First-time Barbados Itinerary: How to spend 7 days in Barbados

Planning on how to spend 7 days in Barbados on your trip to the Caribbean?
Looking for the best things to include in your Barbados itinerary?

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I visited Barbados in February, to escape winter, taste rum on the Caribbean island, snorkel with turtles, and admire white sandy beaches and blue ocean. This itinerary highlights all the must-do things, for a first-time visitor in “the land of flying fish”.

Find out how I planned my one week in Barbados itinerary below.

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BEST PLACES TO STAY IN BARBADOS:
• Meridian Inn (I stayed here)
• Southern Palms Beach Club (top location on Dover Beach)
• South Gap Hotel (on the beach and close to Gap)
• Sugar Bay Barbados (great location and close to Carlisle Bay)
• OceanBlue Resort (I stayed here)

TOP EXPERIENCES and TOURS IN BARBADOS:
• Turtle and shipwreck snorkeling (my favorite)
• Catamaran cruise with lunch and snorkeling (top-selling tour)
• Harrison Cave tour (I did this)
• Barbados food tour (incredible food tour)
• St. Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway (I did this)

Inside this 7 day Barbados itinerary, you will visit the UNESCO World Heritage site Bridgetown, the best Barbados beaches, and the Seven Wonders of Barbados.

This guide will help you plan your entire Barbados trip. You will cross off bucket list items like swimming with turtles, seeing Rihannas house, indulge in a delicious Fish Fry in Oistins, and learning all about Rum by visiting one of the oldest distilleries. Perfect plan for a tropical island lover looking for warm winter destinations.

I include a detailed travel plan, with places to sleep, recommendations on where to eat, and things to do in Barbados in 7 days. I also suggest itinerary modification and a map.

Now, let’s start planning your perfect Caribbean getaway with this Barbados itinerary.

Barbados travel itinerary

KEY TAKEAWAYS

● Include must-see sights like Harrison’s Cave, Animal Flower Cave, Bathsheba Beach, Dover Beach, Bridgetown, St. Lawrence, Oistins, and Carlisle Bay in your itinerary.

● Plan at least a couple of hours in Bridgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and surroundings. Walk among the colorful houses, visit the yellow George Washington house, pink synagogue, and Garrison Historic Area.

● Spend at least one day in Carlisle Bay and go swim with turtles. You can opt-in and swim to the shipwrecks and turtles alone or sign up for a cruise and snorkel tour.

● Sign up for at least one plantation visit or rum-tasting experience. Choose between St Nicholas Abbey and a ride on a Heritage Railway or go to Mount Gay Rum distillery.

● Indulge in delicious Bajan cuisine, and experience a lively atmosphere at Friday Fish Fry in Oistins, sampling Bajan delicacies like flying fish, cou-cou, and rum punch.

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Barbados itinerary overview

I used this relaxed itinerary for Barbados on my Caribbean holiday. There’s a lot to see on the island and there are some interesting facts about Barbados worth discovering before your trip. You will visit different parts of the island, experience its culture, relax, and enjoy delicious food.

Can I swap around the days? Yes, you can. The itinerary is flexible, and you can mix and match the days as you wish.

Just note that sightseeing comes in two consecutive days, because I rented a car, as some parts of the islands are hard to get to with public transport. Also, some events mentioned happen only on certain days of the week. Like dinner at Harbour Lights is on Wednesday (also on Thursday when I was there), and Oistins Fish Fry is on Fridays. 

For a first-time visit to Barbados, I highly recommend including the same things to do in your Barbados itinerary. You can see all of it even if you can only spend 5 days in Barbados.

You’ll tick off all the major Barbados bucket list items. Like swimming with turtles, tasting rum in a rum distillery, visiting a tropical Caribbean cave, and more pleasant things like taking a photo in front of Rihanna’s house and a catamaran cruise. 

I would recommend booking your hotel in one of the best places to stay Barbados. I stayed on the South Coast, also nicknamed “Fun Coast”. It is close to top things to do, close to Bridgetown and the airport, stunning white sand beaches great for swimming and for nightlife. Have a look at Meridian Inn, Southern Palms Beach Club on Dover Beach, and OceanBlue Resort. 

Now, let’s waste no more time, and let’s get you ready for the dream trip to Barbados!

SHORT BARBADOS 7 DAY ITINERARY OVERVIEW:
Day 0: Getting to Barbados
Day 1: Bridgetown and The Richard Hynes Boardwalk
Day 2: Carlisle Bay and swimming with turtles
Day 3: Road trip around the island: South East to North of the Island
Day 4: Road trip around the island: Inland and North Barbados
Day 5: Day on Miami Beach and Oistins Fish Fry
Day 6: Beach day (I choose Silver Sands)
Day 7: Beach day (I choose Dover Beach) and departure

Detailed 7 days in Barbados itinerary

Day 0: Getting to Barbados

This day is dedicated to getting to Barbados.

I was traveling to Barbados from Slovenia, Europe. In total, I was traveling for 10 days, but only 7 of those days were in Barbados, therefore one-week Barbados itinerary.

The first two days were for getting to Barbados and the last day was flying back to Europe. Make sure to follow easy tips on how to get rid of jet-lag to get the most out of your trip.

My total travel time from Zagreb airport to Barbados was 29h 20min. I was flying British Airways (BA) from Zagreb (ZAG) to London Heathrow (LHR). There I had to change the airport to London Gatwick.

To travel between London airports I used National Express and booked my stay at Hampton by Hilton at London Gatwick Airport. The hotel is an amazing value, has a great location at Gatwick Airport, is quiet, and has breakfast included!

After a good night’s sleep, I boarded a BA flight to Barbados where I landed in the evening hours. I took a bus from the Airport to my Meridian Inn accommodation close to St. Lawrence Gap for $3,5 BBD ($2 US).

So, I’m in Barbados. Now, let’s have a look at what you can do in Barbados in 7 days. 

Day 1: Monday – Bridgetown and The Richard Hynes Boardwalk

As mentioned on Day 0, my flight from London landed at the Grantley Adams International Airport late at night. I took a local bus, checked into my hotel, and called it a day.

On your first day in Barbados, you will visit three of the Seven Wonders of Barbados, explore Barbados’s capital Bridgetown, or “Indian Bridge” as it was originally named, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Barbados beaches.

Begin your day in Barbados with a nice breakfast and a leisurely walk on the beach. I went to a local supermarket, got a takeaway breakfast, and had it on a Dover beach.

After a little bit of soaking up the sun, refill your water bottle as water is safe to drink in Barbados. Then hop on one of those loud and colorful reggae buses towards Bridgetown. A ride with one is an experience on its own. Each bus ride costs $3.5 BBD ($2 US). Pay with cash, preferably with change.

Bridgetown is a lovely Carribean capital city with stunning British colonial architecture and colorful buildings. Plan around 3-4 hours to see all the top things in Bridgetown. Some of them are far from each other but within walking distance.

From the bus stop visit Queen’s Park and more than 1000 years old Ancient Baobab tree. This is one of the Seven wonders of Barbados. Then continue toward the city centre to the The National Heros Square.

Close to it are some banks and a Duty-Free shop with plenty of souvenirs and an affordable food court at the top. Have your passport with you if you are planning to buy something. I bought all of my souvenirs here and rum. You can buy rum here, and then pick it up after security check on the airport before you leave. Win!

Continue exploring the streets of Bridgetown, like visiting pink Jewish Synagogue, before crossing Chamberlain Bridge, and going south towards Carlisle Bay and Garrison. You can also join a guided walking tour.

For lunch stop at Cuzz’s Fish Stand. It is located on the South of the Carlise Bay. I walked there all the way from Bridgetown, but you can also take a bus.

Cuzz’s is where you have to try a fish sandwich. Sandwiches are good, maybe somewhat small (?), but worth the price and extremely delicious. Fish cutter is $13 BBD ($6.5 US | 6€) and a double fish cutter is $19 BBD ( $9.5 US | 9€). An affordable spot for lunch and dinner.

From Cuzz, I visited Bush Hill House or yellow George Washington House ($40 BBD | $20 US | 18€ with an audio guide). It is where the former president of the US lived before taking the role of America’s first president. Warning, there are Barbados green monkeys so don’t get too close to them. They bite!

A short distance from the house is Garrison, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After all the sightseeing, head down to The Richard Hynes Boardwalk. Walk your way on it and admire the Boardwalk Art. Stop at one of the bars for a happy hour rum punch, or have a swim in Rockley Beach or Worthing Beach. All beaches in Barbados are free.

After a pleasant day, indulge in a delicious dinner in St. Lawrence Gap at one of the beachfront restaurants. I opted for a Mexican Cafe Sol and it was delicious.

Where to stay in Barbados:
I stayed in two different places in Barbados, and used the facilities of another one a lot! Do note that some hotels and resorts offer only multi-day stays.
• Meridian Inn, is a budget-friendly guest house close to Dover Beach and St. Lawrence Gap.
• Southern Palms Beach Club has the best price-to-performance with a location on Dover Beach.
• OceanBlue Resort is a bit further out and offers a more secluded, intimate stay.

Day 2: Tuesday – Carlisle Bay and Swimming with turtles

A day to relax on a beautiful white sand beach in Carlisle Bay. This is one of the most well known beaches in Barbados. Carlisle Bay is a secluded bay with calm waters. It is one of the best spots for swimming with turtles and snorkeling above shipwrecks.

Here is where you will find Pebbles Beach and race horces swimming in the morning and Browns Beach with many water activities providers.

Two of the most popular places to spend your day are The Boatyard Beach Club and Savvy On The Bay. They are both beach bars offering loungers, umbrellas, etc.

I spend my day entire day at Savvy On the Bay. I rented a beach lounger and umbrella, and ordered several rum punches, a drink famous all around the Caribbean Islands. I also went on a snorkeling with turtles excursion and had lunch from one of their food trucks.

You don’t have to book a tour to go swim with turtles and shipwrecks. If you are a good swimmer, you can do it on your own. Just follow where all the groups of snorkelers are.

I decided to go on a tour, to see all of it and have a little commentary, since it was my first time in Barbados. Now that I know where the shipwrecks are, I wouldn’t go on a tour again, but just swim there. Also, there are other beaches where you can swim with turtles!

After your turtle swim, there are plenty of other water activities you can do in Carlisle bay. You can rent a paddle board, see the shipwrecks with a kayak, go on a jet-ski or have a surf lesson.

My day ended with a Catamaran cruise at sunset, with a glass of champagne and fruit. I booked it from a booth on the beach so don’t have link for it. Viator is offering this Sunset cruise, but I don’t know if it is the same.

Day 3: Wednesday – Road trip around the island: South East to North of the Island

Rent a car for the next two days. You will be doing a road trip around the island for the next two days of your Barbados itinerary. Having a car makes you more flexible and easier to explore all the hidden gems of Barbados as with public transport.

You can rent a car from various agencies across the island, with prices starting from $40 US per day, depending on the season. Rates may vary, but I would advise you to book your car in advance. When I was there in February the demand for cars was higher than supply so I couldn’t extend my rental and some couldn’t even rent one.

To drive into Barbados, you will need an international license permit and a temporary Barbados driver’s permit. As mentioned, there were too many tourists so the government out of them, so I was allowed to drive around without one.

Don’t forget they drive on the left side of the road in Barbados.

Start your day in the south and then drive up north of the island exploring the rough East side of Barbados.

Start by exploring some hidden and picturesque beaches. From Foul Bay, pink Crane Beach, Shark Hole, and Bottom Bay. Then stop at the two beautiful viewpoints Kitridge Point and Deebles Point before driving up north to surf famous Bathsheeba Beach.

Before getting to Bathsheeba, I stopped at Codrington College. You can get some epic Instagram-worthy photos here and admire some views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Then stop at Andromeda Botanic Gardens, an authentic garden in Bathsheeba with an entrance fee $30 BBD ($15 US | 13.7€). There are 8 acres of tropical plants and trees and Tons of plants and trees. You can also get lunch there as they sell freshly cooked food.

Should I go to Hunte’s Garden or Andromeda? Andromeda is bigger than Hunte’s Garden but it is definitely worth visiting both. 

From there continue your way up north.

Have a short break at Morgan Lewis Windmill, the only intact sugarcane windmill in Barbados. It is also on a list of Seven Wonders of Barbados.

Then drive up even further north to Cove Bay for some stunning views of the Atlantic. You can also skip it and drive directly to Barbados Wildlife Reserve.

Barbados Wildlife Reserve is a somewhat affordable tour $30 BBD ($15 US | 13.7€). You get a ticket and a map and can explore the park on your own. If you don’t see monkeys, which can be vicious, you can visit the park again. Since I got bitten by one in Ubud, Bali, I’m not a fan of them. All in all, I’ve seen animals there, but I believe this place needs some renovation – especially in the bird and reptile section.

Since it is Wednesday, you can now return back to the south for a dinner show at Harbour Lights. You get an all-you-can-eat dinner and show. I didn’t go because I feel the price is a tourist rip-off.

Instead, I drove to Speightstown and had dinner at Fisherman’s Pub with a lovely sunset on the Speightstown Pier. 

Day 4: Thursday – Road trip around the island: Inland and North Barbados

Another day of exploring the beautiful Caribbean Island of Barbados. Today you will explore the inland of Barbados and the northern tip.

Before going inland, first drive to the north of Bridgetown, on Rihanna Drive, and stop by Rihanna’s Childhood Home. Take some photos and then continue the drive to Harrison Cave, or don’t.

Harrison Cave is located almost in the center of the island. A lot of Barbados is made up of a karst landscape, and coming from a country with a lot of karst, I was looking forward to seeing a tropical cave. Sadly I wasn’t impressed but rather disappointed. Basically, the only thing I liked was the warm air inside the cave, meaning you can wear shorts.

The basic cave tour costs $114 BBD ($57 US | 52.5€) and lasts around 1 hour and the ticket also includes Bird Aviary. The tour starts with a video of the sites of Barbados and another about the geology of the island.

Then you get a helmet and spend the whole time on the tram. You are only allowed to get of the tram twice for a couple of photos. There are stalactites and stalagmites formations in the cave.

This tram tour is nothing compared to the much better Postojna cave tour in Slovenia. There you will also ride a train in the cave and walk. The whole Postojna cave tour covers 5 km (out of 24 km long cave system), and only 3.5km are on the train. The cost of the Postojna cave tour is 29,90 € ($32.5 US).

In my opinion, the entrance fee to Harrison’s Cave is way overpriced and a tourist trap.

f you never visited a cave, go for it. But if you visited any other cave, then I do not recommend it and would avoid it as there are better things to do in Barbados. You can swap it for a visit to Hunte’s Garden. 

Then drive up north to St. Nicholas Abbey, another Seven Wonder of Barbados. It is one of the oldest plantations in the Caribbean and Barbados, dating back to 1658.

Before getting there, stop at the top of Cherry Hill for a photo of the Barbados East coast in inland.

The tour of this more than 350-years old functioning rum distillery is well worth it. It includes the Great House, gardens, factory, distillery, and rum tasting. I loved the tour and was lucky enough to meet both of the owners, Anna and Larry Warren.

This is one of the must do things to put in your itinerary for Barbados. Ticket to the stunning Jacobean-style mansion house cost $66 BBD ($33 US | 30€), same for the Railway only. Combo ticket costs $120 BBD ($60 US | 55€). I only did the Great House tour.

Continue further up north to Mount Gay rum distillery. Taste the rum from the world’s oldest commercial rum distillery, with origins in 1703, and discover why Barbados is considered the birthplace of rum.

If you want to tour Mount Gays distillery experience with rum tasting, make sure to book your tour in advance, as they sell out quickly.

If they are not available, you can still go to a Mount Gay Visitor Centre in Bridgetown for a rum-tasting experience.

Your last stop of the day will be to the top north of Barbados, the Animal Flower Cave.

Those are naturally formed caves under the cliffs, that smugglers used as a shelter and hiding spot. The name comes from the tiny sea anemones or “animal flowers” as Barbadians call them. They can be found in the shallow cave pools attached to the stones.

The entrance fee is $40 BBD ($20 US | 18€). I think half of it would be the appropriate amount for it, but I’ve found that most places in Barbados are overpriced. Anyway, I liked the cave and I believe it deserves a spot in 1 week in Barbados itinerary and as one of the things to do in Barbados.

The guide will take you down the steps to the cave. In a cave, you will walk around and swim in pools. So bring your swimsuit. Stones can be slippery so mind your step. I was afraid that the water would be cold, but it was just the right temperature.

After the cave tour, you can stop in the Cave restaurant for a lunch or snack.

Finish your day with a nice dinner at a local Buffy’s Bar in Oistins. This is like a local mini bar and dining spot with an adjoining mini-mart. The food was delicious, a portion was too big for me and they make great and strong rum punches!

Day 5: Friday – Day on Miami Beach/Enterprise Beach and Oistins Fish Fry

After two intense sightseeing day, it is time for a relaxing finish of this Barbados 7-day itinerary. For the next three days you will be relaxing on different beaches in Barbados. Today, spend a relaxing day on Miami Beach or Enterprise Beach and finish it with Oistins Fish Fry.

Miami Beach or Enterprise Beach is within walking distance to Oistins and is easily accessible by bus. To get from Silver Sands to Oistins use bus number 13.

The beach is free to use. There are two sides to Miami Beach. One bay is calmer and great for floating in the water and swimming. The other side is bigger and where you can have some fun in the waves. You can also spot sea turtles here.

At Enterprise Beach there is tree shade, small shops selling fish cakes, you can rent a lounge chair, or do some workout.

After some beach night prepare for a fun night in Oistins. On Friday nights the whole island gathers in this little fisherman village for a famous Oistins Fish Fry. I would advise you to come in early, around 5.30 pm or 6 pm, to get a table.

You can choose between various food stalls and seafood dishes.

You can choose between marlin, tuna, shrimp, lobster, mahi mahi, and others. They will be served with sides like coleslaw, potato, or rice. Expect to pay from $25 BBD ($12.5 US | 11.5€) per portion. Pair it with a soft drink, local Bajan bear Banks, or rum punch. Bring cash, as not many stalls take credit cards.

When I was there, there was a stage with some dancers, street artists, stools selling crafts, local musicians, locals in traditional customs, and more.

Day 6: Saturday – Beach day (I choose Silver Sands)

A day dedicated to relaxing and swimming in the Caribbean Sea.

Barbados has more than 80 stunning white sand beaches, so pick one or two and spend your day there.

Not all beaches are suitable for swimming in Barbados though. The ones in the East are better for surfing, the ones in the West are considered swimming beaches, and the ones in the South have a little bit of both.

During my time in Barbados, usually, the beaches on the West coast of the Island were to rough to swim, so I stayed on the south. I’ve spent my day on Silver Sands Beach and had a light bite at Surfers Bay.

Since this is your last night in Barbados, treat yourself to a nice meal in the Caribbean restaurant Pureocean on Dover Beach in St. Lawrence Gap. They have beautiful oceanfront dining.

To get from Silver Sands to St. Lawrence Gap use bus number 13.

I ordered a catch of the day with some amazing margaritas. But besides the front row table and stunning sunset, the best thing was turtle hatching. They were just coming out of the sand in front of the restaurant.

I visited Barbados in February, which is one of the best times to visit Barbados. But while we waited for the lady from the Turtle Hotline to arrive, I got bitten by millions of sandflies (so bring your deet!). If you look at the photos taken the next day, you can see the red color on my legs from all the bites.

All sea turtle species are protected by law in Barbados.

You can find green turtles, hawksbill turtles, Leatherbacks, and others in Barbados. And no, you should not touch turtles, in the sea or on land, to not transmit any harmful bacteria from human hands. At night, never use flash photography or light, to not disorient turtles or hatchlighs.

There is The Barbados Sea Turtle Project that operates a 24-hour a day. If you notice a turtle nest and hatchlighs report it to a Turtle Hotline on (246) 230-0142.

When the volunteer from the Barbados Sea Turtle Project (BSTP) finally arrived, the turtles were multiplying by the second. We didn’t want to interfere but the hatchlings were traveling inland – towards the light – and not towards the sea.

The volunteer then decided to rescue them, pick them up, and release them on a darker section of the beach, where they would be able to walk into the sea.

With seeing this, my Barbados holiday was complete!

Day 7: Sunday – Beach day (I choose Dover Beach) and departure

Pack your bags and spend your last day relaxing on a beach.

My last day in Barbados was Sunday. I had a late evening flight back to London, so I decided to spend the whole day relaxing on Dover Beach.

I was tempted by the gospel breakfast at the Crane Resort, but I was too late with my booking and the guest quota was already full. The Crane is the oldest running hotel in the Caribbean, next to the famous pink Crane Beach.

Sundays in Barbados are dedicated to families. Therefore, many shops will be closed and activities won’t operate on Sunday. Plan accordingly and stock up your snacks the day before.

Dover Beach is one of the best swimming beaches in Barbados and is also great for snorkeling. Plus, I saw turtle haching here last night. I rented an umbrella and beach chair from Southern Palms Beach Club ($15 BBD) and spend a relaxing day there.

Opt in for one more rum punch, before saying goodbye to this Caribbean paradise.

Fully filled with memories, adventures, and experiences a grab a taxi to get to the airport. I was only traveling with my carry-on so I used a local bus 3B.

MAP of itinerary for Barbados

Possible Barbados travel itinerary alterations

Shared 7 days in Barbados itinerary is the exact version of the itinerary I used while on this beautiful Caribbean island.

It has active days but also days to relax. Now, I understand not everyone wants the same from their Barbados vacation. You might be visiting Barbados with a cruise ship, spend more or less time on the island, and visit at different times of the year. Therefore flexibility is key.

Below, I offer some more Barbados itinerary ideas on how you can adjust and customize your trip to fit your needs.

Travel itinerary for less than 1 week in Barbados

If you don’t have a full week to spend and are wondering “How many days you need in Barbados?”, I would suggest spending at least 5 days in Barbados, to get a good feel of the island.

You can use my itinerary and still see all the major sites in Barbados in 5 days. Skip the last two beach days or sign up for a Barbados 360 tour, and get an overview of an island in a day.

If you only have a day in Barbados, I would split it between Bridgetown and swimming with turtles in Carlisle Bay.

For 2 days in Barbados, I would have a day mentioned above and the second day to explore the island. I would go with a 360 day tour, or choose one of the tours that include St. Nikolas Abbey sugar plantation and distillery. With Barbados Wildlife Reserve, Harrison’s Cave or Hunte’s Garden.

Travel itinerary for more than 1 week in Barbados

It is always nice to have extra days in your travel itinerary. You can include more beach time, spread out your sightseeing, or add more water activities like snorkeling or surfing.

For 10 days in Barbados itinerary, I would include more days on the West Coast beaches, which were sadly too rough to swim when I was there. I would add a visit to Barbados chocolate factory Agapey and go on a Mount Gay Rum Tasting.

If you are planning an itinerary for 2 weeks in Barbados, you can add more time to enjoy the best swimming beaches in Barbados, spread out your sightseeing or you can stay in multiple locations. This would work great if planning a Barbados honeymoon itinerary. Spend a couple of days relaxing in a nice resort, like the luxurious 5-star Fairmont Royal Pavilion or the Crane Resort.

Now that you have a better idea of your Barbados itinerary, check out other Barbados travel guides to find out how to get to Barbados, the best things to do, the best swimming beaches, are there sharks, are there monekys, where to stay, and how Barbados compares to Zanzibar and Seychelles.

FAQ about travel itinerary for Barbados

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