Jamaica / Special Interests / Historical Sites

Jamaica has a very good variety of places to visit, probably more than any other Caribbean island. It is larger than most others, so it has a more varied natural life, but it also has a more significant history. There is a tradition of architecture that other islands do not have, in the plantations and their Great Houses, monumental buildings and churches. There are also plenty of man-made activities that make for a good day out, including coffee and rum factories and reggae parks.
 
Pick of the Best Jamaican Historical Sites:

Rose Hall, east of Montego Bay - A magnificent restored Georgian Great House with a string of fanciful ghost stories.

Appleton Estate, Siloah, St Elizabeth - Jamaica’s oldest sugar estate and rum distillery, set in the valley below the Nassau Mountains an hour’s drive south of Montego Bay. 

Devon House, Kingston - The town house of Jamaica’s first black millionaire, now surrounded by some good shops and cafes - an oasis in the middle of Kingston.

Mavis Bank Coffee Factory, Blue Mountains - See the processing of Blue Mountain coffee beans, hulling, milling, drying, ”resting” and roasting.

Boston Bay, east of Port Antonio - The home of “jerk” (a method of cooking, originally underground, now barbecued after an extremely spicy marinade). The daily cook-up ready about midday.

Outameni Experience, Coopers Pen, Trelawny - An inspiring multi-media presentation (in music, dance, film, drama and cuisine) that reveals the many contributing cultural strains (Taino, African, British etc) that have culminated in the incredibly lively island that Jamaica is today.

Also see under Museums