Must-see attractions Port of Spain, Trinidad - Lonely Planet

Must-see attractions in Port of Spain

  • Queen’s Park Savannah

    Port of Spain

    Once part of a sugar plantation, formerly home to a racecourse and now the epicenter of the annual Carnival, this public park is encircled by a 3.7km…

  • Fort George

    Port of Spain

    Get a truly spectacular bird's-eye view of the Port of Spain cityscape and the Gulf of Paria from this colonial-era fort, with stone-built defensive walls…

  • National Museum & Art Gallery

    Port of Spain

    Housed in a classic colonial building, the rather dry historical exhibits range from the oil industry to Amerindian settlers, the colonial era and…

  • Botanical Gardens

    Port of Spain

    Resplendent with exotic trees and plants, and networked by paved paths, the Botanical Gardens date from 1818. Take a stroll or relax in one of the…

  • Woodford Square

    Port of Spain

    This grassy square with its central Eros and Aphrodite fountain and ornate bandstand is the symbolic center of downtown Port of Spain. Dr Eric Williams,…

  • Central Bank Money Museum

    Port of Spain

    Newly refurbished and with ferocious air-con that provides a welcome break from the downtown heat, the Money Museum is a surprisingly absorbing affair,…

  • Stollmeyer's Castle

    Port of Spain

    With its battlemented turrets, this fabulous Scottish Baronial pile really does have the feel of a castle. Loosely modeled on the British Queen's home at…

  • Waterfront Park

    Port of Spain

    Nudging the Gulf of Paria opposite the western end of Independence Sq, and linked to it by a new raised pedestrian walkway over Wrightson Rd, the paved…

  • Independence Square

    Port of Spain

    The hustle and bustle of downtown culminates along Independence Sq, two parallel streets that flank the central Brian Lara Promenade, named for Trinidad's…

  • Red House

    Port of Spain

    Named for its burgundy paintwork, this imposing Renaissance-style parliament was constructed in 1906, having been rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire…

  • Holy Trinity Cathedral

    Port of Spain

    The majestic, Gothic-designed Holy Trinity Cathedral, at the south side of Woodford Sq, dates from 1818, but sustained major earthquake damage in…

  • National Academy of the Performing Arts

    Port of Spain

    The glinting curves of this arts center, looming over the southeast corner of Queen's Park Savannah, are an eye-catching backdrop to the park, a sort of…

  • White Hall

    Port of Spain

    Clad in white limestone imported from Barbados, this imposing structure dates from 1907 and has undergone a complete interior and exterior restoration,…

  • Mille Fleurs

    Port of Spain

    Shrouded behind fencing and covered by a protective temporary roof, intricate Mille Fleurs sports beautiful decorative ironwork, but is one of the most…

  • Emperor Valley Zoo

    Port of Spain

    Port of Spain's 2.5-hectare zoo has a host of indigenous species – red howler monkeys, ocelots, caiman and various birds, snakes and tropical fish – there…

  • Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

    Port of Spain

    Built in the shape of a Latin cross from limestone quarried in the Laventille hills, and completed in 1851, the ornate, Gothic-style Roman Catholic…

  • Archbishop's Residence

    Port of Spain

    Unlike some Magnificent Seven buildings, the home of the Roman Catholic Archbishop has been meticulously maintained, and features rows of arched windows…

  • Roomor

    Port of Spain

    Boasting intricate gingerbread fretwork and coiling iron railings, Roomor is one of the prettiest of the Magnificent Seven houses, and is still a private…

  • Hayes Court

    Port of Spain

    Built as the residence of Trinidad's Anglican bishop (but now in private hands), this French Colonial–style building features intricate stonework and a…

  • Queen's Royal College

    Port of Spain

    Resplendent with red and gray brickwork, and topped with a looming central clock-tower, QRC is home to one of Trinidad's most prestigious boys schools.

  • President's House

    Port of Spain

    Built from local blue limestone and roofed with Welsh slate, this palatial house was once the home of Trinidad's presidents, but has been protected by an…

  • Lord Kitchener Monument

    Port of Spain

    Heavily tested by the elements, this concrete statue by local artist Pat Chu Foon commemorates Lord Kitchener (1922–2000), one of Trinidad's best-loved…

  • City Hall

    Port of Spain

    Painted a fetching shade of burnt umber, this block-like concrete construction from 1961 is the HQ of Port of Spain's mayor and the local governing body,…

  • Hall of Justice

    Port of Spain

    All pointy balconies and angular turrets, this 1980s concrete building houses Trinidad and Tobago's main criminal court.