The student neighbourhood just south of the colonial centre, laid out in the early 20th century when wealthy families moved out of the historic core. The grand French-style mansions they built — now mostly subdivided into student flats — give the streets a Parisian feel.
The area is centred on Plaza España and the parks around it, with the bigger museums, the lighthouse, and the Buen Pastor complex all here. After dark the bars and restaurants along Rondeau and Bolívar streets fill with the city's enormous student population.