Great Houses & Plantations
The island's remaining great houses show how the life of the plantation has shaped Jamaica's past and present. Greenwood Great House belonged to the family of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning and its fabulous collection of antiques vividly evokes the life of an 18th century sugar plantation. In contrast, the plantation house at Rose Hall has been beautifully restored and has the added attraction of telling the sensational story of its owner, Annie Palmer, known on the island as the 'White Witch'..

Music
Jamaicans can't hide their love of music, from the driving beat of dancehall on the buses to the impromptu sound-system parties on a Saturday night you'll hear music all over the island. Time your visit right and you may be lucky enough to catch one of the island's internationally renowned festivals. The Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival is held in January with the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival following in March. The summer months belong to reggae with the International Reggae Day, Reggae Sumfest and Reggae Sunsplash festivals taking place through July and August.

Bob Marley
Together with Jamaican rum, Bob Marley's music is the island's favourite export. Fans can learn more of the the man's life and music at the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston and the Bob Marley Mausoleum at the Nine Mile. Here at the singer's birthplace and final resting place, you may still meet some of this icon's relatives who run the attraction.





Carnival
For a week before Easter a party atmosphere takes over the island as carnival comes to Jamaica. Colourful parades fill the streets and the sounds of reggae, soca and calypso ensure that the dancing is non-stop. At Christmas, the Jamaicans celebrate their African heritage with Jonkanoo. Once the major celebration on the slave calendar, Jonkanoo now sees revellers parade through the streets in colourful masquerades.

Cuisine
Whether you stop at a roadside shack for beer and fried fish, or dine at the five star restaurant of an exclusive beachfront resort, there's plenty of choice in Jamaica to entice lovers of good food. All the tastes of the island's melting pot of cultures are on offer, from Chinese and Indian, to Spanish, British and Caribbean specialities, including jerk pork, and saltfish and ackee, Jamaica's signature dishes..