St George's, Grenada: Exploring the Colourful Capital of the Spice Isle
- Martin Hesp
- Aug 3, 2021
- 8 min read
Updated: Aug 27
"Why Grenada? Because it is one of the loveliest of the Caribbean islands and offers a huge variety of things to do and see."
That was the view of the Grenada travel company I was reading at the time, and I couldn't really disagree.
I've been lucky enough to visit quite a few Caribbean islands, but Grenada made a particularly strong impression on me.
It is mountainous, extraordinarily green and blessed with some beautiful beaches, but it has another quality that I found increasingly attractive as I travelled around: it still felt like a real Caribbean island rather than a place that had been completely remodelled for tourists.
And at the heart of it all is St George's, Grenada's capital.
It is a colourful, steep-sided little city wrapped around a beautiful natural harbour, with old buildings, busy streets, a lively market and the deep blue Caribbean beyond.
I remember it as a place with genuine character.
And, having recently revisited my memories of Grenada while updating my main Grenada travel guide, I realised that St George's deserved an article of its own.
St George's, Grenada: a first impression
My first impression was that St George's was busy.
Not unpleasantly busy. Just properly alive.
The town climbs dramatically around the harbour, with streets that seem to have been built according to the contours of the hills rather than any sort of sensible town-planning manual.
You walk uphill. Then downhill. Then uphill again.
And eventually you discover that the best views are generally obtained by going still further uphill.
It is a town where you should forget about trying to see everything in a hurry. Wander. Look at the buildings. Watch the boats coming and going.
Listen to the conversations around you. And, above all, don't be frightened of getting slightly lost.
That's when St George's becomes most interesting.
The Carenage: the heart of St George's
The great natural feature of St George's is its Carenage, the horseshoe-shaped harbour around which much of the town has developed.
It is one of the most attractive waterfronts I've encountered in the Caribbean.
Fishing boats and yachts sit alongside working harbour activity, while restaurants, shops and old buildings line the waterfront.
The combination is important.
This isn't simply a pretty marina designed for visitors.
The harbour remains part of the working life of the capital.
And above it, the hills rise steeply, covered with houses and tropical vegetation.
It is the sort of view that makes you reach for the camera even when you've already taken far too many photographs.
The market in St George's
The market was one of the places I particularly enjoyed.
My original notes described it as frenetic, loud and slightly anarchic.
That still seems about right.
There is a world of difference between wandering through a Caribbean market and buying a supposedly "local" souvenir in an air-conditioned cruise terminal.
At the market, you are confronted with the real stuff.
Fruit. Vegetables. Spices. Local produce.
People talking. People selling. People buying.
And, occasionally, people trying to persuade you that you really do need whatever it is they're selling.
I like markets because they provide a glimpse of ordinary life.
You aren't simply looking at Grenada. You're seeing Grenadians getting on with their day.
A taste of Caribbean life
One of the things that struck me about St George's was how easily the town could move between tourist destination and ordinary Caribbean community.
A cruise ship might be in the harbour and visitors might be wandering around looking for souvenirs, but just a few streets away the atmosphere changes.
People are going about their business.
Cars squeeze through narrow streets.
Shops open onto pavements.
Children head home from school.
And somebody somewhere is inevitably cooking something that smells considerably better than whatever you were planning to eat.
That mixture of tourism and everyday life is part of the reason I liked Grenada.
It never felt entirely like a stage set.
The steep streets of St George's
St George's is not a town for anyone determined to avoid hills.
The capital's steep streets are one of its defining characteristics.
The buildings climb the slopes around the harbour and, from higher up, the views become increasingly spectacular.
It is worth taking your time because some of the best photographs are obtained simply by turning around.
A colourful building.
A glimpse of the harbour.
A fishing boat in the distance.
The Caribbean shining beyond the rooftops.
Then you realise you've walked considerably further uphill than you intended.
The good news is that eventually you have to walk down again.
The forts above St George's
The elevated position of St George's made it strategically important, and the fortifications above the town provide a fascinating reminder of Grenada's complicated colonial history.
Fort George sits above the Carenage and offers superb views across the harbour and the town.
Further away is Fort Frederick, built by the French and later completed by the British. It stands around 800 feet above sea level and provides remarkable panoramic views across St George's and the surrounding landscape.
This is one of those places where the history and the scenery work together.
You go for the view.
You stay because you're suddenly interested in how the island came to be fought over by European powers.
Grenada's history includes French and British colonial rule, slavery and emancipation, independence and the extraordinary political events that culminated in the US-led intervention of 1983.
That history can sometimes be reduced to a paragraph in a guidebook.
It deserves rather more than that.
Grand Anse and the view towards St George's
One of the best ways to appreciate St George's is actually to leave it.
From Grand Anse Beach, the capital can be seen across the water at the head of the bay.
I stayed at Blue Horizons Garden Resort during my Grenada trip, on the hillside behind Grand Anse.
The resort was surrounded by tropical gardens and offered a much more relaxed experience than some of the large beachfront properties.
From there, St George's looked particularly beautiful.
The capital appeared almost improbably colourful against the green hills, with the blue Caribbean stretching beyond it.
It was one of those views that made me understand why Grenada had made such an impression.
Exploring Grenada beyond the capital
One of the great advantages of St George's is that it makes an excellent base for exploring the rest of Grenada.
During my visit, Arnold Hopkin of Blue Horizons helped us put together an itinerary and we headed off in a four-wheel-drive to explore the island.
And what an island it is.
Within a relatively short distance you can go from the Caribbean coast into thick rainforest and mountainous country.
There are waterfalls, Grand Etang, spice plantations, cocoa estates, fishing villages and beaches.
This is one reason I wouldn't recommend spending an entire Grenada holiday inside a resort.
Get out. Hire a car. Take a tour. Find a local guide.
See what is around the next corner.
You may discover that the journey is every bit as memorable as the destination.
Grenada, the Spice Isle
Grenada's nickname — the Spice Isle — isn't just a clever tourism slogan.
Nutmeg and mace have long been important parts of the island's agricultural identity, alongside cocoa and other tropical crops.
I remember visiting De La Grenade and learning about the remarkable nutmeg fruit itself.
The fleshy material surrounding the nut and mace, which might otherwise be discarded, can be turned into products such as syrup.
It's a small example of something I particularly like about travel.
You learn something you didn't know.
Then you start looking at a familiar ingredient in a completely different way.
Grenada's agricultural heritage is one of the reasons the island has such a distinctive food culture.
A capital with a complicated history
It would be easy to look at the photographs of St George's and think only about the pretty buildings and beautiful harbour.
But Grenada's history is complicated.
The island changed hands between France and Britain, developed a plantation economy based on enslaved labour, eventually achieved independence and then went through a turbulent political period in the twentieth century.
The US intervention of 1983 is still part of the country's modern history, although for today's visitor it is obviously not something that dominates everyday life.
What I find interesting is how these layers of history remain visible without turning St George's into some sort of open-air museum.
It is a living capital. People work here. They shop here. They go to school here. They live here.
The history is simply part of the backdrop.
Is St George's worth visiting?
Very definitely.
If you're staying in Grenada, I wouldn't spend the whole time on Grand Anse Beach.
Give St George's at least half a day, and preferably longer.
Walk around the Carenage. Visit the market. Climb the streets.
Look at the old buildings. Explore the forts.
Stop for something to eat.
And then sit somewhere with a view and watch the harbour.
The capital isn't huge, and that's part of its attraction.
You don't need a complicated itinerary. You simply need time.
Would I go back?
Yes.
That was the thought that prompted me to revisit this old article in the first place.
There are places you visit and immediately forget.
There are others that remain somewhere in the back of your mind.
St George's is one of the latter.
Perhaps it is the colour. Perhaps it's the harbour.
Perhaps it's the steep streets and the hills covered in houses.
Perhaps it's the market and the people.
Or perhaps it's simply the feeling that, despite the growth of Caribbean tourism, Grenada had somehow managed to retain its own personality.
Whatever the reason, I'd happily go back.
And next time I might even try walking up those hills without stopping quite so often.
Visiting St George's today
Grenada has inevitably changed since my visit.
The island's tourism industry has grown and the capital continues to be an important centre for visitors arriving by air and cruise ship.
But St George's remains Grenada's administrative, commercial and institutional centre, and the surrounding parish is the country's most populous.
If you're hiring a car, remember that visitors need a Grenadian driving permit. These can be obtained through the police station on the Carenage, while many rental companies can arrange the permit for you.
And if you're exploring on foot, wear sensible shoes.
I mention this partly as practical advice.
And partly because I have now admitted to you how steep St George's actually is.
Frequently asked questions about St George's, Grenada
Is St George's worth visiting?
Yes. St George's is one of the most atmospheric small capitals in the Caribbean, with its harbour, steep streets, market, historic buildings and forts.
What is St George's famous for?
St George's is famous for its beautiful Carenage harbour, colourful buildings, historic forts, market and position as the capital of Grenada.
What can you do in St George's, Grenada?
You can explore the Carenage, visit the market, walk through the old streets, visit Fort George and Fort Frederick, enjoy views over the harbour and discover the town's history.
How long do you need in St George's?
A few hours will allow you to see the main sights, but I would recommend allowing at least half a day if you want to explore at a relaxed pace.
Is St George's walkable?
The central part of St George's is very walkable, but it is extremely hilly. Comfortable shoes are advisable.
Where is St George's in Grenada?
St George's is on the south-west coast of Grenada, surrounding the sheltered Carenage harbour and facing towards Grand Anse across the bay.
What is Grenada known for?
Grenada is known as the Spice Isle because of its long association with nutmeg, mace and other spices. It is also known for Grand Anse Beach, rainforest, waterfalls, cocoa, rum and the capital St George's.
More about Grenada
I've written a much longer Grenada travel guide covering the island's beaches, rainforest, waterfalls, spices, cocoa, rum and its other islands, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
And if you're interested in my other Caribbean travels, I've gathered them together in my Caribbean Travel: Islands, Beaches, Food and Adventures hub.
