The walls
Cannon to the sea.
CareAhLine — CC0 · CareAhLine — CC0 · CareAhLine — CC0 · Abrahami — CC BY-SA 3.0
A Spanish stone fort on a small headland at the end of Puerto Plata's waterfront, overlooking the harbour entrance and the Atlantic. It was built between 1564 and 1577 to guard the city against pirates and invaders, named after King Philip II, and is also known as El Morro de San Felipe. The fort was abandoned for more than a century after Spain emptied the north coast of its settlers in 1605, then brought back into use, and it is now one of the oldest European buildings in the Caribbean. A small museum inside shows old weapons and tools and the city's history. Visitors walk its thick walls and round towers among old cannon aimed at the sea, with a broad green lawn and an old iron lighthouse around it. The walls give fine views over the ocean and the green Mount Isabel de Torres behind the city. The Malecón, a long seaside promenade popular with locals in the evening, starts at the fort, and the old town centre with its colourful Victorian wooden houses lies nearby. The sun is strong all year, so carry water, a hat and sunscreen.
Cannon to the sea.
Seaside promenade.
Sea and mountain.
Puntilla del Malecón, at the entrance to Puerto Plata harbour
Between 1564 and 1577 to protect Puerto Plata from pirates, named after King Philip II.