Zona Colonial

The historic center with colonial architecture and main tourist sites. Safe during the day with Tourist Police around, but empties out and gets risky after 6pm. Worth visiting for sightseeing, but don't stay here for dinner or stay here overnight.

The historic center with the oldest European buildings in the Americas and UNESCO World Heritage status. During the day it's full of tourists, local families, street vendors, and tour groups visiting museums like the Alcázar de Colón and walking Calle de las Damas. The cobblestone streets and colonial architecture are impressive. Tourist Police are stationed throughout, which makes it feel reasonably secure during daylight. Everything changes around 6pm when the sun sets - vendors pack up fast, tour groups leave, and the streets empty out. The narrow colonial streets go from charming to poorly lit and isolated. Street lighting is inconsistent and even locals from other parts of Santo Domingo avoid walking here at night. Eating alone during the day at places like Pat'e Palo or Lulú Tasting Bar is fine - restaurant staff are used to international visitors. The area around Parque Colón stays a bit more active into early evening, but plan to Uber elsewhere for dinner and nightlife instead of staying late.