Roseau

Roseau lies on the west coast of Dominica, where rugged tropical hills meet the Caribbean Sea. The city features an array of modern concrete buildings and colonial style structures on its narrow streets that recall the capital's heritage.

Very reasonably priced buses, (in the form of mini buses) that travel around most of the island can be boarded in Roseau. Destinations are not usually posted on the front, but local people are very helpful and can tell you where the bus stops are for each town.

• French Quarter. The most historic section of the city, the streets are lined with picturesque wooden buildings; most with beautiful balconies. Roseau boasts some of the best examples of Caribbean vernacular architecture and much of this is in the French Quarter. (updated Dec 2016)
• 🌍 Roseau Cathedral. A beautiful black stone cathedral, built in the Gothic style. (updated Dec 2016)
• 🌍 Dominica Museum. A small but excellent museum on Dominica's natural history and ancient history. Exhibits include pre-Columbian artifacts as well as local art from different eras. (updated Dec 2016)
• 🌍 Botanical Gardens. Just east of downtown, the garden boasts landscaped green fields and many labelled tropical trees. There is a hike from the botanical garden up the hill to the east, which offers a wonderful view of Roseau and the Caribbean Sea. The hike is of easy-to-moderate difficulty and will take a novice hiker perhaps 40 minutes one-way. The hike allows for up-close exploration of many native Caribbean plants, many of which are common house plants outside of the tropics. A small shrine is located at the top of the hill, near a look out. Free. (updated Dec 2016)

• Emerald Pool. A serene waterfall just outside of the city that's accessible by a short drive followed by a short hike. Due to the water coming from the mountains and the thick forest canopy, the waterfall and pool is relatively cool. (updated Dec 2016)
• Champagne Beach. South of Roseau is this popular spot for swimming, snorkelling, and diving due to bubbles caused by geothermic activity and beautiful coral in the water. The beach is stony but the water is clear and teeming with ocean life. You can access this area by taxi, bus or private car and you will need to make a short walk down from the road to the water. (updated Dec 2016)

Sundays in Roseau are very quiet and more store-fronts (and many restaurants) are closed. Best to plan for a nature-day on Sundays. However, make sure your transportation is planned because buses and taxis will either not be operating or at much less frequency.

Highlights for travellers in Roseau include the Saturday morning market near where the Roseau River meets the Caribbean Sea. The market vendors start setting up very early (before dawn) to ensure they get good stall locations and snacks can be had by revellers returning late from Friday night festivities. The market is a great place to buy fresh fruit, seafood, and spices. There is less variety but still good prices for vegetables, meat and goods.

• Food Market. Located on the north end of town, this market abounds with vendors selling all kinds of tropical fruit. 

Dining in Roseau is centered around Creole fare with an emphasis on fresh local herbs and freshly caught seafood. Even the French, Italian and Chinese dining includes a little creole flavor to satisfy the local palette.

Fast food franchise restaurants KFC and Pizza Hut each have one branch in Roseau.

• Patty Shack. A fast food restaurant in the heart of downtown that sells a variety of food including fried chicken, burgers, and Jamaican patties. (updated Dec 2016)
• Urban Garden Cafe, 8, Castle St, ☏ +1 767 317-8888. A casual dining spot that's popular with locals. The menu features lots of healthy and vegetarian options. (updated Dec 2016)
• Fusion Village, 42, Old St, ☏ +1 767 440-9595. 11:00-23:00. A dining spot in a colorful creole cottage that features international cuisine with a creole twist and a well-stocked bar. (updated Dec 2016)
• Cocorico Cafe, Corner of Bayfront and Kenedy Ave, ☏ +1 767 449-8686. 08:30-14:30. A small cafe near the waterfront that offers Creole cuisine with a French touch. (updated Dec 2016)

Roseau is littered with establishments colloquially called "Rum shops" that mostly sell beer, but also have rum and whisky. The local beer is Kubuli, but other Caribbean brands like Carib and Red Stripe are also very popular.

Many restaurants in the city boast well-stocked bars with liquor from around the globe and tropical cocktail menus.

Fresh juice is also popular and is usually dictated by whatever fruit is in season.

• 🌍 Fort Young Hotel, Victoria Street, P.O Box 519, ☏ +1 767 448-5000. A seventeenth century fort that has been converted to a luxury hotel with 73 guest rooms and suites. Beautiful terraced rooms overlook the harbor. (updated Dec 2016)
• 🌍 Garraway Hotel, ☏ +1 767 612-8800. A hotel located on the quayside of Roseau with 31 rooms and a duty-free shop on the ground floor. (updated Dec 2016)