The Zona Colonial is the historic heart of Santo Domingo and the oldest European neighbourhood in the Americas, founded by Bartholomew Columbus in 1498. The entire district is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its cobblestone streets contain a remarkable concentration of firsts: the first street in the New World (Calle de las Damas), the first cathedral (Catedral Santa María la Menor), the first hospital (ruins of San Nicolás de Bari), and the first fortress (Fortaleza Ozama) still in the Western Hemisphere.
Walking the Zona Colonial is the central activity in Santo Domingo. The neighbourhood is compact enough to cover on foot in a long morning, but has enough depth — in history, architecture, restaurants, and small museums — to reward several days of exploration. Evening is particularly atmospheric, when the old stone buildings are lit and the outdoor cafés around Parque Colón fill up.