This huge cast iron–framed hall hosts the biggest market in the English-speaking Caribbean. It holds a special place in Jamaican culture as both 'stomach' of the country and the old heart of Kingston's commerce; indeed half the country appears to be shopping here, especially on a Saturday. It's a brilliant and lively show of noise, produce and commerce, but leave your valuables at home and watch out for pickpockets.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.47 MILES
The superlative collection of Jamaican art housed by the National Gallery is the finest on the island and should on no account be missed. As well as…
15.28 MILES
Highest of the highlights, Blue Mountain Peak reaches 2256m above sea level, and no visit to the area should neglect a predawn hike to its summit for a…
25.98 MILES
The idyllic waterfall and swimming hole of Nanny Falls is a 30-minute walk uphill from the end of Moore Town, passing under huge ferns, Jamaican apple…
3.53 MILES
The large, creaky, colonial-era wooden house on Hope Rd, where Bob Marley lived and recorded from 1975 until his death in 1981, is the city’s most-visited…
3.03 MILES
This beautiful colonial house was built in 1881 by George Stiebel, the first black millionaire in Jamaica. Antique lovers will enjoy the guided tour,…
29.71 MILES
This beautiful little cove just east of Drapers boasts a small but perfect white-sand beach, where the water is fed by a freshwater river that spits…
29.99 MILES
Set amid wide lawns high atop a hill 5km east of Oracabessa and 5km west of Port Maria, Firefly was the home of Sir Noël Coward, the English playwright,…
0.86 MILES
An innovative art and permaculture scheme, Life Yard is regenerating an area of downtown Kingston once beset with gang problems. The program is centered…
Nearby Kingston attractions
1. Ba Beta Kristian Church of Haile Selassie I
0.17 MILES
The line between Rastafari and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church can sometimes be a fluid one, and nowhere is it on display more than at this church. The 11am…
0.26 MILES
At North Parade, the distinguished Ward Theatre, built in 1911, once hosted the annual Boxing Day pantomime – a riotous, irreverent social satire. Sadly,…
3. Statue of Alexander Bustamante
0.29 MILES
The south entrance to Parade is watched over by a statue of a wild-looking Alexander Bustamante, Jamaica's first prime minister.
0.29 MILES
William Grant Park, more commonly known as ‘Parade,’ is the bustling heart of Downtown, and originally hosted a fortress erected in 1694 with guns…
0.29 MILES
A statue of national hero Norman Manley stands at the northern entrance of Parade.
0.31 MILES
The gleaming white edifice facing the southeast corner of Parade is Kingston Parish Church, which replaced an older church destroyed in the 1907…
0.34 MILES
At the end of a tree-lined courtyard, decorated with cheerful mosaics and a mural depicting Marcus Garvey, stands Liberty Hall, the headquarters of Garvey…
0.34 MILES
An imperious statue of Queen Victoria stands unamused at the eastern side of Parade, erected in 1897 for her diamond jubilee. As well as noting her role…