Bermuda or the Somers Islands is the only continuously operational British Overseas Territory that is in the North Atlantic Ocean. The island is located off the east coast of the United States and is near Cape Hatteras in North Carolina, USA. The capital of the Island Territory is Hamilton.
Bermuda is the oldest and one of the most populous British Overseas Territories still functioning under the Crown. It was colonized by Great Britain a century before the Acts of Union were created. St. George’s became the first capital of the Bermuda Islands and was established in 1612. It is now the oldest British-inhabited city in America.
The island of Bermuda was discovered by Juan de Berrmudez in 1505. Bermúdez and Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo had discovered the island with the intention of leaving a pig farm on the island as a future stock of fresh meat for passing ships. But bad weather conditions did not allow them to land on earth. The discovery of the island of Bermuda is mentioned in the Legattio Babylonica published in 1511 by Peter Martyr d’Anghiera and was also included in the Spanish charters of that particular year.
The island also earned the name Devils Island, as visitors were greeted with the raucous calls of native birds, the noise of pigs heard at night, and stormy weather. The island is also surrounded by treacherous reefs which also acted as a deterrent.
However, the island’s economy has grown and prospered over the years. It is a prosperous economy, with finance and tourism being the main sectors acting as drivers. It had the highest GDP per capita in the world in 2005.
Bermuda Island has a subtropical climate and is one of the main tourist places in the world. The place is blessed with vast stretches of pink sand beaches and a clear blue ocean. This has made it a well-known tourist destination and many hotels are located on the south coast of the island. Divers can explore the various coral reefs and wrecks in the shallows with virtually unlimited visibility.
Aside from this, the historic town of St. George is a designated World Heritage Site that also draws a large crowd. Then there are also other popular tourist attractions like the Royal Naval Shipyard which includes the Bermuda Maritime Museum, the Botanical Gardens, the lighthouses and the Crystal Caves.
But one of the area’s most distinctive and attractive features is the Bermuda Perfumery and Gardens. The Perfumery was established by William Blackburn (WB) Smith and his daughter Madeline Scott in 1928. Eminent French perfumers were hired to start the business. The first experimental production of Easter Lily Perfume took place in a small wooden building in Bailey’s Bay. Over the years, the family acquired six acres of land around their existing property, which by Bermuda standards was immense. Many new perfumes were also added to the original, including Sweet Pea, Gardenia, and Jonquil. Some held while others were abandoned.
After the World War, the tourism industry in Bermuda grew rapidly and the Perfumery became one of the most popular attractions. The Gardens that had been developed for the Perfumery had also come into being at that time and a walk through them always pleased visitors.
To this day, The Bermuda Perfumery and Tropical Gardens attract a large number of visitors who can get a first-hand experience of perfume making and the various processes involved in it. Currently the main fragrances produced here include Bermuda Easter Lily, Passion Flower, Frangipani, Oleander and Jasmine.
Therefore, this place has become one of the main places of tourist importance and provides visitors with a fragrant bouquet of souvenirs to take home.