Colonial Zone in Santo Domingo

The Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo is the oldest permanently inhabited European settlement in the Americas, a UNESCO World Heritage grid of cobbled streets, fortress walls, and sixteenth-century stone facades. Walking tours here move between the first cathedral, the first university, and the Alcazar de Colon, tracing five centuries of Caribbean history in a few compact blocks.

A guided walk is the easiest way to read the layers of the old city, from Taino origins to the Columbus family palace and the independence square. Many tours combine the Colonial Zone with a stop at Los Tres Ojos, since both sit on the same eastern side of the river and tell complementary parts of the Santo Domingo story.