Essentials

Language: English and Patois (a Creole style language).

Currency: Jamaican dollar.

Docking/Anchoring: Docking at the new cruise pier near the Historic District.

Itineraries: Features on Caribbean cruises.

Getting Around: There are usually taxis outside of the pier, and the town centre is easy walking distance.

Overview

This new port of call on Jamaica’s north coast is 29 kilometres from Montego Bay, and one of the Caribbean’s best-preserved Georgian towns with plenty of colonial flavour. Founded in 1769, Falmouth quickly became one of the island’s busiest ports, and it’s the birthplace of Jamaica’s slavery abolition movement. A new US $170 million cruise terminal opened in February this year, reviving it as a cruise destination, and it has duty free shops, restaurants and a WiFi hotspot. It is also conveniently located for anyone who wants step off the ship for a stroll through the Historic District to view the amazing nineteenth-century architecture.

Must See And Do

Historic Falmouth: This beautifully preserved Georgian quarter is unusual in the Caribbean, and offers an authentic slice of life in Falmouth as it used to be. There is a Heritage Walking Tour you can take either by yourself, which features most of the famous sights and buildings.

Trelawny Parish Church of St. Peter: A popular photo op for many visitors, this pretty church was built in 1795 and has colourful stained glass windows, and a graveyard which houses tombs more than 200 years old. It’s an integral part of the town’s history, and well worth seeing.

Rafting: Trelawny is also famous for the Martha Brae river, which can be best enjoyed on a river-rafting cruise.

Shopping: Head for the largest collection of colonnaded commercial buildings on Market Street, also the Albert George Shopping and Historical Centre, built in 1894, which is a good source of handmade local crafts and souvenirs.

Greenwood Great House: Just 11 kilometres from the town, this Georgian-style stately home houses a fine collection of antique furniture and artefacts and was once built by the Barrett family, Falmouth’s most famous local residents. Edward Barrett, who founded the town, was the great great grandfather of the English poet, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and the house includes an original library with rare books dating from 1697.

Excursions

The famous Dunn’s River Falls and Park at Ocho Rios is a popular excursion for many visitors and one of the country’s national treasures. A beautiful spot near the ocean, you can “walk the falls” which is not only a unique experience but also cooling in the summer heat.

If you’re feeling adventurous, also at Ocho Rios is Mystic Mountain, a new attraction where you can ride a bobsled through the rainforest, or take a hair raising ride on a zip line. Or if watersports are more your thing, consider a swim with the dolphins at Dolphin Cove.

Another popular option is to take an excursion Appleton Estate to learn how to make rum. The drive is scenic, and you will definitely enjoy the ride back!