The West Coast, with many bays and bays, is washed by the calm waters of the Caribbean Sea, it is here that the most popular resorts of the island and most of the high-class hotels are located. In the southern part of this coast is the capital of the country – the city of Bridgetown . Bridgetown is located in Saint Michael County on the shores of Carlisle Bay along the Constitution River Delta. Almost half of the country’s population lives in the city and its environs. According to TOP-MEDICAL-SCHOOLS, the name of the country’s capital is translated as “bridge city”. And in fact, the two parts of the city, which stretch on both sides of the Constitution River, are connected by two bridges: the Chamberlain Bridge and the Charles O’Neal Bridge, the first being built back in 1872. Main Attractions Bridgetown is located on the north side of the Constitution River Delta. The centerpiece here is Heroes’ Square, which until 1999 was called Trafalgar Square. Heroes’ Square is a copy of the square of the same name in London. Here you can see the statue of Lord Nelson, which was installed in Bridgetown earlier than on London’s Trafalgar Square – in 1813. Also in 1861, a Fountain was installed in Heroes’ Square – a gift to Bridgetown from merchant John Montefiore. In the vicinity of the square are the Harford-Chambers Attorney’s Office, St. Michael’s Anglican Cathedral, the Central Bank Building and the Houses of Parliament. Parliament of Barbados was established in 1639 and is thus the third oldest such structure in the Commonwealth of Nations. From the Houses of Parliament to the west stretches the main street of Bridgetown – Broad Street. It contains the main shopping areas of the city with many souvenir shops, shopping centers and duty-free shops. The street is always crowded, crowds of tourists scurry about here. To the east of the Heroes’ Square, the Royal Park is interesting, in which a baobab grows over 1000 years old and 18 m in diameter, and to the north – a synagogue, which was built here back in 1654, and later (in 1833) was rebuilt. It is also worth visiting the southern part of Bridgetown, where there is a whole open-air museum – the Garrison Barracks 17th century. On the territory of the barracks, the systems of English fortifications and a collection of English artillery pieces of the 17th century are well preserved, the oldest of which was cast in 1620. A little to the east stands the building of the Museum of Barbados . The museum is known for its rich historical collection, which tells about the geological history of the island and the history of its settlement. Here you can see collections of 18th century furniture that adorned the homes of planters, collections of ancient maps of the island, and a library that contains rare materials about the West Indies dating back to the 17th century. The George Washington House, restored in 2006, is located in the southern part of Bridgetown. Before becoming President of the United States, George Washington visited the Barbados and lived in this mansion for about 2 months. Furniture of those times, household items and unusual things of the second half of the 19th century have been preserved here.
In the vicinity of Bridgetown, such popular beach areas as Brandons, Butts Rock and Fitts Village stretched . The sea here is calm, as on the entire western coast, and the beaches are composed of white coral sand and surrounded by palm groves.
In the immediate vicinity of Bridgetown, just north of the city, the historical village of Tyrol Kot is interesting.. Opposite it stands the house where the country’s first prime minister, Grantley Adams, lived. This building was built in 1854. The village itself tells about the way of life of the local population, it also presents products of local artisans. The village has a traditional rum shop and a small gift shop. Not far from here, in the vicinity of Butts Rock Beach, there are LazarettoGardens with tropical plants and flowers. Also to the north of the capital it is worth visiting rum factories, for example Gay Rum Factory, where you can learn about the history of the appearance of this drink, get acquainted with the technology of its production and taste the best varieties.
North of Bridgetown on the west coast of Barbados the most ancient city of the island is located – Holetown. It was here at the beginning of the 17th century that the first English settlement was founded and the first cult object of the island was installed – the Church of St. James, which has survived to this day. The church still contains an old bell with the inscription: “God save King William, 1696”. Another attraction of the city is the vast Folkestone Underwater Park.. The park covers one of the most picturesque reefs, which was formed at the site of the wreck of the Stavronikita ship, which sank in 1976 at a depth of 37 m. Diving enthusiasts can dive to the ship, but due to the depth at which it lies, only experienced divers are allowed to dive. In addition, the Maritime Museum has been opened in Folkestone Park, where the inhabitants of the Caribbean Sea and collections of photographs of the underwater world are presented, and a beautiful sandy beach stretches on its territory.
Holetown, like Bridgetown, is surrounded by beach areas. Just south of the city lies the Sandy Lane recreation area, which has formed around the upscale hotel of the same name. World celebrities, heads of states and governments rest here. Beach adjacent to Sandy Lane Pines Bay.
East of Holetown, it is worth visiting the Sir Frank Houston Sugar Museum, which introduces the tradition of sugar production, dating back to the beginning of the 18th century. If you go even further north from Holetown, then you will find yourself in the second largest city in the country – Speightstown. In the city itself, of the sights, only the remains of the numerous forts that once protected the harbor have survived. People come to Speightstown mainly to relax in the silence of non-sandy beaches, the most famous of which is Mullins Beach , or to dive to coral reefs and shipwrecks.