Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site- and it's not hard to see why. The area is packed with colonial homes, churches and squares that date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. You'll also find a delightful mix of museums, restaurants, cafés, bars, parks, shops and more.
Santo Domingo's lovely cathedral is the oldest in the New World. Its first stone was lain in 1514 by Christopher Colombus' son, Diego, and its construction was finished in 1540. Within the pretty façade of golden-tinged coral limestone lays an impressive interior that combines Gothic and Baroque elements.
Across from the Cathedral and at the heart of the Zona Colonial you'll find this leafy square, where people of all walks of life meet, stroll, relax and people watch.
This impressive limestone building, located on the bluffs of the Ozama River, dates back to the early 16th century. It was built for Christopher Columbus' son Diego, who would go on to be governor, and his family. The magnificent palace - once the center of the Spanish court and now the Dominican Republic's most visited museum - boasts 24 rooms and open-air loggias that are decorated with colonial-era furniture, paintings, tapestries and other details.