After leaving Barbados to travel to the UK for the summer to visit family, I realized quite quickly how different the two places operated.

Ring in the new year with the best that Barbados has to offer. Whether you’re looking for a quiet evening of fine dining or looking to party until the sun rises, we’ve put together a few options to say welcome to 2020.

For most, Barbados is the definition of relaxation as visitors from all over flock to the island to enjoy our crystal-clear waters and warm sunny weather. However, this season, we have so much more to offer. ‘Tis the season of giving and this year the island sure has a lot to give.

Get the family ready to experience the biggest cultural spectacle on the island’s west coast. 

Named after the west coast’s flagship town, this year’s Holetown Festival runs from February 10th through 17th and promises to be as exciting and entertaining as ever. Be sure to capture this endearing showcase of snippets of the island’s culture.

Christmas isn’t Christmas without the K9 Friends Barbados Charity Auction! The charity, which is synonymous with the festive season, continues to benefit the island’s furry residents by epitomizing the spirit of the season as locals and visitors patronize in the spirit of giving!

What’s your favourite number? Why you might ask? Well this year, Barbados’ favourite number is 52 and here’s why - on November 30, as the clocks strike midnight, Barbados’ 52nd year of Independence will officially begin! This month, the most Barbadian of Barbadian sights, tastes and sounds are on display across the island, culminating with an extravaganza of activities on the last day! Let’s take a look at the day’s events as we invite you to participate in whatever your heart desires!

This year, the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. will stage its prestigious Barbados Food & Rum Festival a month early on October 18 - 21 - a move which has been reportedly received with delight by many who have been unable to participate in the festival in previous years. In addition to the date change, another novelty of this year’s event is its month-long run - yes, the whole month of October will be a celebration of food, with several pop-up events, food truck crawls, restaurant specials on the Dine Around programme as well as many other food festivities.

The sound of hooves on the turf at the Garrison Savannah are getting closer as the 2018 Sandy Lane Gold Cup is just around the corner! On Saturday March 3, the six-furlong track will see trainers, jockeys and their formidable thoroughbreds from around the world grace its grounds to take the coveted champion’s cup - the Gold Cup - from their local rivals. Click here to read more!

Holetown Festival: The festival commemorates the landing of the first settlers to Barbados at Holetown, St. James in February 1627. It's now in its 42nd year.

Highlights of the festival include a street fair, the beating of the Retreat by the colourful Barbados Defence Band Zouave Band, a Floodlit Tattoo parade by the Royal Barbados Police Force and the Mounted Police, many music concerts, lectures on and tours of Holetown, exhibitions, and a street parade that features among other things vintage and classic cars.

Mark the dates! Dated: February 11^th – 18th

The team at Terra Luxury has recorded another success through their partnership with the K9 Friends Barbados Charity as sponsors of a cause aimed at funding and facilitating all local canine welfare organizations.

Opening to great anticipation, Barbados’ furry friends took the spotlight at the K9 Friends Barbados Charity auction on December 23, at the lovely Apes Hill Country Club. The evening was a grand showing of spirit and humanity as over 300 persons - both visitors and locals - came together for the charitable cause.

The runway is ready for the most luxurious - and decadent - fashion event of the year!

As the sun sets over the serene west coast shores on Saturday, November 18, all eyes will be on the platinum coast’s luxurious Limegrove Lifestyle Centre as The Fashion Show debuts at the intimate Fusion Rooftop restaurant to an exclusive crowd.

Photo compliments visitbarbados.org

It will be culinary Christmas for all local and visiting foodies this November when the sights, sounds, tastes and aromas of the Barbados Food & Rum Festival fill the air! To read more, click to see full blog on our Terra Caribbean website.

Save the date for one of the cutest charitable causes in Barbados!

Once again, the team at Terra Luxury has partnered with the K9 Friends Barbados Charity to sponsor their annual K9 Friends Barbados Charity Auction - a cause aimed at funding and facilitating all local canine welfare organizations.

Photo credit - Bushy Park

It’s time for fun, food, family and fuel on Saturday, October 14 as the long-awaited Barbados Festival of Speed 2017 kicks off at Bushy Park!

For the second time in as many years, the festival will bring some of the top names in international motorsports to the island-stage for the popular festival which has gained a reputation of perfectly melding paradise and speed. And this year it is gearing up to be even more exciting - the one-day event will take a new format, with events running from the sunny daytime into daring night-time action!

Living in Barbados means waking up to warming sunshine, deep breaths of fresh island air and lovely views. But, the island is also known for its enticing food scene, something which has been recognized enough for the island to earn the title of culinary capital of the Caribbean. From Indian, Brazilian and Thai cuisine to Greek and some of the most scrumptious sushi dishes, Barbados is a melting pot of flavours that are sure to woo any foodie.

The island’s year round warm sunshine and beautiful surroundings create the perfect setting to nurture your body and soul.  This fall, the Barbados calendar will feature three exhilarating firsts centred around wellness and enjoyment - the Barbados Beach and Wellness Festival, the Barbados Cycling Festival and the Dragon World Championships!  Set in stunning locations and guided by leaders in their respective disciplines these festivals are a wonderful opportunity to meet other like minded people and experience even more of what our island has to offer! 

The Caribbean's most anticipated annual motor sport international event is here. Bringing fierce competition between drivers from the Caribbean and UK.

This Celtic festival celebrates the links between our wonderful, lively Caribbean island and the culture of our Celtic friends.

We are looking forward to welcoming the iconic Nikki Beach brand to Barbados’ shores.  It will be another wonderful place to play on our island’s renowned West Coast and yet another fantastic reason to live or holiday in Barbados. Global luxury lifestyle and hospitality brand Nikki Beach Worldwide is set to open its 14th location in Port Ferdinand, Barbados at the end of 2017.

The biggest event on the island during the Easter weekend is the Oistins Fish Festival. Hosted in the heart of the island’s most celebrated fishing village, the festival pays homage to the island’s fisher folk and their seafaring lifestyle, and features several events that attract the attention of locals and visitors of all ages.

Barbados' beautiful coastline will host its first-ever World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) event.

With twelve down, the world’s most popular name in beachside opulence has arrived in the Caribbean-beach lovers’ paradise, and some would argue that there will never be a more natural fit than Barbados and Nikki Beach!

Spring, Polo and Dining

The winter season has taken lovers of Barbados on a fun filled journey from the historic raceday at the Garrison Savannah to the legendary grounds of Kensington Oval. But, as spring approaches, Barbados blossoms to its prime offering a lively cocktail of its staple beautiful beaches, and a hearty dash of exciting polo action and sumptuous plantation-style dinners.

On the island’s lavish west coast sits the town of Holetown. Its heart and surroundings are the plush home of luxury, international musings and decadence, but before this became the trademark of the coast, it was revered by historians and locals alike as the crèche of Barbados as it is now known.

As the month rolls on, the wonderful Christmas spirit grows more apparent, and in a few days, the gift of giving will be in the spotlight for a worthy cause. K9 Friends Barbados will host their annual auction on December 23 at Mahogany Ridge in St. Thomas - all in the name of canine welfare!

We’ve all heard about swimming with pigs in the Bahamas; but have you ever swam with horses in Barbados? Between the races, polo games and equestrian shows, some of the best-kept horses on the island enjoy ocean dips as part of their exercise regime. Equestrian sports are quite popular in Barbados, where many high-profile polo tournaments and horse races such as the coveted Sandy Lane Gold Cup draw countless worldly spectators to our paradise island.

The excitement of car racing comes to life at the inaugural Barbados Festival of Speed on Sunday, May 8^th at Bushy Park.