Parque Colón (Calle El Conde and Arzobispo Meriño) is a good place to start your tour of the New World’s first city. It is a central meeting point for locals and tourists alike. It stands in front of the first cathedral in the hemisphere, Victorian and colonial buildings surround the square, it has a statue of Christopher Columbus by French sculptor Ernest Gilbert, and it’s abuzz with activity.
Pigeons flit about, as do gadget hawkers, tour guides, and shoeshine boys. This is by far the best spot for people-watching, and the sidewalk cafés are always full with people taking full advantage of the vantage point.