Bridgetown Voyage Tips and guide

Bridgetown is the capital and only city of Barbados. In 2026 it had a population of 84,700, about half the island's population, and many more commute in. The well-preserved centre is attractive and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main sights in the city are the Careenage (the original harbour around the river) and Garrison Savannah the 18th / 19th-century military area a mile south. Bridgetown is a regular port of call for cruise ships and has good duty-free shopping.

The first English colony on the island was established in 1625 at St James Town seven miles north. The settlement here, from 1628, was initially called Indian Bridge for the structure found crossing the swamp at the river estuary. The colonists set about draining the swamp and found themselves with a better harbour, cultivation land and inland routes than St James Town, so the centre of island affairs shifted here. In 1667 Sir Tobias Bridge arrived as military commander, and it was thought a real smart idea to name the place Bridgetown.

At the centre it has remained, but only for a brief spell 1958-1967 was Bridgetown incorporated as a city. For the rest of its history it has simply been a constituency within the government of Barbados, though with the parliament, political base and big money concentrated here, many islanders might suspect that Bridgetown governs Barbados not the other way round.

13°5′42″N 59°36′36″W

Map of Bridgetown

Barbados Airport (BGI ^IATA) is usually shown on departure boards as Bridgetown but it's 8 miles west in Southern Barbados. Most tourists are bussed straight to their beach hotels and don't arrive via the city.

Cruise ships dock at Bridgetown Harbour a mile north of the centre. A swarm of touts, taxis and minibuses await them but the harbour is walking distance to the centre.

Bridgetown is the hub for the island's cheap and convenient buses. Buses from the south coast and airport arrive at Fairchild Bus Terminal, next to O'Neal Bridge south bank of the river. Buses from the west coast arrive at Cheapside or Princess Alice bus terminals, on the north bank half a mile west of O'Neal Bridge. Almost all bus lines terminate in the city, but there are through services between Oistins to the southeast and Speightstown to the north.

The city centre sights are easy walks. The harbour and Mount Gay rum distillery to the north, and the Garrison Savannah area to the south, are only a mile or so out: but the sun is hot and the roads are busy with poor sidewalks, so take a bus for B$3.50.

• 13.096-59.6141 The Careenage is the sheltered creek that was the island's original harbour, and the natural centre of the early town. The first British found a wooden bridge here built by the Arawaks; they replaced it, and its present incarnation is the pedestrianised Chamberlain Bridge. When the eminent Sir Tobias Bridge arrived as commander of local forces in 1667, shrewd islanders came up with a great new name for what they'd hitherto called "Indian Town". 19th- and 20th-century shipping outgrew the creek and a deep water harbour was built further north, so this area was preserved from later industry. It now houses restaurants, bars and shops, in what used to be warehouses and stores for ship supplies. The north bank carries the busy Wharf Road (traffic nowadays crosses on the O'Neal Bridge), the south bank is pedestrianised and the better for relaxing. Enjoy a rum on the waterfront, and recall that "careenage" means hauling a beached vessel over onto one side to scrape the barnacles off the hull: bottoms up! Things get out of hand if you attempt this manoeuvre with a big steel ship, so in the 19th century, they built Blackwoods Screw Dock, a mechanism for jacking-up and dry-docking vessels. It's now rusty and a bit forlorn but worth a look.
• 13.0978-59.61242 St Michael's Cathedral, St Michael's Row, ☏ +1 246 426 2761. Tu-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 7AM-noon. Rebuilt in 1789 after hurricane damage, and promoted to a cathedral in 1825 when the Anglican Diocese of Barbados was created, it's a pleasant coral-stone structure, highlights include the tower, 17th-century font, stain glass windows, and chapel. Sir Grantley Adams, the island's first Premier, is buried in the graveyard.  (updated Jan 2026)
• Exchange Museum, Spry Street (next to cathedral), ☏ +1 246 227 8148. M-Sa 9AM-5PM. Exhibiting currency and exchange, with sections on the Freemasons and an old classroom. Adult B$20, child B$12. (updated Jan 2026)
• 13.0987-59.61883 St Mary's Church, Suttle St, ☏ +1 246 426 3746. Tu-Sa 10AM-2PM, Su 8-11AM. Anglican church built in 1827 but there's been a church on this site since 1630. The elaborate font was a gift from a Jewish merchant in 1863.  (updated Jan 2026)
• 13.0994-59.61524 Nidhe Israel Synagogue (בית הכנסת נדחי ישראל), Synagogue Lane, ☏ +1 246 436 6869. M-F 9AM-3PM. This was built in 1654, so it's one of the oldest in the Americas. Jewish refugees arrived from Brazil in that era - they knew a lot about sugar production and helped the Barbados cane industry get started. The synagogue was wrecked by a hurricane in 1831, rebuilt, but fell into disuse and was deconsecrated in 1929. It was on the verge of being demolished, but refurbished and services resumed in the late 20th century, though it's now primarily a museum. Excavation in 2008 revealed a 17th-century mikveh or ritual cleansing bath.  (updated Jan 2026)

• Parliament, Broad Street (near Trafalgar Square). Neo-Gothic government buildings, normally open to the public when parliament is in session, but the public gallery and museum are closed for renovation. (updated Jan 2026)
• Broad Street, Swan Street and Cheapside Market are good areas for strolling.
• 13.1036-59.58585 Ilaro Court, Two Mile Hill, Saint Michael, ☏ +1 430 7102. The official residence of the Barbados prime minister is occasionally open as an events venue.  (updated Jan 2026)

• 13.08-59.6076 Garrison Savannah is a historic district a mile south of city centre, transected by Highway 7. In the 18th and 19th century the whole area was a military base, centred on the Savannah, the parade ground and sports fields, which are now the island's racetrack. There are many attractive old buildings here, with the chief sights being the George Washington House and the Barbados Museum east of the highway, and St Ann's Fort and Needham's Point to the west. All the buses and minibuses from Bridgetown towards Oistins and south-side hotels run this way.
• 13.0819-59.60677 George Washington House, Bush Hill, ☏ +1 246 228 5461. Daily 9AM-4PM. The only overseas trip George Washington ever made was to Barbados, in 1751 aged 19, accompanying his older half-brother Lawrence who was seriously ill with tuberculosis. He stayed several weeks in this plantation-style mansion, fell ill himself with smallpox, but recovered to make his mark on history. His observations of Barbados farming methods, social structure and military defences served him well when he returned to Mount Vernon, Virginia. The ground floor is reconstructed to that period, upstairs is an exhibition on island life over the centuries. The house backs onto that archaeologists' delight, a midden: the island's limestone gullies were long used as trash and dung heaps, so there's a rich mixture down there of Arawak fish-bone artefacts, plastic cups, broken buttons, and Washington's poxy poop. Beneath the house in 2011 were discovered tunnels, a star-burst of long, deep channels radiating from the Savannah, built circa 1820. They're said to be for drainage, but they're excessively elaborate for that simple task, up to 17 feet deep and half a mile long - maybe a work-creation Folly for the post-Napoleonic peace? There's a pleasant cafe. Adult $20, child $10.  (updated Jan 2026)
• 13.0834-59.60228 Barbados Museum, Dalkeith Rd, ☏ +1 246 427 0201. M-Sa 9AM-5PM. Housed in the former British Military Prison, this museum covers the emergence from the sea of this coral island, its indigenous peoples, the arrival of Europeans and African slaves, the colonial period, emancipation of the slaves, independence from Britain, and more recent history.  (updated Jan 2026)

• St Ann's Fort: the Garrison area west of the highway remains a military base and is off limits.
• Needham's Point is the tip of land beyond the military base. It has the artillery position of Charles Fort and a lighthouse. It's nowadays within the grounds of the Hilton Hotel but accessible to the public.
• 13.0919-59.58229 Wildey Great House, just south of the city limits off Errol Barrow Highway, is a Georgian mansion built circa 1760. It's nowadays the HQ of Barbados National Trust, no tours.
• Mallalieu Motor Museum is likewise just south of the city limits in Southern Barbados.

• 13.1127-59.62641 Mount Gay Rum, Spring Garden Hwy, ☏ +1 246 227 8862. M-Sa 9:30AM-4:30PM, Su 9:30AM-2PM. The sugarcane is nowadays imported, but the rest of the process of making rum remains local. Distilling is in St Lucy in the north of the island and pricier tours visit there. Basic tour $27.50.  (updated Jan 2026)
• Stade's West Indies Rum Distillery, which makes Malibu liqueur, is a mile north on North Brighton Rd.

• The Shallow Draught is a small boat harbour just north of the cruise liner terminal and south of Mount Gay Distillery. Many boat trips sail from here, for sight-seeing, snorkelling, fishing, partying and so on - operators offer a mix of trips to capture the widest market and adapt to the seasons. Others sail from the Careenage, south or north bank of the river outlet. (Limited parking, so enquire about hotel pick-ups or take a cab.) Operators include Atlantis (below), Tiami, Silver Moon, Cat and the Fiddle, Seaduced, Calabaza, Jolly Roger (below), Eclipse Fishing, Small Cats, Therapy Charters, IOU Charters, Legacy Fishing and Billfisher III.
• Atlantis Submarines, Shallow Draught, ☏ +1 246 436 8929. Dive 150 ft below sea level in a real submarine, with big wide windows to view the marine life, corals and shipwrecks. Morning tours are recommended since the sea gets rougher as the day goes on, but they also do night dives. The standard tour is 45 min, allow two hours as a transfer boat takes you out to the sub. Adult $120, child $60. (updated Jan 2026)
• Scuba diving: the island's scuba shacks are mostly based near sheltered Bridgetown, but will pick up from hotels along the south coast out to Oistins and the west coast up to Speightstown, and from the cruise ship terminal. There's a selection of reefs and wrecks around these coasts, so the programme varies with sea conditions. They all offer basic and specialty training courses, equipment hire, and packages for trained divers. In 2026 typical prices are US$90 for a one-tank dive, $160 for two, with cheaper multi-dive packages. Diving is by small to medium boats, mostly two-tank dives, but from nearby sites they can drop off after a single dive. It's best to call ahead because when a cruise ship is in port, they may get booked out. They include West Side Scuba, Roger's Scuba Shack, G Fish, and Barbados Blue at Hilton Hotel.
• Cricket: 13.105-59.62262 Kensington Oval, President Kennedy Drive, ☏ +1 246 537 1600. West Indies play as a combined team for international games. These are staged across the Caribbean and usually include games here, in a variety of formats. Barbados also plays as a nation in Caribbean tournaments, and Barbados Royals play T20 in the Caribbean Premier League. For tickets see the West Indies Cricket website. The Oval, capacity 30,000, is sometimes used for other sports, rock concerts and so on but is primarily a cricket ground. It hosted its first international in 1895; in 2007 it was extensively redeveloped with the opening of the new "3 W's" stand and Sir Garfield Sobers Pavilion.  (updated Jan 2026)
• Garrison Savannah Racetrack (one mile south of centre on Hwy 7). This is a six-furlong clockwise (right-hand turning) grass track for flat racing, on the former parade ground of the 18th- and 19th-century military base. Notable fixtures are the Barbados Gold Cup (late Feb/early Mar, 8.95 furlongs) and the "Triple Crown" of the Barbados Guineas (mid-April, 7.8 furlongs), Midsummer Creole Classic (early July, 9 furlongs) and Barbados Derby (early Aug, 10 furlongs). (updated Jan 2026)

• Street vendors sell beads, shells and the like on the Careenage next to Independence Arch.
• Savingsplus Supermarket is on St Michael Row, open M-Sa 7AM-7PM.
• Jordan's Supermarket is on Baxter Rd, open M-Sa 8:30-AM-7PM, Su 9AM-2PM.
• Cave Shepherd is a general store at 10 Broad St, open M-Sa 8:30AM-5:30PM.
• Swan Street, a pedestrian mall, has stores selling cheap clothes.

• Mustors is on McGregor St, open 10:30AM-3:30PM.
• Shanti's Rum & Roti is at 1 Tudor St, open M-Th 10AM-6PM, F Sa 10AM-7:30PM.
• Tim's on Broad St is open M-Sa 6AM-4PM.
• Chefette is fast food on Harbour Rd near the bus station, open daily 11AM-10PM.
• Lobster Alive on Bay St is open daily noon-9PM.
• Café à la Mer on Bay St is open daily 8AM-8PM.
• Chattel Kitchen Bar House is at 2 Beckles Rd, corner with Bay St, open M 8AM-5PM, Tu-Sa 8AM-midnight.
• Coffy’s on Bay St is open M-Sa 11AM-9PM.
• Sage Bistro on Upper Bay St is open Tu-Su 8AM-4PM.
• Indian Grill on Upper Bay St is open M-Sa 11AM-4PM.
• Cuz's Fish Stand is on Aquatic Gap next to the Radisson, open Su-F 11:30AM-5:30PM, Sa 9AM-4PM.

• City Bar is on Suttle St.
• Freedom Park Lounge is on Jordan Lane.
• Savvy on the Bay is on Bay St.
• 13.0899-59.60921 Harbour Lights, Marine Villa, Bay Street, ☏ +1 246 436 7225. By day this is a beach-club for cruise passengers and others who don't have a hotel beach. They also have snorkelling trips with the turtles. On W & Th evenings there's a dinner show with steel bands and all the rum you can handle. And Friday evenings it's a nightclub.  (updated Jan 2026)
• Famous Bird Bar is south end of Bay St.

Not much accommodation in Bridgetown, most visitors stay in the beach-strip hotels to the south or along the west coast.

• 13.0823-59.60921 Radisson Aquatica Resort Barbados, Aquatic Gap, ☏ +1 246 426 4000. 4-star hotel, building is tatty and service erratic, but good reviews for location and views.  (updated Jan 2026)
• Island Inn Hotel, Bay St, Aquatic Gap (opposite Radisson), ☏ +1 246 626 6393. Small friendly hotel, in a former 200 year old rum store. (updated Jan 2026)
• 13.079-59.61172 Hilton Barbados, Needham's Point, St Michael, ☏ +1 246 426 0200. Boxy 4-star hotel, wide range of facilities, gets mixed reviews for quality of rooms and services. B&B double $500.  (updated Jan 2026)
• 13.086-59.59753 Sweetfield Manor, Brittons Ridge, Upper Garrison, ☏ +1 246 429 8356. Small upscale hotel, built in the 1900s by a Danish shipping magnate. B&B double $350.  (updated Jan 2026)

• Canada, Erdiston Drive, Bishop's Court Hill, ☏ +1 246 429 3550, [email protected]. This also serves Canadians in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, and Sint Maarten. (updated Jan 2026)
• United Kingdom, Lower Colleymore Rock Road, ☏ +1 246 430 7800. This also serves British citizens in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent & the Grenadines. (updated Jan 2026)
• United States, Wildey Business Park, ☏ +1 246 227 4000. M-F 8AM-4:30PM. This also serves US citizens in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, St Barthélemy, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, French St Martin, and St Vincent & the Grenadines. (updated Jan 2026)
• Other nations represented in town are Guyana, New Zealand and Uruguay. A mile or so south along the beach strip are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, European Union, People's Republic of China, and Venezuela.

• All the island public transport converges on Bridgetown, so you can reach anywhere on the island, though services are infrequent on the less-populated east coast.
• Leaving Barbados means a trip to the airport, unless you've come by cruise ship or your own boat.