Since many visitors to Santo Domingo base themselves in the historic Zona Colonia (and because this is where the vast majority of the interesting sights are located), most exploration in the city is done on foot. At night, however, you'll always want to take a taxi, particularly to outlying areas. Some hotels are now being built in the newer parts of Santo Domingo, such as Piantini, which can't be navigated on foot.

Parque Independencia separates the old city from modern Santo Domingo, a sprawling, noisy city with a population of close to 2 million. The 12 cobblestone blocks of Santo Domingo's Zona Colonial contain most of the major sights in town. It's one of the most appealing historic districts in the Caribbean and is best explored on foot. The Zona ends at the seafront, called the Malecón.