Grenada’s Parishes & Islands

 

Grenada lies just north of Trinidad and Tobago and is the largest of the islands at 133 square miles.   Approximately 110,000 people call Grenada home and much of its culture reflects the African roots.

As one of the world’s largest exporters of nutmeg and mace crops, Grenada is known as the “Island of Spice”.  Another reason for the moniker is that because of all the spice grown on island, there is always a faint aroma of spice when approaching Grenada from the sea.

Grenada is divided into six Parishes – regions that were originally under the care of the local church. The parishes include Saint George Parish, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint John, Saint Mark and Saint Patrick.

The islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique have the status of dependency.

The largest town and capital city of Grenada is St. George’s in Saint George Parish, with one of the Caribbean’s most picturesque waterfronts and where the majority of the Grenada’s population reside.  Surrounded mountainous terrain (including an old volcano crater) and located on a horseshoe-shaped harbour, lush vegetation and colourful architecture round out the landscape.

St. George’s has developed in recent years, yet has preserved its rich and interesting history, architecture, culture, and natural beauty.

 

Saint George Parish

 

Located on the south-west of Grenada, Saint George Parish is the 2nd largest in terms of size and the most populous. Maurice Bishop International Airport, popular Grand Anse Beach and many of the Island’s holiday resorts are located in Saint George Parish, all of which contribute to the Parish’s extensive tourist infrastructure.

The Parish is home to the capital city of Grenada, St. George’s, which is considered to be one of the most picturesque cities in the Caribbean region due to the pastel shades of the buildings surrounding the horseshoe-shaped harbour.

 

Saint George Attractions

 

Fort George

 

At 175 feet above the city of St. George’s, the fort offers stunning views of the harbour, the Lagoon and Grande Anse while offering a glimpse into the rich history of Grenada. Built between 1705 and 1710, the original eighteenth century structure is one of the finest remaining examples of a Vauban-style masonry fortress in the world.  A viewing section towards the inner harbour hosts plaques showing the important landmarks, and several of the old cannons.

 

Fort Frederick

 

Set atop the 730 foot Richmond Hill at the center of St. George’s, Fort Frederick is a smaller and more recent complement to the imposing Fort George. Built by the British, it was completed in 1791, during the French Revolution.  Considered to be the best preserved fort on the island Fort Frederick offers a commanding 360 degree view of Grenada’s east coast, majestic mountains, lush green valleys and the tropical rainforests of the interior.

 

Grenada National Museum

 

Displaying historical artifacts, the Grenada National Museum is housed in a structure built by the French in 1704.   Exhibits include Slavery, First Inhabitants, Plantation Economy, Whaling & Fishing Archaeology, and Early Transport & Technology.

The Museum also offers live cultural performances featuring jazz, dancing, drumming, singing and poetry.

Open Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 4:30pm and on Saturdays from 10:00am to 1:30pm.

 

High Five West Indies Cricket Heritage Centre

 

Dedicated to preserving and bringing to life the unique and largely untold story of West Indian cricket history, High Five boasts a unique collection of cricket artifacts. Items on display date from the late 1800’s to the present day. Entrance fee is $10ec adults ($5ec under 16 and seniors). Open daily 9am – 5pm.

 

Mt. Hartman Dove Sanctuary

 

The Mt. Hartman Dove Sanctuary is located near scenic Woburn Bay and is home to the protected Grenada Dove (Leptotila wellsi).

 

Sendall Tunnel

 

Completed in 1895, this 340-foot tunnel named after Grenada’s Colonial Governor, Sir Walter Sendall joins two halves of the city of St. George’s. 


Moliniere Bay Underwater Sculpture Garden

 

This bay is now the location of the world’s first underwater sculpture park and is a truly amazing experience for divers, snorkelers and from above the water, in glass bottom boats.

 

Annandale Falls

 

Just a short drive from the capital, Annandale Falls are enclosed in a garden of green and a wall of rocks covered in soft ferns and other vegetation. A dip is most invigorating. Or simply revel in the beauty and sounds of the falls. Spend time in the surrounding gardens where tropical flowers and trees flourish and visit the Interpretation Centre.

 

Saint Andrew Parish

 

Located on the east coast of the island, Saint Andrew’s is Grenada’s largest Parish and has the longest coastline. St. Andrew Parish has approximately 32,000 residents primarily located in and near the main town and capital of the Parish, Grenville.

 

Saint Andrew Attractions

 

West India Spices Inc.

A producer of quality essential oils, oleoresins, ground spices and other spice products, this agriculture factory offers a tour that takes visitors through the history of Grenada’s important nutmeg and spice cultivation showing factory processes, displaying the many uses and benefits of the spices.

 

Mt. Carmel Waterfall

 

Also known as Marquis Falls, Mt. Carmel’s two waterfalls plunge into pools 70 feet below.  Located 2 miles outside of Grenville in Saint Andrew Parish, the waterfalls are easily reached via a 30 minute hike through a private plantation.  An entrance fee is charged and guides are available, if required.

 

Seven Sisters Waterfall

 

Located in Grand Etang National Park, Seven Sisters is situated in one of Grenada’s most beautiful regions. The waterfalls cascade down the mountainside into a large pool that is perfect for a refreshing swim following the 45-minute moderate level hike along a sometime muddy and narrow trail.

 

Claboney Volcanic Hot Spring

 

The Claboney Hot Spring near Grenville offers relaxation in a warm sulphur-filled pool.  The pool is easily accessible as you drive to within about 100-yards of the attraction.  The Hot Spring is open to everyone and there is no charge to visit.

 

Paradise Bridge

 

Located between Grenville and Dunfermline, is a Georgian-style, 3-arch stone bridge built by the French in the 1800’s.

 

Saint David Parish

 

Saint David Parish is sometimes referred to as “The Virgin Parish”. Located on the south-east of Grenada, it is the island’s 4th largest parish.  With a population less than 12,000 people, there is no main town in the Parish but with its’ rocky coastline and spectacular inlets and bays, St. David Parish has a variety of small, hidden beaches.

 

Saint David Attractions

 

Westerhall Rum Factory

 

Home to the oldest working waterway in the western hemisphere, the distillery exhibits some of the old artefacts and equipment that make up the refinery process.

Visitors can see the entire rum making process, enjoy organic lunches at the estate and even sample a variety of rums.

 

Laura Land Herb and Spice Garden

 

Located near Perdmontemps in St. David, the Laura Land Herb and Spice Garden has numerous samples of trees, herbs and spices grown on the island.  A friendly guide will provide an educational tour.

 

Saint John Parish

 

While Saint John Parish has little tourism related activity, the main town of  Gouyave is known locally as the action city and the place that never sleeps.

Historically known as Charlotte Town, Gouyave is Grenada’s second largest town, excluding the capital. It is traditionally a fishing village, with more fish caught by Bouyave’s fisherman than anywhere else on Grenada.  A popular local event is Fish Fridays, where vendors line the streets with their grills, fryers, steamers and cookers and prepare Grenadian fare.

 

Saint John Attractions

 

Concords Falls

 

Three tumbling rapids make up Grenada’s Concord Falls on the Concord River, a magical spot that’s shaded by lush tropical vegetation. The falls are Concord and the mightier upper falls, Au Coin and Fontainbleu.

Located approximately 2 miles (3km) from the village of Concord, a paved road leads to the falls, which can be visited independently or by organized tour. Bring your swimming costume to take the plunge into the icy water, or relax at Concord Falls’ shop and snack bar.

 

Saint Mark Parish

 

Saint Mark is the smallest Parish on Grenada in both area and population with just over 4,000 inhabitants.  Yet this tiny gem boasts the highest mountain on Grenada and the tallest waterfall.

The small fishing village of Victoria located on Grenada’s northwest coast, is the center of activity for Saint Mark’s Parish. Named for Queen Victoria, the town is popularly referred to as ‘Sunset.’

 

Saint Mark Attractions

 

Saint Mark’s Day Festival

 

This now annual event hosted in Victoria, showcases different produce, cultural performances, music and entertainment, and culminates in a street party on the final day.

The week-long festival is held a few weeks after Easter.

 

Tufton Hall Waterfall

 

Tufton Hall Waterfall, located halfway between Victoria and St. Catherine, is the tallest waterfall in Grenada, with the approximate height of 25 metres. A technical and strenuous 3-hour hike (each way) is the only way to visit the waterfall.

 

Saint Catherine

 

Saint Catherine soars to a height of 2,756 feet and is the youngest of five volcanoes on Grenada.  The mountain has been stripped of all paths by hurricanes, so it is strongly recommended to hire an experienced guide.

 

Saint Patrick Parish

 

With a spectacular coastline lined with several fine bays, the Parish of Saint Patrick is Grenada’s most northerly Parish.  Several volcanic cones and craters are located within the parish, such as the Punchbowl and Lake Antoine.

Several large estates accounting for a significant portion of Grenada’s nutmeg and cocoa production are located in St. Patrick Parish.

The Parish capital and largest town in Saint Patrick is Sauteurs, which overlooks the Sauteurs Bay.

 

Saint Patrick Attractions

 

River Antoine Rum Distillery

 

This privately owned distillery, whose processes have changed little since the 1800′s is the oldest functioning water-propelled distillery in the Caribbean. A tour of the distillery costs EC$5 and at the end you can sample the rum. Click for Contact Details.

 

Leapers Hill

A Grenada holiday is not complete without a visit to historic Leapers Hill also known as Carib’s Leap, a steep cliff that falls directly into the sea north of the town of Sauteurs. It is recorded that in 1651, forty Carib Indians committed suicide by throwing themselves from the cliff into the sea, rather than by conquered by the French.

 

Visitors to Leapers Hill have the opportunity to experience a model Kalinago/Carib village, view artifacts housed in the interpretation centre, purchase indigenous crafts and enjoy local cuisine.

 

Sulphur Springs

 

Based in River Sallee, there are over 5 natural sulphur springs to bathe in, plus a bar selling local food and drinks.  Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

Opening times 24 hours 7 days a week

 

Carriacou

 

Carriacou is 13 square miles and is the largest of the islands.  Carriacou is the place to get away from it all with no expensive shops, casinos or sophisticated nightlife. But if you like to swim, hike dive, sail, read or just relax, Carriacou is the perfect place for it.

The main settlements on the island are L’Esterre, Harvey Vale, Windward and Hillsborough, the capital of Carriacou.

With a population of approximately 1,000 residents, Hillsborough is the retail and administrative centre of both Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

 

Carriacou Attractions

 

The Carriacou Museum

 

The Carriacou Museum in Paterson Street is housed in a restored cotton gin mill and managed by the Carriacou Historical Society. There are Amerindian artifacts as well as exhibits tracing the early British and French occupation of the islands. There is also an African section.

 

Gun Point

 

Gun Point, located on the Northern point of the island is named after the cannon erected by the British in the 1780s. Maps indicate that this point actually belongs to St. Vincent and the Grenadines but is left to Carriacou’s jurisdiction.

 

High North Nature Reserve 

 

At 956 feet, the highest point on Carriacou is located in High North Nature Reserve. With great vistas of Grenada to the South and other islands to the North, this designated National Park offers hiking trails where a wide variety of wildlife can be observed.

 

Dover Ruins

 

The site of Carriacou’s first church offers insights into early stonework.

 

Ningo Well

 

This is one of the earliest wells built on Carriacou.  Ruins of a plantation are nearby as is a cemetery on the beach at Jew’s Bay.

White Island Marine Park

A snorkeller’s paradise with easy access to coral gardens, this island is a perfect place for day trip via a water taxi.

 

Belair National Park

With an exotic tree canopy and warm, soft breezes, this park is the setting for the Maroon Cultural Festival and the Parang Festival.  Historical ruins of English and French origins include preserved windmills and plantation buildings are waiting to be explored while hiking trails serve those seeking more physical activity.

 

Petite Martinique

 

Petite Martinique is located 2 ½ miles from Carriacou and is the smallest of the tri-island nation of Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique at only 586-acres.  The islands capital is North Village where the majority of the 900 population of Petit Martinique reside.

The highest point, the ‘Piton’, rises to 756 feet above sea level.  With the Caribbean Sea lapping the shores on the western side of the island and the Atlantic swells breaking on the eastern coast, the people of Petite Martinique are a fishing community and it’s no wonder boat-building and seafaring have been a tradition since the mid-1800s.

The people of Petite Martinique have a rich cultural heritage and its residents are ranked as having the one of the highest per capita incomes in the entire East Caribbean region.

 

Petite Martinique Attractions

 

Petite Martinique Carnival

 

Held annually at the traditional pre-Lenten carnival time.  Over the weekend before Mardi Gras (which is usually between mid-February and early March), Petite Martinique hosts a small scale but very lively Carnival with parades and masquerades, calypso competitions and plenty of fun!

 

Petite Martinique Regatta Festival

 

At Easter, inhabitants of Petite Martinique hold a two-day Regatta. Competitors from the neighboring Grenadine islands take part in the boat races. The ‘greasy pole’ competition is always a popular attraction, and donkey races also form part of this festival.

 

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