2013 Delta Travel Guide - (Page 24)

GRENADA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Santo Domingo National Palace FACTS BEST TIME TO GO: November through May FUN FACT: A couple of miles north of Grenada, Kick ‘em Jenny is a live, underwater volcano GETTING THERE: Delta ﬂies from New York (JFK) to Grenada ENTRY DOCUMENTS: Valid passport CURRENCY: Eastern Caribbean dollar MUST-TRY LOCAL FOOD: Oil Down, a badly named but delicious stew featuring meats, breadfruit, and callaloo BEST BUYS: Nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger at Market Square in St. George’s INFORMATION PLEASE: Grenada Board of Tourism— grenadagrenadines.com This city has some of the most stunning sights in the Western Hemisphere, because this was where the Columbus family settled down and the Spanish crown established an empire. In 1503, Columbus’ son, Diego Colon, built what is now the oldest stone house in the New World—Casa del Cordon and today there’s free admission for visitors. In 1517, Diego traded up to the rather extravagant, 22-room Alcazar de Colon, and you’d be hard pressed to ﬁnd anything else like it on this side of the Atlantic. Basilica Catedral Metropolitana Santa Maria de la Encarnacion, the oldest cathedral in the New World, is (of course) in Santo Domingo, as are the ramparts of Fortaleza Oazma, Iglesia y Convento Dominico (a still-functioning church-and-convent) and Monasterio de San Francisco, all of which hail from the early-1500s. But it’s not just public and monumental buildings: in Zona Colonial you can stroll through an entire 12-block neighborhood from the days of the Spanish Empire. No wonder this city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the same time, Santo Domingo is a modern, living city, with hundreds of restaurants, clubs, cafes, concerts, and casinos. For of-the-moment cuisine in historic settings, dine at La Briciola and La Residence. For after-dinner gaming try the Diamonte or Majestic casino. There’s also dancing at Diamonte, but for something completely different, visit Guacara Taina, a weekend-only dance club in a series of caves once used by the Taina Indians. Where to stay? Brad Pitt and Robert de Niro have opted for chic Hostal Nicolas de Ovando, a hip hostelry whose location couldn’t be better—it’s right at the Zona Colonial. Grenada Nobody ever accused Grenada of being a big island, but within its 100 sq. miles it manages to offer visitors both the bucolic scenery and quietude of the old Caribbean and the luxuries of the new. And for bonus points, the island smells good, for this is the Spice Island, a major producer of nutmeg (and mace, cinnamon, vanilla, and cocao), and those crunchy things that cover walkways are the fragrant husks of nutmeg. Spice Island Beach Resort, a locally owned all-inclusive near the southwest point of the isle, offers posh rooms and suites, sports that range from golf and tennis to boating and bicycling, a spa with a well-trained staff, gourmet cuisine, swimming pools and a lovely stretch of beach on Grande Anse. The best value on the island? That might be Blue Horizon Garden Resort, just behind Spice Island, because each spacious suite includes a money-saving kitchenette (great for families), and guests may use Spice Island’s beach and even its non-motorized boats. A good choice for people who really want to get away from it all is Bel Air Plantation on a hillside overlooking St. David’s Harbour. Calabash is a boutique hotel on the southwest side with casually elegant decor, excellent cuisine, and, despite its smallish beach, a good range of land and sea sporting activities. Rent a car and drive into St. George’s, the capital, a charming hilltown with colonial homes, cobblestone streets splashed with bougainvillea, old Fort Frederick, and the Carenage, a waterfront street with restaurants and cafes. You’ll also see great churches that were battered by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and are still undergoing restorations. Drive into the mountainous interior, too, most of which is farmland and protected forests. Tropical ﬂowers lead the way to the Concord and Seven Sisters waterfalls, while Grand Etang National Park features a lake in an extinct volcano that attracts brilliant cardinals, scarlet tanagers, hawks and hummingbirds. Tour Dougaldston or the Mourne Fendu Plantation House, and, of course, inhale deeply, because what you smell is nutmeg. 24 D20-D27.indd 24 12/17/12 2:28 PM http://www.grenadagrenadines.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2013 Delta Travel Guide

2013 Delta Travel Guide