St. Nicholas Abbey and Steam Railway

Although its name evokes an abbey, this is not an ancient religious establishment, but a Great House. One of the oldest in Barbados and one of only three Jacobean-style buildings in the Western Hemisphere (a second is Drax Hall, also in Barbados). Its architecture is reminiscent of the Flemish or Dutch Renaissance, with its scrolled gables. Built in 1658 by Colonel Benjamin Berringer as the center of his sugarcane plantation, he didn't enjoy it for long, being killed in a duel with his neighbor, Sir John Yeamans. Over the years, the property changed hands. Owners have included Sir John Gay Alleyne (the first manager of the Mount Gay distillery) and, for 200 years, the ancestors of actor Benedict Cumberbatch. The current owners, the Warren family, have restored the property to its former glory, turning it into a major tourist attraction with a house museum, rum micro-distillery and steam railroad.

House museum: only part of the house is open to the public. The entrance is through a triple-arched portico added in the ^18th century. The living room is richly decorated with cedar panels, carpets and sofas, furniture by Thomas Chippendale, the famous English cabinetmaker, and a collection of Sailor's valentines, decorative objects made from shells originally made by sailors for their sweethearts. In the dining room, a magnificent table in local mahogany is set with Coalport porcelain. Also of note is the clock in the staircase, in its place since 1759, and an astonishing 1935 Burlington Gentleman's Chair, a multi-functional armchair on castors that can be reclined, with a reading lamp and shelves for books, a cup of tea or a small glass. Outside, a simple garden and orchard help to recreate the site's original layout.

The distillery: St. Nicholas was a rum-producing plantation until 1947. Shortly after acquiring the property, the Warren family decided to relaunch the distillery, albeit on a small scale. No big industrial machines here, the sugar canes are passed by hand through a press that extracts the juice. Even bottling and labeling are done by hand. During the tour, you'll meet Annabelle. Custom-built for the distillery, she is a combination still and distillation column. Unlike other Barbadian rums, St. Nicholas Abbey's is the only one made from cane juice, not molasses. Their bottles resemble perfume bottles. You'll find it hard to resist after the tasting that concludes the tour.

The railroad: a must, especially if you're traveling with children. A tribute to the railroad that used to run through Barbados, it was on the suggestion of a visitor that owner Larry Warren came up with the idea of reviving a steam train that would take passengers from St. Nicholas Abbey to the Cherry Tree Hill viewpoint. The route is a loop through sugar cane plantations, past a quarry, and up through the forest to Cherry Tree Hill, where there is a stop of about half an hour before setting off again. It's a great ride, so don't miss out.