Barbados’ long-term links with the UK mean that it is many Brits’ first experience of the Caribbean, with plenty of tourists choosing to return again and again.
The easternmost island in the Caribbean has a lot going for it, not least the giant slice of geographical luck that has given it its magnificent beaches, low-lying hills and enviable tropical climate.
The remarkably laid-back attitude of its locals, who seem to have perfected the art of balancing partying and chilling out, makes Barbados a particularly welcoming country.
Add to this a range of natural sites and atmospheric towns – all easy to explore thanks to the island’s manageable size – and you have a multi-faceted holiday destination that offers more than paradise-like beaches.
Here’s our pick of the best things to do on this intriguing island.
Explore the capital
Bridgetown is Barbados’s characterful capital
(Getty Images)
The island’s capital, Bridgetown, is full of character, from its colourful facades to the buzz of activity on its main boulevards. Broad Street and Swan Street are the two main thoroughfares: good shopping destinations that are filled with gift shops, outlet stores and street food shacks. Alternatively, Baxter Road, locally known as ‘the street that never sleeps’, is an unassuming street of single-room rum shops and small eateries by day, transforming into one giant street party after dark.
The historic part of Bridgetown and its garrison is a Unesco World Heritage site, a still-standing reminder of Barbados’ past links to both colonial and modern Britain. You can learn more about the history of the island through the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, or just head to Carlisle Bay and Pebbles Beach for some relaxed swimming and the opportunity to scuba dive across a series of shipwrecks.
Where to stay
Choose Sweetfield Manor for a comfortable boutique hotel stay near the capital. Located in a 20th-century plantation home, it sits just six minutes away from the city centre by car. It features an attractive lagoon-style pool, its own fusion restaurant, all at an affordable price.
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