Running north from George Town, Seven Mile Beach is a beautiful stretch of white sand that curls around the West of the island. A reef protects the coast and ensures that the water is calm and ideal for swimming and snorkelling. This is the most popular beach on the island and is bordered by dozens of hotels, but it is large enough to ensure sunbathers do not end up towel-to-towel. North of the beach is West Bay, the country's second largest town.
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Pedro St James Castle
East of George Town is Pedro St James. Originally built by an Englishman who arrived in the islands in 1765, it is the islands' oldest surviving building. Local stories also associate it with the pirate Henry Morgan and a 17th-century Spaniard, Pedro Gómez, though there's no proof. The house is touted as the islands' 'birthplace of democracy' - it was here in 1831 that the decision was made to vote for elected representatives, and four years later the Slavery Abolition Act was read here. Constructed around 1780 from quarried native stone, the house has been restored by the government as a historic site. Behind a traditional coral stone wall rises an authentic, three-storey early 19th-century great house and outbuildings, with traditional 'grounds' planted with pineapple, banana and other provisions. The adjacent acres are covered with luxuriant tropical plants, palm-lined walkways and a splendid manicured Great Lawn sprawling to a fantastic view over the Caribbean. A new Multi-Media Theatre shows a 20-minute film of the history of the castle.
Telephone: (345) 947 3329
Website: www.pedrostjames.ky
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Opening times: Daily 9.30am to 5pm
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