The highlight of Trinidad is Port of Spain, the capital. It's a bustling city on the water's edge, offering ample opportunities to visit bazaars, markets, parks, heritage homes and various shrines, mosques and temples. Many cultures are represented, each with attractions relating to its heritage.
Woodford Square is one of the town's prettiest areas, where large flowering trees shade the walkways and lawns. Near the square is the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Consecrated in 1823, it is known for its elaborately carved hammer-beam roof. Across the square is the Red House, the ornate home of the House of Representatives.
About eight blocks north of the square is the Queen's Park Savannah, considered the heart of the city. These 80 acres/32 hectares of open land are filled with shade trees, lily ponds and gardens. (The park is the center of activities during Carnival.) Along one end of the park you'll find the lush, tropical Botanic Gardens (laid out in 1818, adjacent to the home of the president) and neighboring Emperor Valley Zoo, which specializes in indigenous animals, such as deer, ocelots, wild pigs (quenk), snakes and birds. Next to Botanic Gardens (phone 868-622-3530).
On the western edge of the park you'll find the Magnificent Seven, an eclectic group of houses built at the turn of the 20th century. They include a Scottish castle and an Edwardian school. Also in the area is the National Museum, on Frederick Street, with exhibits on natural history, island heritage, Carnival costumes, art and the oil industry (open only Tuesday-Friday). Fort St. Andres, located in the heart of the city, has been restored.
The tree-lined boulevard called Independence Square is near the cruise-ship terminal. The grand, early-1800s Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is its heart. To the left and right of the cathedral is Brian Lara Promenade, which has benches and shade trees.
Unlike most Caribbean cities, Port of Spain is big enough to have some interesting suburbs. St. James District, the East Indian section of town, is where the Hindu and Muslim festivals are held and where you'll find great silk-sari shops. In Ellerslie Park, Goodwood Park and St. Clair, west of Queen's Park, you'll find the city's most elegant residences.
In the suburbs about 3 mi/5 km northwest of the city is Fort George. This old, renovated British fort, begun in 1804 to protect the city against French and Spanish invasion, has dungeons and cannons on display, along with great views of the city. Two other forts, Fort Picton and Fort Chacon, are in the southeastern suburb of Laventille. Like Fort George, these two old fortifications are ruins in varying degrees of preservation and restoration,but they are in high-risk neighborhoods that should be avoided.
