Itinerary · Barbados
One day in Barbados
A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Barbados, not crossing it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Postdlf, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 7. Day 1: Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison and Kensington Oval. Base yourself in Hastings and Rockley.
Key facts
- Days
- 1
- Sights covered
- 5
- Day trips
- None
- Best base
- Hastings and Rockley
- Book ahead
- Nothing essential
Day by day
Day 1: Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison and Kensington Oval
Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison, Kensington Oval, Carlisle Bay and Mount Gay Rum Visitor Centre, then Oistins Fish Fry in the evening.
Morning
Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison
Start at the Parliament Buildings and the Careenage in the morning, then take a bus or taxi to the Garrison. Allow Half a day.
Late morning
Kensington Oval
International fixtures are announced well ahead; local matches give a more relaxed taste of island cricket. Allow Half a day for a match.
Lunch
Lunch: Flying fish and cou-cou
Local restaurants and lunch spots; Friday cou-cou is a tradition in many places.
Afternoon
Carlisle Bay
Snorkel the wrecks early in the day, before the catamarans arrive. Allow Half a day.
Late afternoon
Mount Gay Rum Visitor Centre
Book a tasting tour in the afternoon after Carlisle Bay, which is a short taxi ride away. Allow 1 hour.
Evening
Oistins Fish Fry
Arrive by about 7pm to eat before the queues peak, then stay for the music.
If it rains
- Swap in Harrison's Cave (St Thomas): Combine it with Hunte's Gardens or Welchman Hall Gully, both nearby in the central parishes.
- Swap in George Washington House (The Garrison): Combine it with the Barbados Museum, a short walk across the Garrison.
- Swap in Barbados Museum and Historical Society (The Garrison): Allow time for the galleries on plantation history, which explain much of the island's story.
Where to stay for this itinerary
$$ · Best for families, first-timers, budget and beach
Hastings and Rockley
South-coast boardwalk, mid-range hotels and Accra Beach
Pace and daylight
The sights in this plan add up to roughly 13–16 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.4 hours in January to 12.9 hours in June.
Getting between stops: Bus. Blue government buses, yellow minibuses and white 'ZR' route taxis all charge the same flat fare and run frequently along the west and south coasts from Bridgetown terminals.
More or fewer days
Questions travellers ask
+Is one day enough in Barbados?
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 7. How many days Barbados needs.