The Citadelle Laferrière stands 900 meters above sea level on Bonnet à l'Evêque mountain in northern Haiti, nine kilometers south of Milot. Construction began in 1805 under King Henri Christophe and continued until 1820, employing up to 20,000 workers. The fortress contains walls up to 4 meters thick and 40 meters high in places, with 365 bronze and iron cannons positioned throughout. UNESCO designated the Citadelle along with the nearby Sans-Souci Palace as World Heritage Sites in 1982. The complex served as a defensive position against potential French invasion following Haiti's 1804 independence. Visitors reach the fortress via a 5-kilometer uphill path from Milot, typically accomplished on foot or by mule over approximately 90 minutes. The site remains Haiti's most photographed landmark and appears on the 10 gourde banknote.
Sans-Souci Palace sits in Milot, constructed between 1810 and 1813 as the royal residence of Henri Christophe. The palace once contained formal gardens, a hospital, a printing press, and a water system utilizing mountain springs. An 1842 earthquake destroyed significant portions of the structure, leaving ruins that span several thousand square meters. The palace name translates to "carefree" in French. Architectural elements incorporated European baroque design alongside Caribbean construction techniques adapted for tropical climate. The ruins remain accessible to visitors who can walk through the collapsed throne room, residential quarters, and surrounding grounds. Milot lies 25 kilometers south of Cap-Haïtien along National Route 1.
Port-au-Prince contains the Musée du Panthéon National Haïtien on Place des Héros de l'Indépendance in the Champ de Mars area. The museum opened in 1983 and houses artifacts from the Haitian Revolution including the anchor from the Santa Maria, Christopher Columbus's flagship that sank off Haiti's north coast in 1492, alongside the silver pistol Jean-Jacques Dessalines carried and the rusted cannon balls from independence battles. Exhibits document the period from indigenous Taíno civilization through independence and into the 20th century. The museum sustained damage in the 2010 earthquake but reopened after restoration. Photography inside requires permission from museum staff.
The Iron Market, or Marché en Fer, occupies several city blocks in downtown Port-au-Prince. The original structure was designed by French architects in the 1880s for a railway station in Paris, but Haiti's government purchased the prefabricated components and erected them as a public market instead. The red iron pavilion structure features distinctive peaked towers and mansard roofs. A fire destroyed the market in 2008, and reconstruction completed in 2011 using the original architectural plans. The market operates daily with hundreds of vendors selling produce, meat, spices, household goods, artwork, and handicrafts. The surrounding streets contain additional vendors extending the market's footprint.
Jacmel sits on Haiti's southern coast 88 kilometers southwest of Port-au-Prince. The city gained wealth during the 19th century exporting coffee and cotton, evidenced by iron-railed balconies and pastel-colored facades lining narrow streets in the historic district. Many buildings date from the 1890s through 1920s, constructed after an 1896 fire destroyed earlier wooden structures. UNESCO placed Jacmel on its Creative Cities Network in 2014 recognizing traditional papier-mâché crafts. The city hosts an annual carnival in February or March featuring elaborate papier-mâché masks and costumes constructed over several months. Bassin Bleu lies 12 kilometers northwest of Jacmel, a series of three cobalt-colored pools connected by waterfalls, requiring a 45-minute hike from the nearest vehicle access point.
Cap-Haïtien functions as Haiti's second-largest city with a population exceeding 270,000 in the commune proper. The city served as Haiti's capital under Henri Christophe from 1811 to 1820. Colonial architecture remains along Rue 17, including structures dating to the 1700s when the French colonial city of Cap-Français stood as the wealthiest city in the Caribbean. The Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Cap-Haïtien was constructed in 1670, destroyed in the 1842 earthquake, and rebuilt by 1860. Labadee peninsula sits 10 kilometers northwest, a 260-acre area leased to Royal Caribbean International in 1986 under a renewable agreement. The port receives cruise ships that anchor offshore with passengers tendered to the peninsula.
Île-à-Vache lies 11 kilometers off the southern coast near Les Cayes, measuring 52 square kilometers with a population around 15,000. The island contains Abaka Bay and Madame Bernard Beach on its southwestern coast. Henry Morgan, the Welsh privateer, reportedly used the island as a base in the 1660s and 1670s. The island lacks paved roads with most transportation by foot, motorcycle, or horse. Port Morgan serves as the main settlement and ferry departure point connecting to Les Cayes. Several small guesthouses operate on the island. The island sustained significant damage during Hurricane Matthew in October 2016.