Port in Focus: Bridgetown, Barbados

Barbados is your archetypal Caribbean retreat that has long been a winter escape for sun-starved Brits looking for winter sunshine, so it is no surprise that it has become a popular cruise spot.

While this island, nicknamed Little England, may be famous for its beaches, there is more to it than that. The pretty countryside is dotted with old plantation houses and traditional English-style churches that hark back to the colonial era when it came under British rule.

An island tour will take you past the glitzy celebrity hotels of the so-called Platinum Coast before cutting inland through the hilly Scotland district to Cherry Tree Hill, one of the highest points on the island and boasting a fabulous vantage point of the untamed east coast where Atlantic rollers crash onto the shore.

Look out for the distinctive, huge boulders of Bathsheba and shallow inshore pools that offer a respite from the strong currents and riptides which make this coast a no-go area for swimmers.

Barbados’s most popular attraction is Harrison’s Cave, a huge crystallised limestone cavern full of stalactites and stalagmites that visitors ride through on a tram. It is well worth doing, but also soak up the islands tropical surroundings on a walk through tranquil Welchman Hall Gully where the famous Barbados Green Monkeys scamper around looking for snacks.

The ruins of Farley Hill, one of Barbados’s greatest plantation houses until it was destroyed by fire in 1965, is another colonial remnant along with the restored Grenade Hall Forest and Signal Station, which has spectacular views across the island.

The capital Bridgetown is a lively, cosmopolitan hub with some of the best shopping in the Caribbean (though we aren’t talking Oxford Street here!) and ships moor up at the cruise terminal, a mile away – a short taxi ride, or if you are feeling energetic, a 20-minute walk.

Top Tip

The closest beaches to the cruise terminal are Brandon and Brighton beach, half a mile away, while the more expansive Carlisle Bay Beach is three miles away.