Parque Colón

One of the liveliest parks in the DR faces the oldest cathedral in the Americas, in a verdant, shaded square surrounded with colonial, republican, and modern architecture. A magnet for Dominicans and tourists alike, at its center is a towering statue of Christopher Columbus pointing to the island when he discovered it, and Taino Indian heroine Anacaona at his feet, looking up at the explorer. Pigeons fly around this magical square, punctuated with benches, and bustling with merengue music players, sidewalk cafés, and plenty of people watching.