Roseau Old Town (French Quarter)

What makes it special

Look up as you walk. Many of the historic wooden buildings carry intricately carved balconies, and the Creole houses add latticework to theirs.

The Old Market was where all the major trading between Dominica and the surrounding islands took place, and it was once one of the major slave trading markets in the Caribbean. Since its renovation as a craft centre with shops, it has been a craft market and gathering place, where you can browse handmade goods with little pressure to buy.

Among the wooden houses, the cathedral is the landmark in stone, built of volcanic rock in a Gothic Romanesque Revival style. If it is open, step inside for the marble altar in the sanctuary and its brass statuettes.

Visiting

Begin at the Old Market, at the southwestern end of King George V Street, and look round the craft stalls before you set off up the street. The grid of the old centre is easy to follow, so you can find your way between these streets without a map.

At the far end of the street, cross to Fields Lane, which runs parallel to it, and walk it back down toward the Old Market.

From the bottom of Fields Lane, walk south to the cathedral, where the walk ends.

Guided or on your own

You can walk this without a guide.

Tour sellers approach passengers leaving the cruise pier, and guides on the Bayfront offer tours too. They can be persistent but are generally friendly and not aggressive. If you take one, agree the route and how long it runs before you set off.