Seville Great House and Heritage Park

Sevilla Nueva, some 14.5 km to the west of Ocho Rios, is the place where the Spanish first settled in 1509. The ruins of the fort still remain. The Great House and property is now called the Seville Great House and Heritage Park (T9729407, daily 0900-1700, last tour 1600, US$4, children US$2) managed by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust as a museum. Guided tours are professional and informative and give you a good understanding of the island’s heritage. Offshore, marine archaeologists are investigating the St Ann’s Bay area for sunken ships. Salvaged timbers are believed to have come from two disabled caravels, the Capitana and the Santiago de Palos, abandoned at Sevilla Nueva probably in 1503 during Columbus’ last visit to Jamaica. Mammee Beach, is beautiful and is much less crowded than Ocho Rios, though there is no shade.