Andromeda Gardens
Begun in 1954 by the late Iris Bannochie, this is Barbados' most famous garden. Named after the mythical Greek maiden who was tied to a rock as a sacrifice for a sea monster, the flowers in these gardens are also "tied" to rocks. The gardens are set on a seaside cliff overlooking the Atlantic and include orchids, hibiscus, and other blooms amid the palms.

Animal Flower Cave
Carpeted with "sea flowers" and adorned with rock formations, this sea cave - part of a set located at the island's northernmost center - is justly famed for its yellow sea anemones. In the cave, you can see purple anemones and formations that resemble a turtle, hand, and a lizard. The view through the cave and out to sea is splendid and worth the visit in and of itself. A guide takes visitors through the cave, which is at North Point, St. Lucy.

Barbados Museum
This lovingly conceived and executed complex (+246 427-0201 or +246 436-1956) serves as a superb introduction to Barbados. Housed in the old military detention barracks, constructed between 1817 and 1853, most of the galleries here were once cells that held prisoners. It has exhibits on natural history, antique maps, and art installations. It's in Bridgetown at St. Ann's Garrison, St. Michael.

Barbados Wildlife Reserve
This attraction is termed a reserve, but it's more accurately described as a self-guided, open-air zoo since most of the animals have been imported. The Wildlife Reserve is a project of the Barbados Primate Center. Visitors can observe the island's green monkeys and other indigenous and not-so-native fauna close at hand. The zoo is in Farley Hill, St. Peter.

Barclays Park
Good picnicking can be found at this 50-acre beach park which climbs up a hillside. It is crowded with locals on weekends. Beware - swimming is dangerous. It is on the Atlantic Coast in St. Andrew.

Bathsheba
Facing the Atlantic 14 miles from Bridgetown in St. Joseph, this tiny fishing village is a world apart. Its rocky terrain - one of the most photographed spots on the island - surrounds Bathsheba, one of the island's most spectacular beaches. Locals call it the "Soup Bowl," owing to its foamy surf, and this shady beach plays host to an annual surfing competition.

Cherry Tree Hill
Resplendent rows of wind-bent and gnarled-branched mahogany (not cherry) trees line the avenue leading up to this hill that offers a great view from the top gazing south to Chalky Mount and Hackleton's Cliff. The road goes right through it. It's in St. Andrew and on the road to St. Peter.

Codrington College
Codrington was Barbados' first institution of higher learning. Approached by a row of stately cabbage palms - some of which are reputed to be more than a century old - this theological college for the training for West Indian clergy stands on a former plantation overlooking Consett Bay. It's noted for its Old English atmosphere. A new feature on the premises is a short nature trail. The college is in St. John near the Atlantic.

Crane Beach
Situated below the Crane Beach Hotel, this is one of the island's most popular beaches. The beach is surrounded by towering cliffs and is particularly beautiful on moonlit nights. People have been enjoying this splendid spot since the 1700s. Beware - swimming is dangerous. It is in St. Philip.

Farley Hill National Park
One of the island's top attractions, Farley Hill was a 19th-century mansion with commanding views of the ocean on three sides. In 1956, the great house appeared in the movie "Island in the Sun." It was destroyed by fire shortly after. Today, the government-owned site features 17 acres of verdant tropical parkland. It is in St. Peter.

Flower Forest
Set in the heart of the Scotland district in Richmond, St. Joseph, this attraction consists of an expertly landscaped forest that still retains much of its original wild ambiance. It is on Highway 2, St. Joseph.

Folkestone Park
Also known as Barbados Marine Reserve, this area features tennis courts, a playground, and an artificial reef, purposefully formed by sinking the ship Stavronikita, which had been destroyed by fire in 1976. It has a small museum, and snorkeling gear is available for rent. The park is in St. James near Holetown.

Francia Plantation
Opened to the public in 1989, this small-yet-stately great house stands on a wooded hillside at the heart of a still-operating plantation. It is located near Gun Hill in St. George. The home contains antique furniture along with a fine selection of old prints and maps.

Grenade Hall Signal Station
St. Peter
In operation from 1819 to 1887, this old signal station has been refurbished as part of an ecotourism project. The adjoining five-acre forest has a self-guided nature trail and Indian artifacts - unearthed during the restoration process. It's on Farley Hill, St. Peter, near the Wildlife Reserve.

Gun Hill Signal Station
St. George
This signal station served double duty: as a communications point and as a convalescent station for sick military personnel. Set off Fulsier Road just below the station is a full-sized, milk-white limestone lion - a representation of the British imperial lion - carved out of the rock in 1868. Climb the stairway to have a look. Also accessible by car and located farther up, the towering signal station features a small museum. It's on Highway 4 in St. George.

Harrison's Cave
St. Thomas
Located on Highway 2 just near Welchman Hall, this is one of the largest caves in the Caribbean. The cave features a large number of remarkable, white, pear-shaped stalactites. There are regular tours.

Harry Bayley Observatory
St. Michael
The Eastern Caribbean's only observatory is named after the co-founder of the Barbados Astronomical Society. Bayley also built the island's first medical laboratory and modern hospital. A 14-inch telescope tops the conical structure. Located on Highway 6, Clapham, St. Michael.

Morgan Lewis Windmill
St. Andrew
Morgan Lewis Windmill is the best-preserved sugar mill on the island (if not the entire Caribbean) and is the only one with its arms and well house intact. Its walls display a collection of antiques and photographs. Climb to the top for a great view. Located near Farley Hill and on Highway 2, St. Andrew.

Oughterson Zoo Park
St. Philip
This unusual wildlife breeding and environmental education project (+246 423-6203) covers 22 acres and contains a large variety of birds, plants, and animals. Its great house is filled chock to the brim with Oriental and Bajan antiques. Tours are self-guiding.

St. Nicholas Abbey
St. Peter
Located near Cherry Tree Hill and Farley National Park in St. Peter, this great house may be the island's architectural highlight. It is one of only three great houses of Jacobean design surviving in the Americas. Tours are self-guided.

Sunbury House
St. Philip
Located near Highways 4B, 5, and 6 in St. Philip, this early 18th-century plantation house was refurbished in 1981. Its small historical museum of Bajan life includes antique furniture, antique buggies, and agricultural vehicles. Tours are self-guided.

Tyrol Cot Heritage Village
St. Michael
A restored mansion dating from 1854, this is the birthplace of former Prime Minister Tom Adams and the former residence of his father Sir Grantley Adams, the first premier of Barbados. On its surrounding four acres is a restaurant and a village of Bajan life, including chattel houses selling arts and crafts, and a rum shop. Tours are self-guided.

Welchman Hall Gully
St. Thomas
Open to the public since 1961, this windy, cool, damp, and deep ravine (+246 438-6671) has been developed as a national park. There's a self-guided hiking trail. Located on Highway 2.