There are five main places of interest in Barbados that are ‘must-see’ destination points while you are on the island:

— Oistins and Bridgetown on the south coast
— The Crane Village on the southeast coast, and
— Holetown and Speightstown on the west coast.

Another exciting place with plenty to do and see is St. Lawrence Gap, on the island’s south coast.

Bridgetown

Bridgetown (or ‘Town’) is the capital of Barbados and is steeped in history, with many exciting places to visit and some of the best duty-free shopping on the island.

Here, you’ll find the country’s landmarks in the capital – with statues and monuments to commemorate essential people and historical events in the island’s history and culture.

While you’re there, why not watch some horse racing at the historic Garrison Savannah? You can visit the Barbados Museum and tour George Washington’s house.

Go sailing on a catamaran, eat in one of the city’s many restaurants, look around the cathedral, or take a tour of the world-famous cricket ground, The Kensington Oval.

There’s so much to see and do in Bridgetown and its surroundings. Want more information? See our Bridgetown page or click the link at the bottom for further details.

Speightstown

Speightstown is the island’s second-largest town and is exceptionally rich in history and culture.

Speightstown is home to one of the island’s oldest churches, St. Peter’s Parish Church, first built in the 1630s.

Because it is located on the island’s northwest coast in the parish of St. Peter, it is much more relaxed than Bridgetown, where fewer people exist.

While in Speightstown, you can wander around the shops and market stalls, have a nice meal at one of the town’s excellent restaurants, and visit the local art gallery.

You’ll also find a supermarket and local shops selling all those essential household items.

Need to know more? For more information, read our Speightstown page or click the link at the bottom.

Holetown

Holetown is located on the west coast of Barbados and, although small, is quite a hive of activity and history. This town is believed to be the first inhabited island, and there is much to see and do. In Holetown (formerly known as St. James Town) in 1627, the first English settlers landed in Barbados.

Every year in February, there is even a weeklong Holetown Festival to commemorate the anniversary of this initial landing and the day Barbados officially became a British Colony.

Holetown has a couple of busy shopping centers, such as the West Coast Mall, Sunset Crest, and Limegrove Lifestyle Centre, which all sell everything from groceries to high-end duty-free items.

Let’s not forget Holetown Beach, behind Surfside Beach Bar and Cocomos restaurant, which is quite a pleasant spot to relax, and there are also some of the island’s best hotels and villas.

For the history buffs amongst you, Holetown is also home to a library and museum, all built on the site of an old historic fort.

For more information, see our page about Holetown and start planning your visit today!

Oistins

Oistins is a historic fishing town on the south coast of Barbados. It may be Barbados’ smallest city, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in character.

Here, you can buy freshly caught fish from the market and pick up some groceries from the supermarket at once.

Oistins is most famous for its nightly and weekend Friday night Fish Frys, where tourists and locals come together to eat delicious freshly cooked fish with macaroni pie, salad, chips, or rice and peas.

Oistins has a big fishing community, with many boats operating out of this complex. You can also feed the turtles at sunset from the jetty.

For more information, check out our Oistins page or click the link at the bottom.

The Crane Village

The Crane Residential Resort has earned its reputation as a leading luxury resort in Barbados; however, many people don’t know that the Crane offers much more than merely luxurious accommodation.

The Crane Village is quickly becoming a popular destination in Barbados.

The uniquely designed Village is nestled amongst the beautifully landscaped Crane Resort and overlooks the Atlantic Ocean so that you can get the whole Crane experience in style.

The Village offers a variety of shopping, dining, and entertainment options, and the best part is that you don’t even need to be a guest of the Crane Resort to enjoy the Crane Village. It’s open to locals and visitors to experience all it offers.

Want to know more? See our Crane Village page for more information.

St. Lawrence Gap

Last but not least is the infamous St. Lawrence Gap – a hive of activity both during the day and at night.

You will find many hotels, guesthouses, and apartments here, just a short stroll from Dover Beach.

Swimming here is usually relatively safe, and plenty of water sports operators and local vendors sell goods, so there’s always something to do, see, or experience.

You will also find convenience stores for all your essential items in The Gap.

At night, The Gap comes alive as the streets are lined with bars and restaurants to keep you entertained until the small hours of the morning.

For more information, see our St. Lawrence Gap page or click the link at the bottom.

Related Articles