Grenada highlights
St George's
Along the Carenage, the curving waterfront of the inner harbour, attractive 18th-century warehouses line the quay. High on a hill overlooking the harbour stands Fort George, erected by the French in 1705.From here it's a short distance to the Botanical Gardens, majestically heralded by a clump of royal palms. The gardens bloom with an array of tropical flowers, and you may sight some brilliantly plumed Caribbean birds.
Sendall Tunnel leads from the Carenage to the Outer Harbour and Melville Street, a shopping centre on the quayside. One street inland, Market Square is the site of a typical West Indian open-air market. Among the wares for sale in the area are all manner of straw goods, carvings and paintings, as well as a profusion of local spices.On Church Street, the clock tower of the Anglican Church has become something of a town symbol, as has that of the Presbyterian Kirk.Up on Richmond Hill, Fort Frederick is a splendid lookout point. Construction was begun by the French in 1779, but it was the British who applied the finishing touches in 1783.
Spice Country
The scenic route to the northern spice plantations follows the west coast, with bays and headlands of uncommon beauty. You'll see wooden huts, brightly painted boats and long seine nets hanging out to dry in some of the prettiest fishing villages in the Caribbean.Hidden among the red roofs of Gouyave (formerly Charlotte Town), is a factory where spices are sorted and dried in preparation for shipping all over the world. Chief among factory products are nutmeg and the mace made from its filament.To see spices growing on a traditional plantation, head inland for a short distance to Dougaldston Estate, a centre for the cultivation of nutmeg and cacao.
Other highlights of the north include Sauteurs and nearby Morne des Sauteurs (Leaper's Hill), the rocks from which the last of the Carib Indians plummeted to death in 1650 rather than surrender to the French. The cliff is not as spectacular as one would imagine, but the rocks about 12 m (40 ft) below look sufficiently sinister. Just east lies Levera Bay and its beach. Columbus reputedly saw this very place as he sailed past the northern tip of the island in 1498. In nearby Levera National Park, sea turtles nest on pristine beaches and mangroves harbour a large variety of birds.
On the eastern coast, Grenville, Grenada's second-largest town, seems more like a casual village than a city. It has a lively market, however, and its own spice factory. South of Grenville, the once-hidden Carmel Waterfall is now accessible by walking trail.The inland road back to St George's from here is spectacular. Numerous hairpin turns take you through tropical rainforests and past gorges of stunning beauty. The road passes within hailing distance of Grand Etang National Park and its extinct volcano, 549 m (1,800 ft) high, cradling a shimmering lake of 12 ha (30 acres).
Petit-Martinique
If you really want to get away from it all, hop onto the cargo ship that links Hillsborough twice a week with Petit-Martinique, a tiny dot of an island 5 km (3 miles) to the northeast. The 600 inhabitants live mainly from fishing. There is one guesthouse, one church and one road, but most people prefer to walk.
