Bridgetown Holidays

A covers all corners capital

You’ll find Bridgetown – Barbados’ capital – on the southwest coast of the island, centred on a good-looking bay. The city’s a cheerfully colourful clash of old and new, and lines up vibrant bistros, a 135-year-old cricket oval, and a treasure trove of duty-free shopping. Make a beeline for downtown, and you’ll come across the area known as ‘Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison’ – a UNESCO World Heritage Site which dates back to the 17th century.

City beaches

Bridgetown’s resident sweep of powder-soft white sand is formed by three beaches – Pebbles Beach, Bayshore Beach and Brownes Beach. They’ve made themselves at home in Carlisle Bay, stretching end-to-end for just over a kilometre. All three flaunt gently shelving sand, gin-clear shallows and calm waves as their calling cards, so the bay‘s a top spot for snorkelling and stand-up paddle-boarding.

A rum deal

Barbados is the birthplace of the world’s oldest existing brand of rum – Mount Gay – and Bridgetown is represented by the red star on the bottle’s iconic label. In actual fact, the distilleries are dotted around the northern part of the island, but the capital city’s home to the visitors’ centre. The centre explores the history of the spirit, and runs guided tours to explain the production process – as well as handing out tasters of rum punch.