Government House

Government House stands on Mount Fitzwilliam above Nassau, a pink and white Georgian building from the early nineteenth century, rebuilt after hurricane damage, and it has been the Governor's and now the Governor-General's residence throughout. A statue of Columbus stands on the front steps, put there in the 1830s. The changing of the guard by the Royal Bahamas Police Force band is held on a fortnightly schedule and is the only time most people see anything beyond the gates.

What you actually see

• The pink facade - the Georgian front and portico above the hill.
• The Columbus statue - a nineteenth-century figure on the entrance steps.
• The changing of the guard - the police band ceremony held fortnightly.
• The hill position - the residence looking down over the town and harbour.

When to go

November to April is the dry season. The guard ceremony runs on a published fortnightly schedule and is worth timing for. Mornings are cooler on the hill.

Honest expectations

The interior is not open to the public; this is a look from the street and the gates. The ceremony schedule changes and is sometimes cancelled. Twenty minutes covers it unless the band is on.

Nearby

The Queen's Staircase and Fort Fincastle are east along the ridge, and central Nassau is below.