St James Holidays

Stretched along Barbados’ west coast, St James is one of the island’s most beautiful tourist regions. It’s a fun, lively area with a mix of laid-back glamour and Caribbean sunshine. The main spot is Holetown, which boasts designer shopping, glossy restaurants and vibrant nightlife. And the action there revolves around the town’s stunning beach.

Holetown Beach is postcard-pretty, with gleaming soft white sands sandwiched by lush palms and azure seas. There are oodles of sunloungers and thatched umbrellas, with charming shack bars along the beach for drinks and snacks. And just a couple of minutes’ drive south is Sandy Lane, a gorgeous sliver of white sand backed by mahogany trees.

St James Parish Church is a little Gothic structure in Holetown – it’s undergone touch-ups since it was built in 1629, but the inscribed stone to King William still remains from the 17th century. A few minutes’ drive out of Holetown is the Lascelles Plantation – it was the first English plantation and today there are three acres of landscaped gardens to explore.

Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados, is just a 15-minute drive away. For a whole history of the island, the Barbados Museum is bang in the middle of town. Then there’s the grand old Parliament Building nearby – the statue of Lord Nelson in front is older than the one in Traflagar Square. The pink façade of the town syngagogue is just a stroll away too.