Enjoy the flavor and culture of the capital city of Martinique, Fort-de-France. Your guided walk takes you to exciting food tastings and past historical buildings with unique architecture...immerse yourself in the culture of the island!
You'll meet your guide outside your Martinique cruise ship port. Your friendly guide will tell you interesting stories and juicy tidbits about the island. The pace is slow as the guide leads you down the sidewalks of the city - there is a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 12 per group. A stroll through the local market is a sensory experience. Enjoy the colors, music, and fragrance of spices. See stalls of fruits, vegetables, spices, rum, madras fabrics, clothes, and handicrafts. Along the way, you will stop at different locations to sample and learn before moving to the next stop.
Continue with your day, you will stop at Savannah Park. This large park and green space is in the center of the city and has palm trees, statues, and memorials. Enjoy your food and relax on the grass, on blankets and pillows. The overall walking time is approximately 2 hours and covers several blocks.
Walk past the Palais de Justice built in 1906 with its Italian neoclassic architecture and resembles a French railroad station. In front is a statue of the French abolitionist and writer Victor Schoelcher. The Schoelcher Library, built in 1884, was avant-garde for its time. It was constructed using a combination of concrete, wrought iron, and wood to withstand hurricanes and earthquakes. It was built at the request of Schoelcher and holds about 9,000 of his personal books and 250 musical scores. You'll also see St. Louis Cathedral, a Catholic church that opened in 1657, but because of natural disasters, is now a Romanesque Revival style building built in 1895. This is the 7th church built on this site and now has an iron frame to withstand any future disasters.
Your walk has 5 different tastings. They vary according to the season. It could be local sugar cane juice, "paté salé" (similar to empanadas), a local sample size dish, rum shot, local candies, a pastry of your choice from a local bakery, and more!
Your guided walk of Fort-de-France will give you an appreciation of the history, culture, and cuisine of the island. At the end of your day, you can stay a little bit longer in Savannah Park to continue exploring at your own expense, just in front of the park you can find La Francaise beach where you can take a swim or just sit and relax, continue exploring the downtown, buy some souvenirs, or, if you prefer your guide can take you back to your Martinique cruise terminal.
5
