Cultural sightseeing in Guadeloupe. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

Guadeloupe is an island country that consists of two big islands – Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre – and several small ones (the total area is 1,780 sq. km.). The islands are washed by the Caribbean Sea on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. When tourists see Guadeloupe for the first time, they often have an impression that they are in Europe even though the country is closer to Central America than to Europe. The majority of the local population has dark skin but they speak French. The first impression isn’t a lie, Guadeloupe is a French overseas territory, and French is the official language here. Even laws and lifestyle are also very close to France.

The capital of Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre, is reminiscent of European towns. This happens not only because of the French protectorate. A devastating earthquake destroyed all buildings in the 20th century, so the city was rebuilt literally from scratch. First buildings in Basse-Terre appeared in the 18th century – this is the first time that the city was mentioned in documents. In order to feel the atmosphere of the city, take a stroll on its roads. Fans of history can visit Christopher Columbus’s monument just to “tick the box”. The monument itself – the portrait sculpture on a tall column – rarely makes tourists impressed. The monument is located at the start of the national highway #1. There is a lot more interesting landmark nearby that always attracts numerous visitors and is included in most city excursions. This is Fort Delgres, a symbol of Guadeloupe’s fight for freedom. This is an important place of interest that doesn’t have an entrance fee, which is rare here. L'église Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel is a beautiful cathedral that is also interesting to visit. This is the oldest building in the capital and a great example of the colonial architecture style. If you want to see something that tourists don’t visit that much, head to the Basse-Terre Market. Weekend is the best time to visit it because there are always many visitors at the end of the week. It is a great opportunity to see an authentic tropical market with sellers in traditional costumes who offer spices, fruits, and other locally produced goods. It is believed that prices are cheaper at the market than in supermarkets. |You can be sure in one thing – everything is always fresh.

Basse-Terre Island has mostly mountainous terrain. La Grande Soufrière, an active volcano, is the highest peak of the islands (1,467 m). The volcano is clearly visible from any part of the country. There is a series of waterfalls at the foot of the volcano. These falls share their name with the river that supplies them - Carbet Falls. The series consists of three waterfalls located at some distance one from another. The biggest waterfall (125 m) is located higher than the others. Christopher Columbus was the first European who saw and described the impressive natural landmark. Carbet Falls are one of the most popular landmarks of Guadeloupe, so no wonder why hundreds of thousands of tourists visit it every year. The middle fall, which height is 110 m, has the most comfortable access because there is a paved road that takes visitors right to it. It takes approximately 20 minutes to reach the fall from a parking lot. The only drawback is that visitors cannot come too close due to safety issues and the risk of landslide. It is a lot more complicated to reach the first and third waterfalls. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

If you arrived in Guadeloupe in a large cruise ship, it certainly docked in the port of the largest city in Guadeloupe - Pointe-à-Pitre. This city is several centuries old so it has some historic landmarks even though some of its neighborhoods are simply rows of similar-looking multistory residential buildings. The first thing that tourists feel when they come ashore is the atmosphere of an island resort. Street musicians cheering visitors with live music and numerous stalls with souvenirs are essential for this place.

What landmarks should tourists see in Pointe-à-Pitre? There are both modern and historic points of interest, and many modern landmarks are tightly intertwined with the country’s past. For example, ACTE Memorial opened in 2015 is dedicated to such aspect of the past as slavery. During the Christopher Columbus time, Indian tribes inhabited Guadeloupe. After that, it was a colony for a long time. Nowadays, more than 95% of the islands’ population is black, and the republic knows very well about the problem of slavery. It is also interesting to visit the Victor-Schoelcher Museum that exhibits artworks collected by Victor Schoelcher in the 19th century after the official abolition of slavery. The politician bequeathed his collection to the city. The Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, which appeared in the city in 1807, is one more gorgeous landmark worth visiting. The building was reconstructed several times. During one of these reconstructions, the church got a protective metal construction that made its look original and unique.

When exploring rural Basse-Terre, pay your attention to the surrounding terrain, farm houses, fields with pineapples, sugarcane, and blooming flowers. The west coast of Bass-Terre is the location of Parc des Mamelles, a famous national park that is home to 85 species of native animals of the Caribbean region, 450 species of reptiles and arthropods. The excursion trail in the park is sometimes similar to a tunnel with wooden floor and walls made of net. The tunnel slowly goes upwards to the top of tall trees, bringing visitors to a height of up to 20 meters. In this area, it looks like inhabitants of the park look at people and not vice versa. Beautiful nature is a gorgeous landmark that appeals to tourists of all ages, and excitement from a visit to this park will stay with them for years to come.