Things to do in St. Michael & Bridgetown

Over the road from the Parliament Buildings in the middle of Bridgetown, this used to be known as Trafalgar Square before the name was changed in 1999. The plaza has a monument to Lord Nelson (who visited Barbados in 1805) and a Dolphin Fountain to celebrate running water in Barbados. There’s also a war memorial to commemorate Barbadians who fought in the World Wars – a Remembrance Day service is held here each year.

Looking over the National Heroes Square, these gothic limestone buildings house one of the oldest parliaments in the British commonwealth. Stained glass windows in the East Wing show British monarchs including James I and Queen Victoria. In the West Wing, you’ll find the Barbados Museum of Parloament and National Heroes Gallery. The grand Parliament Clock here is over 130 years old.

Drive 20 minutes or so east into Saint George and up at the top spot is the Gun Hill Signal Station. It was used as a lookout point back in the day, to warn of incoming ships or rebellions. These days it’s accessed via a winding path through tropical gardens, and from the top you’re rewarded with incredible views back over Bridgetown and all over the rest of the island.

When British settlers came here in the 17th century, there was hardly anything but for a wooden bridge made by the Tainos who originally inhabited the island (incidentally, this is where the name Bridgetown stems from). A new bridge was built, and the area began to be known as The Careenage after the way ships were turned on their sides to be cleaned and repaired. Traders would dock their ships here back in the day, but now you’ll find a modern marina with private boats and yachts, as well as an esplanade where you can nab a bench and watch the world sail by.

Having first been built in 1641, the Anglican Cathedral of St. Michael and All Angels was rebuilt in 1784 after a hurricane destroyed the original structure. This red rooved, white stone building has an arched ceiling above the alter, resembling the inside of a boat, and the north, south and west galleries feature beautiful glass windows. A number of historically important Barbadians are buried in the graveyard here, including former Prime Minister Grantley Adams.

The Emancipation Statue was created by famous Bajan sculptor Karl Broodhagen and shows a slave with raised hands and broken chains. It’s widely thought that the statue is of Bussa, an African slave helped lead the slave rebellion and one of Barbados’ National Heroes. These days, Emancipation Day is a national holiday celebrated on the first of August. You’ll find the statue on the roundabout where Errol Barrow Highway crosses with Two Mile Hill.

Range of tours (from $15 USD to $70 USD last time we checked): Signature Rum Tour, Super Premium Tasting Tour, Cocktail Tour, Rum & Food Tour, Bajan Buffet Lunch Tour. Learn about the history of the rum in the Legacy Museum and how it’s crafted in the production hall.

Now a fully restored UNESCO Heritage Site, the Jewish Synagogue was one of the first consecrated temples in the Western Hemisphere. Its museum tells of the role of Barbadian Jews in island life, and shows an original Mikvah which was discovered in an archaeological dig in 2008.

The story begins in 1882 when the Pickwick Cricket Club leased land from the Kensington Plantation to set up a ground and clubhouse. The Oval has grown hugely over the years, now covering over a dozen acres with a capacity of eleven thousand.

This restored plantation house from the 18th century was the first and only place George Washington visited outside of North America. He stayed here in 1751, before he became the first president of the US. It was later used by the British military, and is now UNESCO heritage site for its role in the historic garrison. The ground floor has period furnishings very much like the ones Washington would have experienced and a museum on the upper floor shows what Barbados life was like in the 18th and 19th centuries.