Kingston

Overview

Get ready to experience the hub – and the heart – of Jamaica. Located at the edge of the Liguanea Plains, Kingston Jamaica offers a pretty comprehensive list of attractions for visitors. And with only a 20-minute drive to Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston is a great starting place to discover everything the area has to offer.

Look up and see the Blue Mountains. Don't miss the opportunity to drive into these mountains, home of Jamaica's famous coffee. Along the way, you'll enter Blue Mountain/John Crow National Park. And a little further you'll find trails that lead to magnificent views of the island. While you're there, take some time to visit Mavis Bank, a coffee farm that invites visitors to come and see how the world famous Blue Mountain Coffee is grown and processed. A cup sampled on its own home soil, so to speak, is a must for every coffee lover to experience.

Once back in the city, head over to Devon House. Situated on Hope Road, it is an old colonial mansion of outstanding elegance and architecture. King's House next door is the residence of the Governor General. Further up the road lies the Bob Marley Museum, which attracts thousands of reggae fans each year. Not far away is Hope Botanical Gardens, which also houses a small zoo featuring birds and animals from all over the Caribbean. Revolution Gallery showcases ceramics, sculpture, textiles, jewellery, prints and photographs by Jamaica's leading artists.

A trip to Port Royal, once the pirate capital of the New World, is worth seeing. Over the years excavation work has been done to recover artefacts from this rich town. The Maritime Museum and Port Royal Archaeological and Historical Museum house artefacts salvaged from the sunken city.

Fifteen minutes by boat from Port Royal is a Lime Cay, small, low-lying island with one of the most beautiful beaches in Jamaica. The white sand beach and clear water create some of the best snorkelling on the south-east coast.

Of course, the real flavour of Kingston is in its food. Jamaican cuisine is an eclectic mix of the best that African, European, Indian, and Chinese cuisines have to offer. Try the popular Jonkanoo Lounge, Grogge Shoppe or Carlos Cafe. No vacation is complete without trying the area's famous curry goat, fried dumplings, ackee and salt fish (cod), fried plantain and jerk chicken.

Kingston is a fantastic destination for:

• culture and history

Events of interest:

Bacchanal / Jamaica Carnival

Bacchanal includes 21 high-energy, fun-filled events.

Blue Mountain Music Festival

Blue Mountain Music Festival is a premier music festival held annually in February in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. The two-day event offers visitors an incomparable experience where music meets food, art, craft and nature. It attracts visitors from across the globe who want clean, family-oriented. Spend the entire weekend on the grounds of the festival camped out, lodge with a local bed and breakfast or guest house or head into the mountains for the experience of a lifetime.

Kingston City Run

The Kingston City Run in March includes a 5K race/walk and a half marathon as well as a health and wellness fair and after-party. The route takes runners through historic sites in Kingston – a great way to burn some calories while seeing the sites!

Bob Marley celebrations

The first week of February features activities throughout the island to celebrate the life and achievements of music legend Bob Marley. Activities in Jamaica usually include a service at the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and ceremonial laying of plaques at the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston.