Roseau: Gardens, Markets and History

Roseau brings together botanical greenery, traces of history and markets with different specialties. The city is small enough to explore comfortably on foot. If you enjoy including nature, architecture and local market life in your trip, Roseau offers several specific ways to do so.

Botanical Gardens and the Sisserou Parrot

The Botanic Gardens of Dominica cover 40 acres and lie below Morne Bruce. The gardens are about 50 meters from the Roseau River. Roseau’s Botanical Gardens are also home to the Sisserou parrot, Dominica’s national bird. For nature enthusiasts, the highlights here are the spacious garden grounds and the fact that the national bird lives in the gardens.

Traces of History and Two Markets

Roseau is situated on the site of the old Kalinago village of Sairi. The city’s architecture also points to its history: Roseau has a number of examples of 18th-century French architecture. A walk around the city brings together local history and built reminders of another era.

The markets have different specialties. Old Market Square is a market with craft stalls for cruise passengers and other visitors. At the New Market on the Riverbank, fresh tropical fruit, vegetables and herbs are on display. Those interested in crafts will find a different focus here than in the produce at the New Market.

Exploring Roseau on Foot

Roseau is small enough to explore comfortably on foot. The cruise pier is opposite the Dominica Museum; cruise passengers walk directly from their ships into the city to shop and take part in tours. The Visitors’ Information Center is located in Roseau’s former post office. Check whether it is currently open before visiting.

When choosing your vacation rental, consider whether you want Roseau’s gardens, architecture and markets to shape your stay, or whether you also want to include nature destinations in the wider destination of Saint George. This lets you plan your trip around the experiences that interest you most, without confusing the city’s features with those of the wider destination.

Nature Destinations in the Wider Destination of Saint George

In the wider destination of Saint George, Segment 4 of the Waitukubuli National Trail runs from Wotten Waven to Pont Casse. The route lies in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Morne Trois Pitons National Park, is about 13.3 kilometers long and can be completed in six hours. It ends at the Waitukubuli National Trail Research and Interpretation Facility in Pont Casse and offers views of five mountains. Its specific distance and estimated duration provide useful guidance for planning.

Also in the wider destination of Saint George, the Middleham Trail is an easy-to-moderate 45-minute hike leading to the 200-foot-high, cascading Middleham Falls. The path runs through the rainforest of Morne Trois Pitons National Park. The pool below the falls is suitable for swimming, though it is a little cool. This makes the hike and the possibility of cooling off two aspects of the same destination.

Trafalgar Falls in the wider destination of Saint George consists of the twin cascades of Papa Falls, 85 meters high, and Mama Falls, 40 meters high. From the parking lot, a ten-minute walk leads to a viewing platform. Visitors can swim in the smaller waterfall, and a hot spring flows across the path. The cascades, the short walk to the platform and the spring offer a different scenic focus from the hikes to Middleham Falls.

Boiling Lake tours also start in Laudat, in the wider destination of Saint George. Hikers must be accompanied by a certified local guide; check the requirements before setting out. The trail to Boiling Lake passes through the Valley of Desolation and by sulfur springs, steaming mud pools and volcanic terrain. This is a very different focus from Roseau’s markets and architecture and may influence which destinations you choose to prioritize on your trip.

Discover more destinations: Morne Prosper, Loubiere, Giraudel, Laudat, Trafalgar.

View the wider destination: Saint George.