Martinique is a French Caribbean island where rainforest meets reef, and rum ages under trade winds. Colonized by the French in the 17th century and shaped by the catastrophic 1902 eruption of Mount Pelée, its story unfolds in forts, sugar estates, and vibrant Creole markets. Today, it’s part of France, using the euro and speaking French and Martinican Creole, with a food culture that marries Old World technique to island soul.

You’ll base yourselves in three hubs for an easy flow: Fort-de-France for history and food, Les Trois-Îlets for beaches and boat days, and Saint-Pierre in the North for volcano views, black-sand coves, and waterfalls. Distillery visits, coastal hikes, and snorkeling with turtles round out the mix.

Practical notes: Aimé Césaire International Airport (FDF) is your gateway. Rent a car for flexibility; roads are well maintained but can be steep and winding in the North. Pack reef-safe sunscreen, a light rain jacket for mountain microclimates, and water shoes for rocky entries. Seasonal sargassum can affect some Atlantic-side beaches in spring; the Caribbean coast (south and west) is usually clearer.

Fort-de-France

Martinique’s capital is a compact, lively port framed by Fort Saint-Louis and the palm-studded Savane Park. Architecture lovers will geek out over the Eiffel-school Schoelcher Library; food lovers can graze on accras (salt-cod fritters), boudin créole, and spiced sorbet coco at the covered market.

• Top sights: Schoelcher Library, St. Louis Cathedral, Fort Saint-Louis (guided), Jardin de Balata (hilltop botanical garden), La Savane.
• Where to eat/drink: Lunch at the waterfront market counters (try féroce d’avocat and fresh jus de canne). For dinner, contemporary Creole spots around the Savane serve court-bouillon de poisson and Colombo; nearby Schoelcher has seaside brasseries for grilled dorade and ti’ punch at sunset.
• Sleep: Browse stays on VRBO Fort-de-France or Hotels.com Fort-de-France. Specific options: classic city-center Hotel L'Impératrice, business-friendly hilltop Karibea La Valmenière Hotel. For a splurge by the lagoon east of FDF, check availability at Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa.
• Getting there: Book flights to FDF via Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com.

Les Trois-Îlets (South Caribbean Coast)

Cross the bay to Martinique’s most vacation-friendly enclave: palm-lined beaches, calm Caribbean waters, and a string of villages from Anse Mitan to Les Anses-d’Arlet and Sainte-Anne. It’s the launchpad for boat days, turtle snorkeling, and long, lazy lunches with sand between your toes.

• Highlights: Anse Mitan and Pointe du Bout (shopping and cafés), Grande Anse d’Arlet (golden arc and church-on-the-pier photo), Anse Dufour/Anse Noire (turtles and black sand), Les Salines near Sainte-Anne (the island’s most famous strand).
• Eat & sip: Try beach club fare and grilled langouste at Anse Mitan; make a dinner reservation at Le Zandoli (creative cuisine with a bay view) or La Mandoline (Trois-Îlets, inventive Creole near Village de la Poterie). Sunset ti’ punch is practically a ritual.
• Stay: See VRBO Les Trois-Îlets or Hotels.com Les Trois-Îlets for beachfront apartments and resorts in Pointe du Bout/Anse Mitan.
• Getting there from FDF: Morning move by passenger ferry (about 20 minutes; roughly €7–€10 roundtrip) or by car via the A1/N5 (35–50 minutes depending on traffic). Depart after breakfast.

Saint-Pierre & the North Caribbean

The North is wilder: emerald slopes, black-sand coves, and rivers tumbling from Mount Pelée. Saint-Pierre—once the “Paris of the Caribbean”—was destroyed in 1902; today its theater ruins and old cell blocks sit yards from rum estates and chic bistros.

• Highlights: Mount Pelée trailheads, Anse Couleuvre beach, Saut du Gendarme waterfall, Depaz rum distillery, Gorges de la Falaise (guided canyon walk), fishing village of Le Carbet.
• Eat & sip: Book beachside tables for grilled lobster and lionfish in Le Carbet; seek out chef-driven Creole for langouste au beurre de vanille and smoky ribs with kassav.
• Stay: Search VRBO Saint-Pierre or Hotels.com Saint-Pierre for cliff-perched villas or boutique inns with Pelée views.
• Getting there from Les Trois-Îlets: Drive the coastal D7 via Le Carbet (about 1 hr 15 min without stops). Detour-friendly: plenty of viewpoints and distilleries en route.

Day 1: Arrive in Fort-de-France

Afternoon: Land at FDF, pick up your rental car, and check into your Fort-de-France hotel. Stretch your legs with a walk around La Savane park, duck into the iron-and-glass Schoelcher Library, and admire the neo-Gothic St. Louis Cathedral.

Evening: Start light: sample accras, boudin créole, and fresh cane juice at the covered market counters before a seaside stroll along the waterfront. For a sit-down dinner, choose a Creole spot near the Savane for Colombo de poulet, grilled vivaneau, and a ti’ punch with agricole rhum.

Flight booking: Check fares into FDF on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Day 2: Fort-de-France food, fort, and garden

Morning: Coffee and croissants from a boulangerie around Place de la Savane, then a guided visit at Fort Saint-Louis (naval base meets 17th-century defenses; bring ID). It’s the best vantage of the bay.

Afternoon: Join a delicious downtown walk:

Viator: Fort-de-France Food Tasting and Cultural Walking Tour — sample sweets, street bites, and hear the city’s stories as you wander the market and historic lanes.

Evening: Taxi to Schoelcher for a waterfront brasserie—order grilled dorade with Creole rice and a planteur punch. If you fancy something sweet, look for street vendors churning spiced sorbet coco.

Day 3: Rainforest, rivers, and rum (North taster)

Morning: Drive 25 minutes up to Jardin de Balata. Allow 2 hours for hummingbirds, suspended canopy bridges, and views over Fort-de-France Bay.

Afternoon: Head into the island’s green heart on a guided circuit of rivers, waterfalls, and a distillery stop:

Viator: Half-Day Nature and Panorama Tour in Martinique — a 6‑hour guided loop in the North with forest, cascades, a botanical stop, and a rum tasting.

Evening: Back in town, try a modern Creole dining room near the Savane for lamb Colombo or court-bouillon de vivaneau. Nightcap: a ti’ punch with white agricole (rhum blanc), just sugar cane spirit, lime zest, and cane syrup—stir, don’t shake.

Day 4: Transfer to Les Trois-Îlets + bayside unwinding

Morning: Depart Fort-de-France after breakfast. Easiest is the passenger ferry to Pointe du Bout/Anse Mitan (about 20 minutes; roughly €7–€10 RT); by car, allow 35–50 minutes. Check into your beach base.

Afternoon: Settle on Anse Mitan for a swim and stand-up paddle. Stroll Le Village Créole’s boutiques for local spices, kassav (cassava flatbreads), and madras textiles.

Evening: Dinner at La Mandoline (Trois-Îlets) for an inventive spin on accras, lamb with local spices, and banana gratin. Or opt for a toes-in-sand grill at Anse Mitan with grilled langouste and coconut flan.

Day 5: Josephine’s Bathtub and the islets of Le François

Morning: Drive 50 minutes to Le François for a lagoon day of white-sand “fonds blancs,” mangroves, and islets.

Viator: Bathtub of Josephine and Islands Half day Boat trip — intimate half-day cruising the jewels of François and Robert with history, swims, and rum punch.

Afternoon: Post-boat, visit a nearby distillery (Habitation Clément is the art-filled estate in Le François) for rhum vieux tastings and sculpture gardens.

Evening: Back at Pointe du Bout, grab sundowners at a beach bar, then book Le Zandoli (Trois-Îlets) for a special-occasion tasting menu with bay views.

Day 6: Dolphins, turtles, and secret coves (full-day catamaran)

All day: Board a small-group catamaran for an early start and a big adventure. Expect open-water dolphin watching in the AGO A sanctuary, snorkel stops for turtles over seagrass meadows, and a Creole lunch on board. It’s the island’s greatest hits in one sun-splashed day.

Viator: Full day EN Catamaran Martinique Dolphins and Turtles

After docking, keep dinner simple: beachside grilled fish with rice-and-beans and a glass of vieux agricole on the rocks.

Day 7: South beaches—Les Salines and Anse Dufour/Anse Noire

Morning: Drive 35 minutes to Les Salines near Sainte-Anne, a mile-long crescent of white sand and palms. Arrive before 10 a.m. for easy parking and calm water. Snack shacks turn out bokits, fresh coconuts, and sorbets; or pack a picnic of kassav and tropical fruit.

Afternoon: Swing back toward Les Anses-d’Arlet. Snorkel among turtles at Anse Dufour (white sand) and pop next door to Anse Noire (the island’s only black-sand beach on the Caribbean side) through the staircase—two radically different moods minutes apart.

Evening: Sunset dinner at Ti Sable on Grande Anse d’Arlet: mahi-mahi with passionfruit beurre blanc, grilled octopus, and live music some nights.

Day 8: Transfer to Saint-Pierre via Le Carbet + natural slides

Morning: Check out and drive the coastal D7 toward the North (about 1 hr 15 min). Pause in Le Carbet for a swim and beachfront lunch—look for places grilling lobster and lionfish caught by local fishermen.

Afternoon: Lace up for a rainforest ramble to river slides near Le Carbet. Family-friendly, fun, and refreshing on a warm day.

Viator: Glide into adventure: Hiking and natural slides — a private coach leads you to jungle pools and natural chutes; great for active travelers.

Evening: Check into your Saint-Pierre base, then dine oceanside in town: think accras, grilled vivaneau, and banana flambé with a sip of Depaz or JM rhum.

Day 9: North Island secrets—Pelée, rivers, rum

All day: Spend a curated day in the wild North with a private guide (small group) to hit rainforest, Pelée viewpoints, historic ruins, rivers for a dip, and a classic rum distillery.

Viator: North Island Tour And Martinique Best Secret — a full-day loop to the must-sees and hidden corners of the North.

Alternative if you prefer a bespoke plan from your doorstep: Private Custom Tour of Martinique.

Dinner: Reward the day with a table in Le Carbet for grilled lobster and sweet plantains, or opt for refined Creole in Saint-Pierre with tarte fine banane and a glass from the solid French wine lists many places carry.

Day 10: Saint-Pierre to FDF—ruins, market, and departure

Morning: Wander Saint-Pierre’s theater ruins and the old prison cell that once held the eruption’s famous survivor. If seas are calm, take a quick dip at a black-sand beach before checkout.

Afternoon: Drive back to the airport (about 60–70 minutes). If time allows, stop in Fort-de-France for a last browse of the market for Bois Bandé spice blends, vanilla, and locally roasted coffee. Depart with sand in your shoes and rhum in your suitcase (pack carefully).

Dining short list by area (use across the week)

• Fort-de-France & Schoelcher: Covered market counters for accras and féroce d’avocat; hill-route lunch spots near Jardin de Balata for Creole classics; seaside brasseries in Schoelcher for grilled fish and ti’ punch at sunset.
• Les Trois-Îlets & Anses-d’Arlet: La Mandoline (creative Creole near Village de la Poterie), beach grills at Anse Mitan for langouste, Ti Sable at Grande Anse d’Arlet for sunset dinners, cafés at Le Village Créole for breakfast bowls and espresso.
• South (Sainte-Anne/Le Marin): Marina restaurants in Le Marin such as Zanzibar for seafood towers and Caribbean curries; snack shacks at Les Salines for bokits and sorbet coco.
• North (Le Carbet/Saint-Pierre): Beach kitchens in Le Carbet for lionfish and lobster; rum estate eateries for braised meats with rhum sauces; bakeries in Saint-Pierre for kassav and fresh pastries.

Helpful logistics

• Transport between bases: Fort-de-France ⇄ Les Trois-Îlets by ferry (~20 min, €7–€10 RT) or car (35–50 min). Les Trois-Îlets → Saint-Pierre by coastal D7 (~1 hr 15 min). Saint-Pierre → FDF airport ~60–70 min.
• When to go: Dry season runs roughly December–April; shoulder months May–June and November are great for fewer crowds; expect quick showers in the North any time.
• Safety & etiquette: Reef-safe sunscreen only; never stand on coral. Trails can be slick—proper shoes and water. Designated drivers only—rhum tastings are potent.

More tour ideas if you want to swap days

• Dolphins only (AM) + snorkel: Martinique : Observation des dauphins et snorkeling

  

• Eco-focused Bathtub of Joséphine: Eco-responsible sea trip EN - Tub de Joséphine

  

• Beach-hopping with guide: Tour to discover the paradisiacal beaches of the South (Salines)

  

Where you sleep

• Fort-de-France: VRBO search | Hotels.com search | Picks: Hotel L'Impératrice, Karibea La Valmenière, Cap Est Lagoon Resort & Spa.
• Les Trois-Îlets: VRBO search | Hotels.com search.
• Saint-Pierre: VRBO search | Hotels.com search.

Book your flights

• Trip.com flights
• Kiwi.com flights

Ten days in Martinique gives you the island in full: lively Fort-de-France, languid beach time in the south, and the raw beauty of the North under Mount Pelée. Between rum, reefs, rivers, and radiant sunsets, you’ll leave with a taste for Creole life—and plans to return.