Romantic Getaways-Bermudaby Carole Kotkin
Bermuda takes its name from the Spanish explorer, Juan Bermudez, who arrived in 1503, but it was settled by the British and their African slaves. Portuguese farmers were brought to the island later to work the land.
Bermuda has shared in the interest in fine cuisine that has swept across America. In recent years French, German, and Italian chefs have been imported to the island, and local chefs are better trained than ever, many graduating from the Bermuda College's Hospitality and Culinary Institute. There are superlative restaurants to be found in every parish. Talented British-born executive chef Stephan Juliusburger, at the Sonesta Beach Resort, deftly balances traditional fare with personal innovations. Following the lead of American chefs, he changes his menus every season, "Healthy seasonal products are the foundation for a successful restaurant. I began contracting with local gardeners to grow herbs, lettuces, vegetables and fruits for me as soon as I arrived on the island," he says. In his quest for the best possible ingredients to use in his "world bistro" style of cooking, Juliusburger flies in meat, produce and seafood from Miami, Boston, New York and London several times a week. You can't leave Bermuda without trying their national drink, rum swizzle, a potent combination of light and dark rum, a dash of bitters, sugar and lime juice, and in some versions orange or pineapple juice as well. After more than two glasses, it's not suggested that you hop on your motor bike. What to See:Broken up in 1616 into nine different parishes, the islands have been linked by causeways and bridges. An active National Trust has worked to preserve Bermuda's past, but individual Bermudans have also restored many buildings two and three hundred years old. Bermuda began in the Town of St. George and was its capital for 200 years. This is a good place to get a sense of history as you stroll the narrow streets and discover historical St. Peter's Church, built in 1612, a replica of the shipwrecked Sea Venture, several museums, and Fort St. Catherine, built in 1614. The capital was moved to Hamilton in 1815. You can spend a day here exploring the parks, museums, and British-style pubs, seafood restaurants and the shops. Take the very scenic ride on the ferry to visit the island's West End, site of the Bermuda Maritime Museum and the Dockyards, housing good shops, restaurants, a craft market, and galleries. What to Do:
Shopping:
Getting Around: No rental cars are available on Bermuda; in fact, there is a limit of one car per resident family, and the speed limit is 20 miles-per-hour. The best way to get around is by taxi, which are plentiful but expensive, or motor bikes, which are fun, if a little dangerous. There are also ferries, horse-drawn carriages, and an extensive bus system. Where to Stay:Sonesta Beach Resort, Southampton parish
Ariel Sands Beach Club, Actor Michael Douglas and members of his family own this recently renovated small family friendly resort featuring a bright coral clubhouse and white cottages. There are 3 tennis courts, 2 pools, 1 restaurant and 49 rooms on property. Great snorkeling opportunities. High season doubles from $258; low season from $174; 1-800-468-6610/ Horizon & Cottages, Paget A member of Relais & Chateaux, this is an elegant resort. The main building is a 17th century farmhouse with exposed beams, lovely antiques and breezy views of the Atlantic. Built on the side of a hill above the water, it allows you to see 180 degrees around you. It is surrounded by eleven cottages each of which is split into two or three apartments that share a kitchen and a living room with a fireplace. The hillside property has tennis courts, a nine-hole golf course, a pool access to a beautiful beach across the road. Low season from $275; High season doubles from $330; 1-800-468-0022 RestaurantsBermuda's a conservative place. Most hotel dining rooms require a jacket at dinner, as do the island's better restaurants. Lillian's/The Sea Grape Terrace/ Boat Bay Club, Sonesta Beach Resort, 441-238-8122 The Sonesta's three restaurants have a high degree of culinary polish. Lillian's with its art nouveau decor specializes in regional Italian cuisine. Specialties include seared fillet of beef with Chianti-glazed carrots; and garlic rubbed red snapper with basil linguine. During the season you'll dine under the stars at the Sea Grape Terrace to enjoy dishes like Lime-Coriander Marinated Yellowfin Tuna; Jerked Wahoo or grilled fajitas with fresh salsa. The Boat Bay Club offers a panoramic view of the ocean and a "world bistro" menu that includes mustard crusted whole rib of roast beef; rack of lamb with roasted garlic risotto; shrimp scampi with elephant garlic, and honey-dipped roasted chicken. Waterlot Inn, Middle Rd., Southampton, 441-238-0510 Located in a restored two-story manor house that dates back to 1670. Impeccable service; mostly French menu with some indigenous dishes-Chianti Braised Wild Boar, Spiced Pumpkin Soup with apple chips and mascarpone cream, roasted mussels with Portuguese sausage, Orange Blossom Panna Cotta. Appealing background music enhances the dining experience. Fourways Inn, 1 Middle Road, Paget, 441-236-6517 Housed in a former coaching inn that dates back to 1727, Fourways offers excellent food in elegant restored surroundings--Foie Gras on caramelized pear; whole grilled Bermuda lobster with lemon sauce; individual soufflés; for lunch try the Peg Leg Bar that occupies what was once the kitchen. Black Horse Tavern, St. David's Island, 441-293-9742 This casual eatery is considered the best place for an authentic taste of Bermuda. Locals come to savor curried conch stew, Bermuda lobster, and shark hash. There's also hamburgers, steak or chicken. Call for reservations. Swizzle Inn, Blue Hole Hill, Bailey's Bay, 441-293-9300 This carefree family-owned landmark, home to the rum swizzle, attracts a lively clientele. They have good burgers and you can even play darts. Visitor Information: UPDATE: The property was devastated by hurricanes and is being renovated by Wyndham |
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Blessed with pink-sand beaches, turquoise waters, and a lush extravagance of flowers, Bermuda beckons as the perfect romantic vacation get-away. It's a place where comfortable lodgings, caring service, a wealth of leisure activities, plus good dining all come together. It sounds like the Caribbean or the Bahamas, but if you've never been to this self-governing British colony it will surprise you. It feels more like Nantucket than Jamaica with its customs of afternoon tea, lawn croquet, yacht races, and grown men dressed in blue blazers, Bermuda shorts, and knee-socks. Bermuda boasts that it has more golf courses per square mile than any other country in the world. 
The fact that there is no income tax, no sales tax, no slums, no guns, no unemployment, and no illiteracy completes the idyllic picture. People on the island often travel by bicycle or moped, cutting down on traffic jams. Its small towns are extraordinarily clean; litter is almost unknown. Flashing neon signs are forbidden by law and there is only one fast food outlet on the entire island. Hotel construction is carefully monitored and building codes are rigidly enforced, so there are no high-rise hotels. One would hope that nothing would change to upset this paradise; however, the island is out to strengthen its reputation as an international financial center and tax haven. Hamilton, the island's capital city, has side streets lined with offshore insurance companies and banks, and construction has begun on a large downtown site for the Bermuda Financial Centre. 
Travelers often think of Bermuda as a "tropical" island, but Bermuda is situated well away from the Caribbean island chains, about 600 miles from the coast of North Carolina, far out in the Atlantic Ocean and kept warm year round by the Gulf Stream. Only 21 miles long and two miles wide, Bermuda is a loosely- linked chain of islands with rolling hills, beautifully-tended gardens, pastel homes with sloping terraced white roofs, (shaped to collect rain, the island's free source of fresh water), ocean views everywhere you look, and a prosperous, friendly population that warmly welcomes visitors. 
Endless culinary experiences await you in Bermuda, reflecting not only the gastronomic heritage of the island but also their joie de vivre. The essence of good Bermudan cooking is a devotion to fresh vegetables, fruits, and seafood. Some of the excellent seafood dishes found throughout the island are tangy mussel pie, Bermuda fish chowder (liberally laced with sherry pepper sauce and black rum), sweet Bermuda lobster (crawfish) called "Guinea chick", and large tiger shrimp. Rockfish, which is similar to the Bahamian grouper, shows up on most menus. Many traditional dishes are made from dried shark. If you go to a Sunday brunch, expect to eat fish cakes made of salt codfish, bananas and potatoes. The Bermuda onion, which was once so common that the people of Bermuda were called "onions" is used in many Bermudan recipes, including onion pie and Bermuda onion soup. 
For the sports enthusiast, Bermuda has some of the world's best golf courses and tennis courts. The waters around Bermuda offer an underwater paradise for divers and snorkeling enthusiasts, while deep-sea fishing swimming, sailing, windsurfing and yachting are available. The historic Railway Trail, a scenic park that follows the roadbed of Bermuda's former railroad, is a great jaunt for walkers. For those whose idea of exercise is to spend a day at the Spa, The Sonesta Beach Resort's BerSalon Spa has one of the 10 best spas in the world according to the October 1998 issue of Travel & Leisure magazine. In the 7,000 square foot European-style spa, guests are pampered with a wide variety of massage techniques, beauty treatments and toning and aerobic programs given by well-trained personnel. 
Head to the boutiques and department stores along Front Street in the capital of Hamilton. Nothing is duty-free, but most European goods are still excellent values. You'll see prices on china, crystal and sweaters that are 25% less than in the U.S. Merchandise is primarily English and Scottish in flavor. Know your U.S. prices before you buy. There are no chain stores except the inevitable Benetton. Among the leading shops on Front Street are A.S. Cooper & Sons, H.A. & E.Smith, and Trimingham's. Be sure to bring back a bottle of Outerbridge's Original Sherry pepper sauce. 
It's recent renovation cost more than $18 million. The investment seems a good bet, considering the advantage of being the only major resort on the island that is nestled directly on the beach. Everything you could ask for is here at this 25- acre peninsula--three beautiful beaches, tennis, a world-class spa, and three excellent restaurants. Rooms are divided between those atop a rocky cliff and those right on the sand. Check out the indoor swimming pool under a geodesic dome. Rated one of the top 50 tropical resorts in the world by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine. Reservations: Low season doubles from $110 ; High Season from $240, (Vacation packages available) 1-800-SONESTA.