Parque del Centenario

A tree-lined public park wedged between the Walled City and Getsemaní, and one of the more unexpected stops in the city. Sloths, monkeys, and iguanas live freely in the trees overhead, which tends to catch first-time visitors completely off guard. It's a pleasant place to slow down for a bit, especially in the morning before the heat builds — and if you can't tell by now, that's a recurring theme. Along the back side of the park there's a row of booksellers selling antique travel books and artifacts that make for genuinely memorable souvenirs, worth a browse even if you're not looking for anything in particular. One note: give the iguanas some space. They look calm right up until they don't.