joe

has anyone shopped in bridgetown, barbados? what is it like?

Lois

There are your typical duty-free type shops, lots of jewelry stores -- basically I usually like to skip Bridgetown. Many of these same stores - particulary Cave Shepherd - can be found in the various parishes. Bridgetown can be kind of run down in places.

fiona

A couple of hours in Bridgetown is more than enough time. It is worth going for that amount of time to people watch. We went to buy jewellry which is a lot cheaper than at home( as its duty free).However I agree with Lois. I have thought that if my first impression of Barbados was a day trip to Bridgetown from a cruise liner I would not feel like hurrying back! And Barbados outwith Bridgetown is brilliant!!Only my opinion though.

JC

Last month I spent eight days on the island and less than two hours shopping in Bridgetown. Some areas did seem a bit run down, but it is a good place for people-watching.<BR><BR>I had more enjoyable and leisurely shopping experiences in other areas of the island.

GM

Cave Shepherd is pretty much the place for good duty free watches, etc. I agree with Fiona who noted 2 hours is plenty for the duty free shopping.<BR><BR>St. Thomas - USVI has more in the way of duty free shopping, I've found.<BR><BR>In Barbados, I'd just relax - it's so pretty. Have a great time!

curiousx

Shopping in Bridgetown is crowded, hot and noisy. For most of the basic duty-free stuff you can do as well at the airport on the way in or out. Take note, though, that I am not an avid shopper.

myopinion

You can find the same duty-free items that you would find in Cave Shepard at their location in Sunset Crest on the west coast and it is so much more pleasant out there. There are also a few shopping plazas/shops along the south coast in the Bay Street/Hastings/Worthing area that may be worth checking out and also in the Holetown area. Other than that, Barbados is really for the beach, taking in the pretty countryside including alot of old plantations and historic churches and of course, the good resturants throughout the island but especially on the south and north coasts.