Karl WP Beyer The Caribbean island of Barbados offers its guests a variety of sights and attractions. There is usually not enough time to complete the given variety during a vacation.
National flag of Barbados - arrived at the destination
Barbados - Sugar Hill Resort
Cruise ship guests who are used to taking excursions on their own find themselves in a tailspin when faced with the abundance of alternatives available. What do they choose? For a stay on one of the attractive beaches, an island tour to the Highlands or, for the obvious, a tour of the island's capital Bridgetown? We think first-time visitors to the island would be well advised to start with Bridgetown.
Bridgetown's cruise port
According to current reports, around 200 cruise ships call at the island of Barbados every year. To accommodate these ship visits, several berths are reserved for cruise ships at the Bridgetown cruise port. Four cruise ships of different sizes at the same time is not unusual. At the exit of the harbor basin, buses and taxis await those passengers who want to discover Barbados on their own. The Welcome Center is also located in the terminal. The distance between the jetties and the city center, two kilometers away, is manageable and can be managed stress-free thanks to the inviting waterfront promenade and the following boardwalk.
Bridgetown - Cruise Terminal
Bridgetown - cruise port
Barbados – population figures
The population of the island was estimated at around 2021 people in 282.000. As for Bridgetown, Wikipedia says it has a population of around 110.000. The number also includes the outskirts of the city. According to hearsay, the actual city center has around 8.000 to 10.000 inhabitants.
Careenage waterfront promenade
From the cruise terminal, the Princess Alice Hwy heads towards the city center. Soon after leaving the cruise terminal, the waterfront promenade begins, which runs parallel to the street. The palm trees, hibiscuses, frangipani and other trees we don't know provide sporadic shade for pedestrians. The path then takes us past commercial properties in the area close to the city that block the view of the fishing port. The beautiful path along the sea is over.
Bridgetown - waterfront path
Bridgetown - frangipani flowers on the riverside path
At the beginning of Wharf Road there is a small harbor basin. At its height we enter a well-kept boardwalk. We follow it past pleasure boats, excursion catamarans and fishing boats towards the center.
Chamberlain Bridge and Independence Arch
At the level of National Heroes Square we cross the Chamberlain Bridge, which dates back to 1872, and first look at the Independence Arch. On both sides of the arch, “The Pledge”, the pledge of loyalty addressed to the citizens, is carved in stone.
Bridgetown - Independence Arch
Bridgetown - The Pledge at Independence Arch
From the archway - we've been on the road for barely more than half an hour - it would only be a few minutes' walk to the start of the fine sandy beach at Carlisle Bay. But we don't want to swim today.
Parliament Buildings and the Anglican Cathedral
We cross the Chamberlain Bridge again, this time towards the city center. We pass the National Heroes Square and shortly afterwards stand in front of the two parliament buildings built in the neo-Gothic style. If you want, you can visit the Museum of Parliament & National Heroes Gallery. However, we are less interested in that; we enjoy more the classical architecture of the parliament buildings.
Bridgetown - Parliament Buildings
Bridgetown - Barbados' Parliament
Our next destination is the Anglican St Michaels Cathedral, about 250 meters away. Officially it is called the “Cathedral Church of Saint Michael and All Angels”.
Bridgetown's cathedral with frangipani tree
Compared to Westminster Abbey in London the building looks like a little church. But a cathedral remains a cathedral. It's a bit dim inside. Above all, we notice a lot of wood, some stained glass windows and an awe-inspiring atmosphere.
Bridgetown - Saint Michael Cathedral - nave
Bridgetown - Cathedral aisle
National Heroes Square
We have to go back to National Heroes Square. Here are the Lord Nelson statue from 1813 or 1815, the details vary, and the monument to national heroes of the past and present. As far as the Nelson statue is concerned, the fact is that this bronze figure of the English naval hero was erected almost 30 years before the much better known statue in Trafalgar Square in London.
Bridgetown - Lord Nelson Monument
Shopping experiences in Bridgetown
This would already tick off the main sights of Bridgetown. We roam the streets for a while. Historical buildings alternate with modern functional buildings. We don't really miss chain stores like the ones we regularly see in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Instead, it is the small shops and businesses that compete for customers here. The fruit dealers make it the easiest. They put their fruit on the street in front of the shop and wait for buyers.
Bridgetown - street vendors
What about the duty-free paradise of Barbados? We'll find out more when we visit Broad and Victoria Streets, Bridgetown's main shopping streets. Banks, department stores and duty-free shops dominate the scene here. And here we find the familiar shop names that also entice people to buy on other Caribbean islands.
Bridgetown - Victoria Street
Cheapside Public Market
Lower Bridgetown is home to the Cheapside Farmers Market. The traders crowd in front of and in the two-story market hall. They sell agricultural products such as sweet potatoes, carrots, peppers, yams, spices and more. Fresh meat and desserts are also sold on the west side of the market building. On the upper floor there are snack stands offering delicious food. A visit to this Caribbean market is highly recommended. Even the Austrian edition of the gourmet magazine “Falstaff” mentions the Cheapside Public Market on its website.
Bridgetown - Public Market
The market is open Monday to Saturday from 7:00am to 17:00pm
Our Conclusion
We come to the end. We saw what we wanted to see. Bridgetown is rustic and worth seeing, not least because the old town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011.
Bridgetown - street scene in the old town
There is still enough time left in the day. We could still visit the city beach at Carlisle Bay or visit other highlights of the island. In the case of Barbados, we are ill-prepared on our initial visit and have no alternative plans at the moment. That won't happen to us on our next visit.
Update September 2024