay

Perched on a 20-acre peninsula with panoramic ocean views, Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa is the kind of place that makes you forget clocks exist. Think pastel cottages, broad porches and private pools tucked into garden paths—plus several tiny sandy coves where you can disappear into your own stretch of pink-tinged sand. Rooms feel quietly luxurious (with a full-service spa, gym and putting green on site), but the real draw is the slow-down rhythm: hammock afternoons, sea-salt air and the sort of hospitality that hands you a towel and a smile before you even ask. Pro tip: bring two swimsuits—you’ll want one for the beach and one for the poolside spa circuit.

Savour

Bermuda is a small island with big flavours; the country reads like a delicious map of local favourites. For lunch, tuck into the old-school comfort of Mamma Mia’s famous fish sandwich (raisin bread + crispy fish = local legend); balance it with a light, alfresco dinner at Cambridge’s own Breezes, where fresh seafood tastes even better with front-row sunset seating. For fine dining, book a table at Waterlot and order the tuna tartare, with pink grapefruit and a crispy beet tuille, and the chef’s tasting trio of steaks. Finish with the banana inferno for two, flambéed tableside; it’s a showstopper. Lunch at Rosewood Bermuda’s Beach Club delivers sensational sushi served above a pink sand cove, while the Frog & Onion in Dockyard mixes pub energy with unexpected Bermudian twists (tip: order a drink in a Frog & Onion glass so you can take the fun cup home with you!).

See

Bermuda’s history and natural drama are everywhere. Stroll the UNESCO-listed streets of St. George’s to unlock colonial stories and pastel facades. A St. George’s Foundation guide can help you find hidden architectural details (think mystical moongates and white stepped roofs designed to catch precious water), share neighbourhood gossip from centuries past and lead you to must-see stops like St. Peter’s Church, the evocative Unfinished Church ruins and the Tucker House museum for intimate glimpses into daily life across the ages. But the island’s story doesn’t stop at its cobblestones—Bermuda’s subterranean world and wild trails offer an entirely different kind of wonder. Grotto Bay Beach Hotel’s Cathedral Cave and Prospero’s Cave are literal marvels—the hotel spa even runs signature treatments in the latter (the drip-drip-drip of water from the cave roof makes for perfect mood music). Active travellers will love doing the Railway Trail (even better on an e-bike and with a guide from Pedego Rentals) and the cliff-studded hikes through Tom Moore’s Jungle and Blue Hole Park where dry caves (rumoured to be the inspo for Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock), jungle pools and cliff jumps await (we recommend tapping Island Tours for a guided walkabout). In Dockyard, the National Museum and Verdmont (a sprawling historic estate) round out the picture, offering deep dives into Bermudian life from maritime lore to the island’s layered cultural history.

Smell

While in St. George’s, be sure to allow time for a fragrant pause at Lili Bermuda, where owner (and honourary consul of Canada in Bermuda) Isabelle Ramsy-Brackstone greets guests with warm stories about her island-inspired scents. Lili is more than a shop; it’s a tiny olfactory museum where each fragrance is a memory of Bermuda: the sharp tang of wind and salt spray, the resinous whisper of Bermuda cedarwood, the powdery sweetness of spring freesias and the sun-warmed perfume of juicy local loquats. Can’t choose just one? Snag a sampler set and take a number of Ramsy-Brackstone’s sweet, sunlit perfumes back home.

Sea

If Bermuda sells itself on pink sand photos, it keeps you with what lies beneath the waves. A glass-bottom boat to the Sea Gardens gives you front-row views of the northernmost coral reef, while snorkellers can swim among Living Reefs Foundation installations and juvenile corals near Castle Harbour. For the brave, shipwreck dives reveal sunken stories (and colourful marine life); for gentler thrills, paddleboarding or kayaking around Whalebone Bay lets you nose up to hidden coves and marine reserves. Watch for turtles in seagrass beds and, if you time it right, the ocean will hand you a postcard moment—sunlight caught on waves, a reef shimmering below and a quiet, very island sigh.