Jacmel's old town occupies a few blocks south of the central square, sloping down toward the harbour. The streets are lined with two-story coffee-merchant houses from the late nineteenth century, distinguished by their wrap-around balconies, slender cast-iron columns, and shuttered French doors. UNESCO has long been talking about adding the centre to the World Heritage list; the Haitian government formally nominated it after the earthquake.
The 2010 earthquake damaged many of the buildings, and restoration has been slow and uneven. Some houses have been beautifully revived as guesthouses and galleries; others are still propped up with timber. The fading peach and turquoise paint, the bougainvillea spilling over the balconies, and the soft Caribbean light all add up to one of the most photogenic streetscapes in the country.