The sky is clear and the sun is shining. Is there a better way to start off the weekend in beautiful Barbados? The answer is yes—and it happens when I am handed a rum punch upon entering the Radisson Aquatica Beach Resort.
Get ready to unwind by lounging poolside or walking along the beach, both steps away from the hotel doors. The smell of dinner cooking from the hotel’s restaurant sitting on the water’s edge will waft down the beach and have your stomach rumbling. This is the beginning of a weekend full of food and drinks. It is the fifth annual Food, Wine and Rum Festival. Are you ready to dig in?
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But first, a little history on the small island. The first stop is at the Barbados Museum and Historical Society. Located in the former British Military Prison, the almost two-century-year-old buildings hold collected and documented evidence of Barbados’ cultural, historical and environmental heritage. I learn how the island rose out of slave trade and of the influence British colonies have had on the 300,000 people who live here.
The inspiring stories help to appreciate the true beauty Barbados holds. And the beauty is everywhere!
As I look out the window of the car driven by my tour guide, I see water as blue as the sky and plants as vibrant as photos make them out to be. I am taking a tour of the entire island of Barbados in one afternoon—yes, it only takes one afternoon! Barbados is divided into eight main villages, each distinct in history, entertainment and plantation.
Bridgetown is the most commercial, with a variety of tourist shops and vendors selling everything you can imagine. I pick up some much needed sunscreen I forgot to bring! As we travel north, Speightstown and Holetown offer more shops, art galleries and historical monuments. Holetown is location of the first settlement in Barbados—and also where I’m told Rihanna likes to stay when she visits!
As we approach the east coast, the weather and the plantation begin to change. Waves crash against the rocky shore, a total 180 degress from the calm blue waters I saw out my hotel window in the morning. Sugar cane is everywhere and I start to get excited about the upcoming stop at St. Nicholas Abbey Great House and Distillery.
Barbados is proud to be the birthplace of rum—one of the oldest distilled spirits in the world! St. Nicholas Abbey, located up in the hills of St. Peter, features 400 acres of sugar cane, tropical forest and buildings for rum production. The living quarters on the property are the oldest I have ever stepped into. The Great House was built in 1658 by Colonel Benjamin Berringer and features Jacobean architecture, making it one of only three Jacobean mansions remaining in the Western Hemisphere.
The distillery preserves the traditional methods used to produce rum in Barbados. St. Nicholas Abbey takes pride in its use of a traditional recipe, the freshest cane, pot still distillation and its process of barrelling and bottling. The complimentary drink I sip as I tour the grounds tastes of long-standing tradition.
I was able to try a lot of Barbadian rums during the Food, Wine and Rum Festival on the island. The rum seminar with Chesterfield Browne provided a taste test of five varieties of Mount Gay Rum, Barbados’ oldest distillery. As the International Brand Ambassador and Mixologist for Mount Gay Distilleries, Browne is passionate about helping you discover the different aromas and flavours in every sip. He is also excited to share the history of rum on the island. Dating back to 1627, British colonists would cultivate sugar cane and Barbados quickly became a sugar-based economy. The production of rum flourished as the sugar cane by-product of molasses was readily available. Today, rum holds medicinal, spiritual, psychological and social value. There are an estimated 1,000 rum shops across the 166 square-miles making up the island. A good drink is never far away!
Now, it would not be a food festival without a few tastes of Barbadian classics—bring on the flying fish and poached chicken. Marcus Samuelsson had me drooling at his cooking demo. The Jolly Roger served more seafood while we danced the balmy night away on a boat sailing the Caribbean Sea.
Although the boat offered a breathtaking look of the Barbadian coastline at night, the Late Night Supersonic event took the award for best view.
Inside the Concorde Museum, music was jamming and lights were flashing. Asian and Indian dishes, seafood and a Bajan carvery helped fuel the party under one of the world’s only Concorde jets!
The British Airways Concorde G-BOAE was the first supersonic, passenger-carrying commercial airplane. The turbojet-powered aircraft would fly passengers from London, England and Paris, France to Barbados in half the time of a regular commercial plane. It was speedy and it was luxurious!
Although the Late Night Supersonic event was one of the best parties I have ever been to, an honourable mention must be made to my night out in Oistins.
Featuring a hustle and bustle of young locals and tourists alike, Oistins is THE place to go for traditional Barbadian food and fun on a Friday night. Flying fish were flung through the air with chips and coleslaw on the side. I sat down to a plate full of mahi-mahi and ate every last bite. Luckily, Oistins also caters to some activity to work off the food you eat. You can take a walk along the stalls selling souvenirs or get your groove on by a big bandstand with live music playing on weekend nights.
Barbados offers a magical setting combining all of my favourite things: A peaceful, relaxing environment, beautiful views, delicious food and warm smiles from everyone you meet.
I can’t wait to one day return to this deliciously charming island!
