This city (pop. 133,000) has a compact, walkable downtown that is surrounded by a sprawl of wooden gingerbread chattel houses. Although discovered by the Portuguese, Barbados was under British sovereignty until 1966. this is strongly reflected in the old capital of Bridgetown which has a decidedly English character; so much so that there is even a miniature of London’s Trafalgar Square, complete with a statue of Lord Nelson. The city is small and there are many excellent walking tours. Places worth a visit include the Fairchild Market, St Michael’s Cathedral, Belleville, Government House, the Barbados Museum, the Old Synagogue and the Garrison Savannah. Temple Yard has a Rastafarian street market. Barbados is famed for its magnificent beaches, their white sand and turquoise waters framed by palm trees and an array of colourful plants and flowers.