Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Walking Tour
Zona Colonial
Start
Catedral Primada de América
End
Plaza España
Length
2.4km; 2½ hours
Start at
Catedral Primada de América
(
Click here
), the New World's oldest working church.
Turn south on Isabel la Católica: you'll see the
Larimar Museum
(
Click here
) and the simple
Iglesia de Santa Clara
(
Click here
). Turn west on Padre Billini and walk to the
Museo de la Fa-
milia Dominicana
(
Click here
), with its famous Gothic window. Turn south onto Arzobispo Meriño
and you'll pass
Casa de Teatro
(
Click here
); ask about upcoming performances. south to the
Centro Cultural
(
Click here
) with a full calendar of events. Head west then turn right onto Calle
Duarte, which opens onto a plaza with two churches: the spectacular
Convento de la Orden de los
Predicadores
(
Click here
) and the baroque
Capilla de la Tercera Orden Dominica
(
Click here
).
Head west along Padre Billini to the ornate façade of the
Iglesia de la Regina Angelorum
(
Click here
). Continue west before taking Palo Hincado north to the
Puerta del Conde
, the su-
preme symbol of Dominican patriotism. Inside the gate is Parque Independencia and the
Altar de
la Patria
(
Click here
), a mausoleum of three national heroes. Then take
Calle El Conde
, the Zona
Colonial's busy commercial walkway, to leafy
Parque Colón
(
Click here
).
From the park take Alfau, a small pedestrian street, to the entrance of
Fortaleza Ozama
(
Click
facades of the
Hostal Nicolás de Ovando
(
Click here
) and the
Casa de Francia
. Further up
Las Damas, you'll pass the
Panteón Nacional
(
Click here
) and the
Capilla de Nuestra
(
Click
Museo de las Casas Reales
(
Click here
) before
reaching
Museo Alcázar de Colón
(
Click here
) in the
Plaza España
(
Click here
), a large plaza
overlooking the Río Ozama.
Gazcue
Plaza de la Cultura
MAP
PLAZA
GOOGLE MAP
(Av Maxímo Gómez)
This large, centrally located park, mostly a sun-baked, fairly unkempt
plaza, has three museums (two of which are worth visiting), the national theater (
Click
here
)
and the national library, plus Il Cappucino (
Click here
) restaurant. The land was
