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Guide to Port Of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago
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Click to go to Flight Prices for Port Of Spain
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Port Of SpainLocated in the Caribbean on the island of Trinidad, Port of Spain is a place long neglected by visitors as a bustling commercial city with nothing more to offer than traffic jams and high-rise office buildings. Yet, if you take a closer look, Port of Spain is so much more; in fact, if you nose around a bit more than most do, youll find the city to be a great cultural hotspot and a place where you can find just about everything youre searching for. From great restaurants to historic sights and landmarks, youll find Port of Spain more and more appealing as you come across surprises you wouldnt expect from such a business-oriented center.
When to go:
The entire span of months from April to December is a go if you want to avoid the crowds and steep prices. You may not get the best weather of the year a few more rainshowers than probably expected but youre bound to have a great time while saving a few pennies. If you wish to take part in the biggest celebration of the year, visit anytime between February and March, when Carnival takes full flight. The actual festivities occur around a two day period before Ash Wednesday, but the city is humming with activity long before those 48 hours. Beachgoers can enjoy the sands and waters almost year-round, but if youre looking to have the beach all to yourself, youd better make it during low season.
Getting there and around:
Port of Spain is served by Piarco International Airport, a lengthy 23 kilometers (14 mi) away from the city. Flights from all over the world (US Canada, South America, UK) come directly to Piarco International, and travelers are provided with taxi, bus, and car rental services to get into Port of Spain. Taxis are your best bet; the price is offset by the convenience, the efficiency, and comfort; a ride to a city more than half-an-hour away is not exactly pleasing while sitting in a stuffy bus with little cargo room. Car rentals are good for those branching out their sight-seeing to other parts of the island.
Buses are the best utilities to getting around town; theyre cheap, efficient, and have a great number of routes. Taxis are good for people traveling in groups, and for night travel. You can hail taxis right from the side of the road as if you were in New York City. There are even a few tourist-taxis in operation. If youre lucky to wave one down, you can get a complete overview of the citys well-known and lesser known attractions.
Attractions:
The two most visited squares in Port of Spain are Woodford Square and Independence Square. In Woodford Square, you will find a great number of structures involved with the government. Apart from the Anglican Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, are the House of Representatives, the Senate, Hall of Justice, Central Library, and City Hall. To some it is the most important site in Trinidad, while others find the colonial stylings to be out of touch with the majority of buildings in Port of Spain.
Independence Square offers another great Cathedral, though one of the Roman Catholic denomination (Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception). In addition to the cathedral, Independence Square is also home to the Lara Promenade (a great strolling ground), and Columbus Square, a site dedicated to the explorer who first came upon the island.
Queens Park is a beautiful oasis of sorts, where lots of people come on sunny days to escape the drone of street sounds to mingle among the grasses, trees and the beautiful Botanical Garden. Because Port of Spain experiences great weather for most of the year, the Botanical Garden shows a wondrous variety of tropical species in bloom for extended periods of time.
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