Georgetown is the only large city in Guyana and the country's capital. It is located on the coast of the Demerara-Mahaica region, on the eastern bank of the Demerrara River. There are numerous colonial remnants in Georgetown, especially in the city center, which is well maintained. Most of the outskirts however are weathered and dilapidated.

The city is laid out in a straighforward grid that is interlaced with canals protected by kokers (sluices). The canals are used to drain the city, which sits below the ocean level at high-tide. Along the Atlantic seafront, a large seawall protects the city from flooding. The seafront is popular by locals who spend their time off, swimming, sunbathing and strolling there. There are many flowering trees in Georgetown, as well as the marvelous Botanic Gardens and Zoo, which boasts Victorian bridges, pavilions, palms and lily-ponds and for that, the city is often called the 'Garden City of the Caribbean'.

There are several interesting sights in Georgetown, most of which are on or near Main Street in the western part of town.

Places of interest
• Independence Square.
• Promenade Gardens is a lovely park.
• Company Path Garden is a small garden on the west side of the Avenue of the Republic.
• The Anglican Saint George's Cathedral is reputedly the largest wooden cathedral in the world. It was built in Gothic style.
• The nearby neoclassic Parliament building dates from 1833.
• The Court of Appeals is Guyana's highest judicial court. It is not far from the Parliament building.
• The Georgetown Cenotaph dates from 1923. It is located at Main and Church streets and it is the location where the annual Remembrance Day (Remembrance Sunday) services are held in November.
• The National Library was built by Andrew Carnegie.
• The Red House used to be the official residence of the Colonial Secretary. Later, the Premier of British Guiana lived there. Nowadays it is home to the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre.
• The State House is the official residence of the head of state. It was built in 1852.
• The neo-Gothic City Hall is further to the south. It was built in 1889.
• The Victoria Law Courts is in the same area. It dates from 1887.
• One of the most dominating buildings in Georgetown is the Stabroek Market, a huge cast-iron building with a striking clocktower. It was constructed in 1792.
• The Roman Catholic Brickdam Cathedral.
• City Engineer House.
• The Magistrate's Court.
• St. Andrew's Kirk was built in 1818.
• The Independence Arch.
• Fort William Frederick is in the northern part of the city, not far from the Atlantic coast.
• The Umana Yana is also in the vicinity. It is a conical thatched building that was constructed in 1972 using traditional techniques. It burnt to the ground in 2010, but it was rebuilt in 2016.
• Nearby is the Georgetown Lighthouse was originally built in 1817. In 1830 it was rebuilt. The lighthouse is 31m (103 ft) high.
• Splashmins Fun Park is also in the north of town.
• The Guyana National Park is a nice park that is located within the city.
• Further inland is the 19th-century Castellani House. It is located on the corner of Vlissengen Road and Homestretch Avenue. It was built in 1882 and it houses the National Art Gallery.
• The Botanical Gardens and the Guyana Zoo are also there. The gardens feature a variety of plants, as well as a manatee pond. The zoo is home to animals such as jaguars, lynxes and bobcats.
Museums
• The Museum of African Heritage is located in Bel Air Park, in the suburbs of Georgetown.
• The Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology was established in 1974, but it didn't open to the public until 1982.
• The National Museum of Guyana has an excellent collection of Guyanese paintings and sculptures. It was founded in 1868.

There are several hotels and restaurants in Georgetown, as well as many jazz bars, clubs and discos. Most of them are located in the vicinity of Main Street.

Georgetown ©David Stanley

Georgetown ©Matt Shea

City Hall ©David Stanley

St. George's Anglican Cathedral ©David Stanley

Stabroek market ©David Stanley

Parliament building ©David Stanley

Red house ©David Stanley

Umana Yana ©David Stanley