Port of Spain, a vibrant and welcoming city, is an excellent destination to spend a couple of days and serves as the focus for Trinidad’s famed carnival. Since 1757, it has served as the capital and is the primary administrative hub, albeit it is not the biggest town.
Between Frederick Street and Charlotte Street runs the primary retail district, which extends south to Independence Square (Brian Lara Promenade). Along with the brick-and-mortar businesses, the street is lined with vendors offering anything from bananas to CDs.
In the evenings, Independence Square is bustling with residents liming – loitering, talking with friends, and enjoying cuisine from the many kiosks. Taking a stroll around here is an excellent way to get a sense of what Trinidad is all about.
THINGS TO SEE
Trinidad Carnival is one of the greatest in the world, and hotels can be certain to fill up and increase their prices throughout its run! It is a combination of parades, music, and calypso contests that takes place in the days before Lent. Participants dress extravagantly and march through the streets, dancing to the beat of a steel band or a soca band. Each year on Carnival Sunday, a tournament is conducted to choose the Carnival King and Queen. Carnival Monday and Ash Tuesday are when the bands fight for the title of “Band of the Year.” Everyone is welcome, from young to elderly, wealthy to impoverished. The Steel Bands practise nightly at their Pan Yards in the weeks before the events. There may be numerous along a particular length of road, such as Western Main, where you may purchase a drink and see the rehearsals.
Wrightson Rd. International Waterfront Centre A large tower construction centered on the Hyatt Regency Trinidad that aims to revitalize the city’s seafront. This is the sole public area of Port of Spain’s waterfront.
National Academy of Performing Arts (on the Savannah’s city side. It’s impossible to miss.). This skyscraper, which opened at the end of 2009, has been the subject of multiple corruption charges. The design is intended to symbolize Trinidad’s national flower, but has received much criticism for being out of step with the surrounding surroundings. “Coaling slugs” was perhaps one of the more palatable descriptions.
Cotton Hill Royal Botanic Gardens These gardens, established in 1818, are one of the Caribbean’s oldest. 700 trees, 13% of which are native to Trinidad and Tobago.
NIGHTLIFE AND RESTAURANTS
Port of Spain is home to a variety of nightclubs and entertainment complexes; among the greatest and most costly are undoubtedly Zen, 51 degrees, Coco Lounge, El Morocco, and Shakers; however, the list is always changing as partygoers’ preferences evolve. International and regional artists like Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Sean Paul, Rihanna, Cascada, Akon, Usher, Maroon 5, Kumar Sanu, and Trinidadian-born International Super Star Nicki Minaj have all paid visits to Port of Spain.
Port of Spain is home to a diverse range of restaurants, including Italian, Mexican, Lebanese, Thai, Venezuelan-Panyol, French, Japanese, Chinese, Creole, American, and Indian, with the majority concentrated on Ariapita Avenue, a popular entertainment strip that also features a Jazz Lounge and a Wine Tasting restaurant. On the city’s waterfront, MovieTowne’s Fiesta Plaza, a homage to Bourbon Street New Orleans, has several new restaurants, open-air eating, and a bandstand with live entertainment. Port of Spain’s award-winning restaurants provide a diverse selection of local and foreign cuisines, as well as fast food businesses. Numerous eateries in the city may be experienced during the Taste T&T Food Festival, which takes place annually in May at the Jean Pierre Sports Complex.