Places Of Interest & Attraction
- Barbados Museum:
- at the Garrison is housed in the former British Military Prison. It has outstanding collections of archaeology, natural history, African, European and Creole decorative arts,
antique maps and prints and a Caribbean heritage shop.
- Garrison Historic Area,
- in St. Michael with its barracks, guard houses, prison (now the Museum), magazines, hospitals, cemetery and residences was
established in 1780, to serve the British Navy and Army in the wars with the
French. Much of it can be explored on foot.
- Andromeda Botanic Gardens,
- near Bathsheba, St. Joseph, covers six magnificent acres. A small stream cascades between exotic tropical plants, forming pools and waterfalls. Huge rugged limestone boulders create a natural rock garden, planted with bougainvilleas, hibiscus, philodendrons, orchids, heliconias, palms and ferns.
- Welchman Hall Gully,
- in St. Thomas, is an unusual natural formation, resulting from the collapse of the roof of part of the Harrison's Cave system. In this deep gully is a natural garden of tropical rain forest trees and plants as well as a nutmeg grove.
- Harrison's Cave,
- in St. Thomas, is one of the finest cave systems in the world. It has large chambers, with
beautiful stalactites, lakes, streams and waterfalls, viewed from electric trams.
- Flower Forest,
- in St. Joseph is a 50 acre plantation over 800 feet above sea level, which has been developed into a tropical garden interspersed with fruit trees and
banana groves. It is on the edge of the Scotland district and offers picturesque views.
- Barbados Wildlife Reserve
- is situated in a lush natural mahogany wood, across from Farley Hill Nation Park in
the parish of St. Peter. It provides young and old alike with a fascinating wildlife experience in the
Caribbean. The Reserve offers visitors a unique opportunity to stroll freely through what is primarily a monkey sanctuary. They will be offered the rare chance to observe at close range, uncaged, in their own natural setting, the monkeys of Barbados. Visitors will also be able to view other Barbadian fauna and some imported fauna as well.
- Jolly Roger Cruises,
- It's party time! In the Caribbean we like to dance anywhere. With the sun shining and the breezes blowing, the Jolly Roger is just the place to shake a leg (but not too high though) and let down your hair. .
- Farley Hill [National Park],
- in St. Peter is a ruin of a beautiful Georgian mansion, built by the famous liberal planter, legislator and collector, Sir Graham Briggs. Here he received British royal visitors and established a superb garden. The house was used as Belfontaine Mansion in the famous film "Island in the Sun". After a major fire in 1965 the property was
acquired by the Barbados Government and is now the Farley Hill National Park.
- Gun Hill Signal Station,
- in St. George commands a magnificent view of the island. It is the finest of the chain of signal stations built in 1818 and was
restored and landscaped by the Barbados National Trust. It houses an interesting collection of military memorabilia.
- Sunbury Plantation House,
- in St. Philip, has a comprehensive collection of Barbadian antique furniture and memorabilia, with old maps dating back to 1763, four-poster beds upstairs and, below stairs and in the grounds, a unique collection of horse drawn carriages, plantation carts and artifacts and domestic equipment.
- Francia,
- in St. George is the most recent addition to the Barbadian Great Houses in public view. It is an elegant house surrounded by terraced lawns and gardens and contains fine
barbarism antiques, Brazilian wood paneling and many antique maps.
- George Washington House,
- is not on Bay Street as previously claimed, but at the top of Bush Hill, The Garrison. The first President of the United States brought his brother Lawrence to Barbados for his health in 1751. He spent seven weeks at the Bush Hill House and acquired smallpox while in Barbados.
- Morgan Lewis Sugar Windmill,
- in St. Andrew, is the only surviving sugar windmill in the Caribbean, with all of its machinery and fittings in place and intact. It houses a museum display of old photographs and plantation artifacts.
- Barbados Marine Reserve
- at Folkstone, St. James, is an underwater park where marine life can be viewed from glass bottomed boats, while the museum displays many specimens and photographs of marine life.
- Barbados Port Authority
- at Harbour Road, Bridgetown is the island's major and largest port. t was completed in 1961
- Sam Lord's Castle
- in St. Philip, is and elegant mansion built in the 1820s by Samuel Hall Lord, a notorious and
colorful planter. It retains its unique, elaborate plaster ceilings and many of Sam Lord's original possessions.
- St. Nicholas Abbey,
- in St. Peter, was built in 1660 and is one of the only three genuine Jacobean mansions surviving in the Western hemisphere. It is distinguished by elegant curved Dutch gables, chimney
stacks and coral stone finials, a Chinese Chippendale staircase, fine antiques and china. A rare 1930s film of sugar plantation life can be viewed.
- Pelican Village,
- on the Princess Alice Highway near the Bridgetown Port, is the island's main handicraft centre.
- Bathsheba And Cattlewash,
- both in St. Joseph are beautiful seaside resorts with dramatic beaches and fine restaurants, famous for local cuisine.
- Villa Nova,
- in St. John, is a particularly fine sugar plantation great house, built in 1834. It is furnished with beautiful antiques and is surrounded by exotic gardens.
- The Harry Bailey Observatory,
- located at "Clapham" in Christ Church, is open on Friday nights to visitors (from 8:30 p.m. Atlantic time). It has a 14" reflector, here in Barbados there is no atmospheric pollution and good dark sky, so impressive results are obtained with this modest 'scope.
- Cherry Tree Hill,
- in St. Peter, offers a panoramic view over the rugged Scotland District, approached through an avenue of ancient mahogany trees.
- Chalky Mount,
- in St. Andrew, is famous as the centre of the island's traditional pottery industry, made from local clay.
- St. John's Parish Church
- is a classic Gothic church set on Hackleton's Cliff, overlooking the East Coast.
- Barbados Synagogue,
- in Bridgetown, was originally built around 1654, and was destroyed by a hurricane in 1831, and rebuilt in 1833 and restored in the last ten years. It has huge brass chandeliers, intricate woodwork and other details, and a cemetery with tombstones dating back to 1658.
- Codrington College,
- in St. John, is the oldest Anglican theological college in the Western Hemisphere. It sits high on a hill overlooking the
Atlantic Ocean. It was established by the will of General Christopher Codrington (died 1710), but the Principal's Lodge dates back to 1670. Its Palladian buildings, lake and magnificent avenue of cabbage palm trees create a magical setting
- Sharon Moravian Church,
- in St. Thomas, The foundation of this church was laid on February 10, 1799. It was built through the interest, effort and free labour of it's membership pf about 150 baptized persons. Sharon became the first church built by the slaves in which they were free to worship as members. The membership had risen t0 480 in 1817. The church has been damage and almost totally destroyed due to hurricanes in the past and was
subsequently rebuilt in brick and was rededicated on Palm Sunday, March 31, 1833 reaching a membership of 915, and by the end of that year stood at 1035. The Moravian Church is the oldest of the Protestant Churches. It's origins in ancient Bohemia and Moravia which today known as the Czech Republic. It was established in 1457 and made up of the followers of John Hus, who was burnt at the stake in 1415. The Barbados National Trust has designated the Sharon Church as a building of architectural interest. It has retained its original, German architectural form through these many years. Extensive restoration work was undertaken in the later half of the 1980's and the church was rededicated by Bishop Neville Neil in June, 1992. Restoration, however is still taking place, for the pews, external wall of 1833, and general repairs.
Support this national treasure. Visit the church and relive the history.
- National Conservation Commission:
- A statutory body of the Government which maintains the public parks and beaches of Barbados, including Farley Hill, Queen's Park in Bridgetown, Barclays Park on the East Coast Road, Rockley Park and Beach, and other parks and beaches.
