Even if Carnival isn't in full swing, you'll want to head
downtown to hear the steel-pan drums at lively panyards – the rehearsal
spaces dotted around town for steel bands. Walk along Maraval Road to admire its
colonial buildings, then head to Queen's Park Savannah park to watch
cricket or relax in the sun.
Background
You'll find the centre of bustling Port of Spain at Independence
Square, brimming with food stalls and tables of old men playing chess. The
downtown area is packed with high-rise blocks sitting alongside elegant
colonial buildings on Maraval Road. To the north you can see Queen's
Park Savannah, a green space where cricket matches are played, and the Botanical
Gardens, bursting with tropical blooms.
First-time visit
Get your bearings at Independence Square in the city centre. Then head to
Queen's Park Savannah to wander around the park's rock
garden and lily pond or watch an impromptu game of cricket. If you're here
for Carnival in February, grab a seat in the grandstand. Along Maraval Road
you'll see ornate colonial buildings which trace the history of Port of
Spain. The National Museum and Art Gallery has a section dedicated to the
history of steel-pan drums and calypso music.
Return visit
Go for a stroll through the colourful Botanical Gardens to get a peek at the
Prime Minister's residence. Take a look inside the 19th-century Anglican
Trinity Cathedral with its mahogany beamed ceiling. Have a cocktail in a
rooftop bar overlooking the green spaces of Queen's Park Savannah
before going downtown to visit the panyards, where musicians and dancers
spend half the year preparing and rehearsing for Carnival. Take a daytrip to
Gasparee Grande, a small area at the south side of nearby Chaguaramas
Bay that has caves dripping with stalactites.
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