Shopping · Barbados
Shopping in Barbados
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Pontificalibus, CC0
Quick answer
Shopping is mostly in Bridgetown and Holetown, with duty-free jewellery and watches, local rum and crafts. VAT applies, but visitors can buy some goods duty-free with a passport and onward ticket. Best souvenirs: Barbados rum, Pepper sauce and Local pottery.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 3
- Markets
- 1
- Top souvenir
- Barbados rum
Where to shop
Broad Street, Bridgetown
The capital's main shopping street, with department stores and duty-free jewellery and watches.
Limegrove Lifestyle Centre, Holetown
An upscale mall with international brands, restaurants and a cinema.
Chattel Village, Holetown
Brightly painted wooden 'chattel houses' turned into craft and souvenir shops.
Markets
Cheapside Market, Bridgetown
A local market for fresh fruit, vegetables and spices, busiest on Saturday mornings.
What to buy
Barbados rum
Bottles from Mount Gay, Foursquare and St Nicholas Abbey, including aged blends rarely found abroad.
Pepper sauce
Bottled Bajan pepper sauce is a popular take-home gift.
Local pottery
Hand-thrown pottery from the island's studios, including those in the Chalky Mount area.
Chattel-house crafts
Hand-painted miniature chattel houses and island prints from the craft shops of Holetown and Bridgetown.
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Fish cakes and bakes, Cutters, Bajan pepper sauce and Conkies. Snackettes, beach bars and roadside vendors across the island. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Holetown and the Platinum Coast | $$$$ | Calm west-coast beaches, upscale hotels and the restaurants of Limegrove and First and Second Street |
| Bridgetown | $$ | The capital's harbour, Parliament Buildings and Broad Street shops |
| Hastings and Rockley | $$ | South-coast boardwalk, mid-range hotels and Accra Beach |
| St Lawrence Gap and Dover | $$ | The island's main strip of bars, restaurants and live music on the south coast |
| Oistins and Maxwell | $$ | Fishing town of the Friday fish fry with quieter beach hotels nearby |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in BBD. Many restaurants add a service charge of about 10%. Where none is included, 10–15% is usual. Tip taxi drivers, tour guides and housekeeping a few dollars for good service.
- Beachwear belongs on the beach; cover up in shops, towns and restaurants.
- Eat at Oistins, rum shops and lunch counters for local prices.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in September; the busiest months are December–March.
- February: Holetown Festival — celebrating the 1627 English settlement (usually mid-February)
- April: Oistins Fish Festival (usually Easter weekend)
- November: National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (through November)
- December: Christmas Day and Boxing Day celebrations
Staying near the shops
$$ · Best for culture, shopping and budget
Bridgetown
The capital's harbour, Parliament Buildings and Broad Street shops
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Barbados?
Barbados rum, Pepper sauce, Local pottery and Chattel-house crafts.
+Where is the best shopping in Barbados?
Broad Street, Bridgetown: The capital's main shopping street, with department stores and duty-free jewellery and watches.
+What are the best markets in Barbados?
Cheapside Market, Bridgetown.