Barbados days are definitely taken at a slower pace. No one rushes and easing into this mindset is the best way to experience the island. Calypso and steel bands, rum punch, and cricket played on every spare patch of ground provide the cultural backdrop to walking, whilst the people of Barbados, known as Bajans, are both welcoming and friendly.
With a climate that varies little throughout the year, thanks in part to the cooling trade winds, the exotic island of Barbados with its white, palm fringed beaches, old plantation houses, botanical gardens and relatively unspoiled interior is one of the jewels of the Caribbean.
You’ll enjoy relaxed walks exploring villages, walking the rugged coastline and golden beaches in the north and east of the island and in the central highlands, with its rolling hills and gullies, you’ll also find fascinating flora and fauna. Remember to keep an eye open for the green monkeys and migratory birds.
Heritage visits include walking tours, the islands lively capital, Bridgetown and the Garrison area with its fascinating fort. On other days you spend your time visiting old plantation houses, sugar mills and the Botanical Gardens for which Barbados is famous.
Being an ex British colony, gaining republic status and severing ties with the British crown in 2021, much of the island’s heritage is inherited from colonial times. You’ll discover how the parishes, place names as well as forts and grand houses all have a very familiar feel. The holiday is based at a small, beach-side hotel complex at Worthing, on the south west coast of the island, with its own pool and large terrace for sun-downers.