The best things to see and do in Grenada, from waterfalls to wildlife
For a small island, Grenada offers plenty to see and do. First off, there's the historic capital St George's to explore – a jumble of brightly-coloured buildings rising above a deep, natural harbour that's one of the prettiest ports in the Caribbean. You should also head off into the island's mountainous and incredibly lush interior, and take a hike through the rainforest and discover impressive waterfalls. Do journey up to the untouristy north of Grenada too, where you can learn about different aspects of the island's heritage and culture – perhaps visiting a cocoa estate and factory, a centuries-old rum distillery or a nutmeg processing station.
St George's
Stroll around the hilly town
Begin with a wander along the Carenage, where red-brick Georgian buildings overlook fishing boats and ferries. Then make your way up to the handsome Anglican church and Catholic cathedral, both restored to their former glory after massive damage from Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Finally, for superb views down the coast and over the town, climb up to Fort George, a dilapidated colonial-era complex at the mouth of the harbour that is now the HQ for Grenada's police force.
Insider's tip: On the Carenage, look out for the Christ of the Deep bronze statue. It commemorates the loss in 1961 in St George's Harbour of the Italian cruise liner Bianca C, and the help provided by Grenadians.
Opening times: Fort George: Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm
Price: Fort George: ￡
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Learn about Grenada's past
The Grenada National Museum, on Young Street, is in need of some investment, but it's still worth half an hour of your time. The most interesting displays focus on Amerindian ceramics found on the island, and (upstairs) on the socialist revolution in 1979 – striking photos from the time include prime minister Maurice Bishop meeting with Fidel Castro.
Insider's tip: The red-brick building, which dates from the 1740s, is one of the oldest on the island. In previous incarnations, it has served as a court house, jail, hotel, drill yard, private club and office for the Ministry of Education.
Contact: facebook.com/grenadanationalmuseum
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 9am-4.30pm; Sat, 10am-1.30pm
Price: ￡
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Get your chocolate fix
The House of Chocolate, on Young Street, is a café, shop and mini-museum all focused on, you guessed it, chocolate. The shop sells bars made in four of the island's five chocolate factories, along with cocoa nibs, cocoa powder and chocolate-themed T-shirts. Museum displays cover cocoa-growing and chocolate-making on the island from colonial times through to the present day.
Insider's tip: Treat yourself to something in the café – perhaps chocolate ice cream, bonbons, brownies or milkshakes, all of which are homemade. If you want a hot chocolate, then consider having a shot of bitter, dark chocolate served in an espresso cup.
Contact: houseofchocolategnd.com
Opening times: Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm
Price: Free admission
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Take in Grenada's market forces
The island's main market, for fruit and vegetable and tourist offerings, is on the town's northern side, near the cruise terminal and Esplanade Mall. You'll find a multitude of stalls selling spices, as pre-packaged selections or single bags of nutmegs, cloves and cinnamon sticks, along with other local products such as cocoa balls and guava jam. Be prepared to engage with stallholders, and for some hassle.
Insider's tip: To see the fruit and veg market at its busiest, come on a Saturday morning. Depending on the season, the stalls are piled high with yams, breadfruit, pumpkins, plantains, limes, golden apples, passion fruit, mangoes and much else besides.
Address: Market Square, bordered by Halifax, Hillsborough, Grenville and Granby streets
Opening times: Mon-Sat, 6am-6pm; spice and craft stalls also open Sun if a cruise ship is docked
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Grand Etang and around
Meet the monkeys
A windy half-hour drive from the Grand Anse area takes you up to the mountainous and forested Grand Etang National Park. A decent visitor information centre will fill you in on the geology, nature and wildlife, and you can admire the nearby Grand Etang Lake, a large water-filled crater of an extinct volcano. It's tempting to walk around the lake but the perimeter is usually very muddy.
Insider's tip: For many visitors, the highlight is spotting mona monkeys. If they are not in the car park near the visitor centre, ask at the security booth to the lake – the guy may call them over. The monkeys probably first arrived on Grenada in the 1700s on slave ships from Africa.
Opening times: Visitor Centre, daily, 8am-4pm
Price: ￡
Take a hike and a swim
The Seven Sisters Waterfalls lie a couple of miles north-east of the Grand Etang visitor centre – look for the signed parking spot by the road. From here to the falls it's a good 30-minute hike, first through a pretty, cultivated landscape of nutmeg trees and dasheen, then jungle. The largest waterfall is some 10 metres high, and has a big, inviting pool in which to swim.
Insider's tip: You can walk to the falls independently (walking boots or sturdy trainers advised), though many visitors go with a guide. One is likely to be available at the hut by the car park and start of the walk; their services should be much cheaper than those offered by a guide arranged through a hotel.
Opening times: The booth at the start of the walk is usually staffed daily, 8am-5pm
Price: ￡
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Swim at the bottom of an impressive waterfall
Annandale Falls is set in pretty gardens, with the 10-metre-high waterfall tumbling over rocks to a deep pool that is good for swimming (remember your costume). Daredevil locals will jump from a highish cliff ledge for a small fee. This is Grenada's most easily accessible waterfall – you can drive virtually right to it – and therefore the most visited. Ideally avoid visiting when a cruise ship is in port.
Insider's tip: The falls are marked on tourist maps, but even so, if you're driving yourself they are still hard to find, as the lane off the main road to Annandale is not signposted. Coming from St George's, turn left about a mile on from Beaulieu village.
Address: Annandale
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm; Sat-Sun, 9am-5pm
Price: ￡
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Northern Grenada
Learn all about spices
Until recently, Grenada – known as The Spice Island – was the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia. The crop was devastated by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, but has made a comeback. Learn more on a 15-minute tour of the enormously atmospheric and pungent Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station, where you can see nutmegs drying on long racks and dexterous women sorting them.
Insider's tip: Mace, the lacy outer husk of the nutmeg seed that is used in flavouring and cosmetics, is removed by farmers before the nutmegs are transported to the processing station. A shop at the entrance sells mace and nutmeg products.
Address: Upper Depradine Street, Gouyave
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm; also on weekend days when cruise ships in port, but no one will be working then
Price: ￡
Go bean to bar
Belmont Estate is a scenic, 300-year-old organic plantation with the emphasis on agritourism. Its main crop is cocoa. On the educational, half-hour tour you're shown how beans are fermented and dried, observe the slick-looking little chocolate factory, learn about the roasting, grinding and tempering processes, and taste (and later buy) the delicious (but expensive) various bars produced. The on-site restaurant does good buffet lunches.
Insider's tip: As well as the turn-up 30-minute tours, you can pre-book a four-hour-long Bean to Bar Tour, on which you're taken out into the cocoa groves and go right into the chocolate factory. Lunch is also included.
Contact: 00 1 473 442 9524; belmontestate.net
Opening times: Sun-Fri, 8am-4pm
Price: ￡-￡￡￡
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Have another chocolate treat
If you've toured the Belmont Estate, you might think it overkill to also visit the Grenada Chocolate Company's factory, just a mile away in the village of Hermitage. You'd be wrong. The lime-green house must be the quaintest chocolate factory on the planet, with a compact room for each of the tasks – the sorting, winnowing, packaging, etc. Tours are free, but it's customary to tip.
Insider's tip: An equally cute little 'factory outlet store' for the company's delicious bars and truffles recently opened two doors down from the factory, in what started life as a 'boucan' – a cocoa-drying shed.
Contact: 00 1 473 442 0050; grenadachocolate.com
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm
Price: Free
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See how rum is traditionally made
Dating from 1785, the River Antoine Rum Distillery, in the Tivoli district, makes a fair claim to being the oldest, continuously operational rum factory in the Caribbean. It's a fascinating time-stood-still operation. A water-driven wheel, from Derby, powers the crusher into which the cane is transported by a wooden conveyor, and giant piles of bagasse – the residue after the juice has been extracted – lie all around.
Insider's tip: After the 30-minute tour, you can sample the distillery's rum. Do go easy, especially if you're driving. Rivers Royale Grenadian Rum, the main brand, is so strong that, due to its flammability, it's not allowed to be taken on planes.
Contact: 00 1 473 442 7109; facebook.com/riversrumdistillery
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm
Price: ￡
