San Carlos Cathedral is one of Monterey's key historic buildings, a stone church with roots in the Spanish colonial mission period and a long role in the city's Catholic life. Its modest scale is part of its appeal; this is not a grand European cathedral, but an early California landmark.
It is easy to pair with downtown Monterey and the Path of History. Step inside for the quiet interior, then look at how the church sits within the old colonial street pattern that predates the aquarium-and-wharf image of the city.