Sightseeing 88
Sightseeing Barbados’ gently rolling landscape and magnificent scenery make the island a real treat to explore. Hiring a car is an excellent idea as this allows you to travel around at your own pace. You will find the foldout Digicel Road Map which is provided with this publication very useful for selecting and finding the major attractions.
Touring the West and North of the Island Holetown, in the parish of St. James, is the site where John Powell landed in 1625 to claim Barbados in the name of England’s King James. Nowadays it is a busy area of hotels, exquisite restaurants, trendy bars and irresistible shops. The main shopping area lies between Sunset Mall and the exquisite, new Limegrove Complex. Just north of Holetown is the Folkestone Marine Museum & Visitor’s Centre, an underwater park and sanctuary providing the perfect fun-filled day for young visitors, including the opportunity to snorkel at the Marine Reserve (snorkeling equipment available for rent at the visitor’s centre). Continuing north into St. Peter, make a stop at The Shell Gallery, just off Highway 1 in the Gibbes area. They have an abundance of shells from around the world and many other shell related gift items for the shell enthusiast. A short distance along the coast is Mullins Bay – an ideal spot for a swim and a bite to eat at Mullins Beach Bar & Restaurant. As you head further north you’ll come to Speightstown, once a fort and thriving port, today it is more a fishing port and commercial centre though much of the 19th century architecture and charm still remains. Be sure to visit Arlington House Museum which gives an interesting glimpse into the history of Speightstown. The Gallery of Caribbean Art, housed in the Northern Business Centre, is also a worthwhile stop for all art lovers. It features a wonderful collection of works from Barbados, Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad and the rest of the region. As you continue north along the coast, past the exclusive Port St. Charles Marina, you’ll go through the quaint little fishing village known as Six Men’s which has produced some of the island’s most skilled boat builders. Interestingly, during the 19th century, whalers set sail from this area – today, fishermen still bring their fresh catches