Santo Domingo Colonial City Tour

Before any other European city existed in the Americas, this one did.

Santo Domingo is the first permanent settlement of the New World, and its Colonial Zone, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is still standing after more than 500 years, its cobblestone streets the same ones Christopher Columbus and his family actually walked. With Godspeed Way, you get to take it all in without worrying about anything else: we drive you there, we take care of the ride, and a local guide fills in the history the stones can't tell on their own.

This walking tour takes you underground into the ancient indigenous cave of Los Tres Ojos, then back up to the Cathedral of Santa María La Menor, the first cathedral in the Americas. You'll walk down Calle Las Damas, the oldest street in the Americas, visit the Alcázar de Colón — home to Diego, Columbus' son — and a selection of the city's most iconic colonial landmarks. There will also be panoramic views of the towering Columbus Lighthouse, the downtown skyline, and the National Palace, plus free time to shop at a colorful souvenir market. The day wraps up with a traditional Dominican lunch at a local restaurant.

Founded in 1496, Santo Domingo is the oldest European city in the Americas, home to the continent's first hospital, first university, and first cathedral. Its Colonial Zone, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990, still keeps its original street layout intact, along with dozens of monuments that marked the beginning of the modern history of the Americas.