Barbados Attractions

Parishes or Sections of Barbados:
1. St. Lucy (at the northern tip)
2. St. Peter (just south of St. Lucy)
3. St. Andrew (northeast coast)
4. St. James (Midwest)
5. St. Thomas (east of St. James in central part)
6. St. Joseph (mideast)
7. St. John (south of St. Joseph)
8. St. George (south central)
9. St. Michael (southwest) (contains Bridgetown)
10. Christ Church (southwest tip)
11. St. Philip (southeast tip)
The terrain of the island's 11 parishes changes dramatically from one to the next, and so does the pace and ambience. Bridgetown, the capital, is a sophisticated city. Luxurious west coast resorts and private homes are a sharp contrast to the small villages and large sugar plantations found throughout central Barbados. The heavy Atlantic surf crashing against the cliffs of the east coast is far different than the calm Carribean that laps against the white and pink sandy beaches of the west. The northeast is called "Scotland" because of its hilly landscape.

Andromeda Gardens:
Bathsheba, St. Joseph
246/433-9384
Daily 9-5
A collection of unusual and beautiful plant specimens from around the world is cultivated in 6 acres of gardens nestled among streams, ponds, and rocky outcroppings overlooking the sea above the Bathsheba coastline. The gardens were created in 1954 by the late horticulturist Iris Bannochie. They are now administered by the Barbados National Trust. The Hibiscus Café serves snacks and drinks.

Animal Flower Cave:
North Point, St. Lucy
246/439-8797
Daily 9-4
Small sea anemones, or sea worms, resemble jewel-like flowers when they open their tiny tentacles. They live in small pools, some of which are large enough to swim in, in this cave at the island's very northern tip. The view of breaking waves from inside the cave is outstanding.

Barbados Museum:
Hwy. 7, Garrison Savannah, St. Michael
246/427-0201
Mon.-Sat. 9-5, Sun. 2-6.
This museum, in the former British Military Prison (1815) in the historic Garrison area, has artifacts from Arawak days (around 400 BC) and galleries that depict 19th-century military history and everyday life. Exhibits include cane-harvesting tools, wedding dresses, and ancient dentistry instruments. There is also the grim legacy of slave sale accounts kept in a spidery copperplate handwriting. In addition there are wildlife and natural history exhibits, an art gallery, a children's gallery, a gift shop, and a café.

Emancipation Memorial:
St. Barnabas Roundabout (intersection of ABC Hwy. and Hwy. 5), St. Michael.
This statue of a slave is commonly referred to as the Bussa Statue. Bussa was the man who, in the early part of the 19th century, led the first slave rebellion in Barbados. The statue overlooks a broad sugarcane field just outside Bridgetown.

Flower Forest:
Richmond Plantation, Hwy. 2, St. Joseph
246/433-8152
Admission charged.
Daily 9-5.
A perfect way to spend a warm day is to walk in this cool garden among fragrant flowering bushes, canna and ginger lilies, puffball trees, and more than 100 other species of tropical flora. A 1/2-mi-long path winds through the 50 acres of grounds, which is a former sugar plantation. There are a snack bar, a gift shop, and a beautiful view of Mt. Hillaby.

Gun Hill Signal Station:
St. George
246/429-1358
Admission charged.
Mon.-Sat. 9-5.
The 360 degree view from Gun Hill, 700 ft above sea level, was what made this location of strategic importance to the 18th-century British army. The garrison captain, Henry Wilkinson, whiled away his off-duty hours by carving a huge lion from a single rock. It is on the hillside just below the tower. Come for a short history lesson but mainly for the spectacular view.

Harrison's Cave:
Hwy. 2, St. Thomas
246/438-6640.
Daily 9-6; last tour at 4.
This limestone cavern, complete with stalactites, stalagmites, subterranean streams, and a 40-ft waterfall, is a rare find in the Caribbean : and one of Barbados's most popular attractions. The one-hour tours are on electric trams, which fill up fast. Reserve ahead of time.

National Heroes Square:
Renamed in 1999 (formerly Trafalgar Square), this square lies between the Parliament Buildings and the Careenage and marks the center of town. Its monument to Lord Horatio Nelson predates Nelson's Column in London's Trafalgar Square by 27 years. Also in the square is a fountain that commemorates the 1865 arrival of running water in Barbados.

St. Nicholas Abbey:
Near Cherry Tree Hill, St. Lucy
246/422-8725
Weekdays 10-3:30
The island's oldest great house (circa 1650), made of stone and wood, is one of only three original Jacobean-style houses still standing in the Western Hemisphere. St. Nicholas, (which has no religious connections), has Dutch gables, finials of coral stone, and beautiful grounds. The first floor, fully furnished with period furniture, is open to the public. The Calabash Café, in the rear, serves snacks, lunch, and afternoon tea.

Errol Barrow Park:
A community park located in the parish of St. Michael, was opened on 28th November, 1987 in memory of the late Errol Walton Barrow, former prime minister of Barbados.

Sam Lord's Castle:
Long Bay, St. Philip
246/423-7350
Daily 10-4.
This Regency house built by the buccaneer Sam Lord is considered one of the island's finest mansions. Built in 1820 and now the centerpiece of a resort, the opulent structure features double verandas on all sides and magnificent plaster ceilings created by Charles Rutter, who also crafted some of the ceilings in England's Windsor Castle. Rooms are furnished with fine mahogany furniture and gilt mirrors that Sam Lord is reputed to have pillaged from passing ships.

Sunbury Plantation House & Museum:
Off Hwy. 5, near Six Cross Roads, St. Philip
246/423-6270
Admission charged. Lunch extra.
Daily 10-5.
Rebuilt after a 1995 fire destroyed everything but the thick flint-and-stone walls of this 300-year-old plantation house, Sunbury offers a glimpse of the 18th and 19th centuries on a Barbadian sugar estate. Period furniture, old prints, and a collection of horse-drawn carriages have been donated to lend authenticity. Luncheon is served in the back garden.

Francia Plantation:
St. George, Barbados
246/429-0474
Mon-Fri 10am-4pm
Admission charged
You can enter the park for free if you're walking but it costs a small amount to bring a car in.
daily 8:30am to 6pm.
The Francia Plantation stands on a wooded hillside overlooking the St. George Valley and is still owned and occupied by descendants of the original owner. Built in 1913, the house blends both West Indian and European architectural influences. You can explore several rooms, including the dining room with its family silver and an 18th-century James McCabe bracket clock. On the walls are antique maps and prints, including a map of the West Indies printed in 1522.