Barbados travel agents can be an extremely valuable asset to arrange a nice and memorable tour on this Caribbean island, and provide you with valuable information about where to go, what to see and where to stay.
Barbados is one of the most picturesque islands among the Lesser Antilles. It was discovered by Portuguese sailors in 1536. The island was given the name ‘Los Barbados’, which is translated as ‘bearded’ because of the huge banyan tree with roots, forming a real beard around the trunk. The main attractions of the island are St. James Church, Sugar Museum, Folkestone Park and Marine Museum.
By the time when the development of this piece of land began, the island was uninhabited. The oldest city in Barbados was founded in the early 17th century. At that time the settlers planted vast sugar plantations. Until the middle of the 20th century, rum and sugar production was practically the only growing sector of the local economy. Only at the end of the last century, booming tourism gave additional stimulus to the development of the island. Thus it became one of the most popular resort areas in the Western Hemisphere. The year-round sun and the warm sea, picturesque beaches and beautiful coral reefs, fields and wineries, a variety of historical monuments, the traditional carnival as well as a huge number of cultural events make this island a great destination in the Caribbean Sea.
Also, there are lots of places associated with the heyday of piracy, Bridgetown is the capital of Barbados, the island’s commercial center and one of the major Caribbean ports. This small town with a population of only eighty thousand people is a picturesque place with colonial-style houses, with narrow streets, rum shops and historical monuments. Here one will find the seat of government and the offices of major companies.
The center of the city is Trafalgar Square or Heroes’ Square. It is almost a complete copy of the same name place in London, there is even a statue of Lord Nelson. The square offers a picturesque view of the harbor since water moves right into the city center, and there is a parking lot of many yachts and cruise ships. To the east of the ‘Heroes Square’ one will see a large Anglican Cathedral of St. Michael. The theater, Queen’s Park House, used to be the residence of the commander of British forces. The Gothic building of Parliament of Barbados stands at the beginning of the main street. The main shopping area of the city is Broad Street, which runs from the Heroes’ Square with a series of banks, department stores and duty free shops.
Outside the city, there are also many interesting places, such as the Bayshore shopping mall with a lot of shops and antique shops, a few rum factories, including the well-known Gay-Rum Factory with a small museum of Rum.
Not far from the capital, there is a tiny historic village consisting of six old houses representing various projects, and a few shops with the products of traditional crafts. The original botanical gardens, Flower Forest and Francia Plantation, are considered the most attractive places on the island. Other noteworthy places include the huge terraced garden, a fire tower on Gun Hill, a small military museum and a small canyon. The island is also known for its unique flora and fauna.
Stormy east coast is the most beautiful part of Barbados. High Atlantic tides create good conditions for water sports. The northern part of Barbados is the least visited area of the island. However, the region offers a huge variety of places for recreation and sport activities, and the most popular sights here include Barbados Wildlife Sanctuary, Christ Church, Accra Beach mentioned in numerous legends about pirates, and Sam Lord’s Castle. The west coast of Barbados is also known as the ‘Platinum Coast’. It is the land of bays and sandy beaches.