One of the memories that many visitors to Guadeloupe in Pointe-à-Pitre retain is the flavours and sounds of its many small markets. For example, the Central Market, also called the Saint Antoine Market, located on a square of the same name in full city centre; the Flower Market on Gourbeyre Square, in front of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul; and the Keruland Port Market on the Caribbean Sea, right in front of your MSC cruise ship.

A visit to the Guadeloupe National Park, designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, will also leave a mark. Located in the south of Basse-Terre, the park holds one of the most beautiful woods in the Antilles, which can be reached by following the Route de l’Habituée, which cuts the park in two.

Next, tackle an excursion to the Soufrière Volcano and to the three waterfalls of Carbet nearby. The second waterfall is the most accessible. One hundred and ten meters in height, it can be admired from a suspended bridge. If you are interested in Basse-Terre archaeological sites, visit the Roches Gravées (Engraved Rocks) located in Trois-Rivières, in the southern part of the island; or those in Plessis in the north. Or grant yourself an excursion to the Désirade geological reserve. French relics can be admired at Fort Delgres, built in 1650 to defend Guadeloupe from the British.

Passengers of an MSC cruise will also be able to admire the Domaine de Valombreuse Botanical Garden. Inserted between the mountains and the sea, it is a riot of tropical plants and flowers, which only a few other gardens in the world can equal. To get a full taste of the spirit of the island, make sure to visit the Musée du Rhum in Sainte-Rose during your stay. Housed in the Reimonenq Distillery, it reveals the techniques and secrets of the making of rum. You can view a series of historical tools used for cutting, working and transforming sugar cane into rum, as well as old incisions, objects and documents.

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