Written by Bradt Travel Guides
On Grenada you can spend your holiday doing nothing but hopping from one picture-postcard beach to the next, but should you wish to explore beyond the sun loungers (and we think you should), we’ve rounded up five cultural day trips.
Learn about Grenada’s cultural heritage
A visit to the River Antoine Rum Distillery is an absolutely fascinating glimpse into the past © Paul Crask
Head to the River Antoine Rum Distillery to watch sugarcane being turned into rum using the same production methods as in the 1700s, then visit the Belmont Estate to follow the chocolate journey from bean to bar and have lunch at their onsite restaurant. Spend your afternoon turtle-spotting at Levera Beach, a protected hatching site where giant leatherbacks lay their eggs, then continue along to Bathway for a cold beer and fresh lobster at Aggie’s.
Visit waterfalls and tour historic estates
Visit the three falls that make up Concord Falls – Concord, Au Coin & Fontainbleu © Paul Crask
Take in all three of the Concord Falls – most people only make it to the first but get away from the tour groups and hike all the way to the third. In the afternoon stop by the historic Dougaldston Estate, one of the oldest functioning sugar estates in the Caribbean, now a cocoa-processing station, then go on a tour of the Gouyave Nutmeg Pool to get an insight into an important aspect of Grenada’s agricultural tradition.
Go hiking in Grand Etang National Park
The high mountain ridges of the park offer unsurpassed views of the island © Paul Crask
Visit the Grand Etang National Park, a 1,000ha swathe of mountainous forest. The visitor centre is very informative and the panoramic views from the Mt Qua Qua trail are worth the walk. Nearby are the St Margaret’s Falls (also known as Seven Sisters) which are reached by a moderately easy hike across private estate land to deep, refreshing bathing pools. If you want to extend the hike, you can follow a narrow, steep track from here to the Honeymoon Waterfall and have a dip in its heart-shaped pool.
Find paradise on Carriacou
Both Carriacou and Petite Martinique have a strong maritime history of boatbuilding, brought over by Scottish settlers in the 1830s © Paul Crask
Hop on the Osprey ferry or short SVG Air flight to Carriacou and then take an island tour. Call in at the Carriacou Museum which houses an incredible collection of Amerindian artefacts that are regularly unearthed by locals and archaeologists on the island, then buy some artisan souvenirs from Fidel Productions, a small cottage industry that employs local artists to produce original art shirts and trinkets. Make sure to pass by the boatyards at Windward to see if there is any boatbuilding in progress and watch the masters at work.
Stroll the streets of St George’s
Many describe Grenada’s capital, St George’s, as one of the prettiest towns in the Caribbean © Laszlo Halasi, Shutterstock
Wander the pretty, pastel-coloured streets of capital St George’s. Take in some local art on Young Street and visit the Grenada Museum, set up to preserve and promote the island’s cultural heritage. Stop by the House of Chocolate for some cocoa tea and venture into Fort George, a historically significant building with great views of the capital and the Carenage.
Discover more about Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique with our new Bradt guide:
