Generally spanning mid-December to the end of April (and sometimes beyond), the dry season spells blue skies and sunshine, with plenty of activities put on for tourists and locals alike.

Mid-February heralds the Holetown Festival, a week of fun to commemorate the first English settlement on Barbados. Hot on its heels is Agrofest, a three-day agricultural trade show that includes family activities too. Also in February, the truly energetic can hike all 24 miles (39km) of the old railway route on the Great Train Hike.

Spread over January to March, the Barbados National Trust runs an Open House Programme on Wednesday afternoons. This dovetails nicely with the Barbados Horticultural Society’s Open Gardens season on Sunday afternoons. They also host an annual Flower & Garden Show at the end of January.