Barbados became independent in 1966, having been a British colony for over 300 years. The capital city is Bridgetown. It is often crowded if cruise ships are in port in the harbor. If you go in the summertime it will be hot and humid with rain showers occasionally dampening the countryside. Hurricane season, of course, is not a good time to go to the Caribbean.
Spring is nice, and winters are mild.
We found it best to leave Bridgetown and drive through the green country and the small villages and leave the crowds in the capital city. The roads are narrow, and the small villages interesting and varied. During the mid-day heat, one sees people under trees and other sources of shade to cool off. One, called Villa Nova, can be visited for a fee, and the gardener will take you on a tour of the beautiful gardens. If you go to Gun Hill, a historical lookout up on a hill, one can look back and see Bridgetown and the countryside across the island.