Start on Waterkant, where the wooden facades face the Suriname River, and walk inland toward Independence Square. The grid is small. Two or three hours is enough for the monuments, and a full day is better if you stop to sit.
Fort Zeelandia is the river corner of the old town. The Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral is built almost entirely of wood. Neveh Shalom, on Keizerstraat, is the historic synagogue. The Palm Garden is the pause between them. Across the river, Commewijne continues the same plantation and river history.
The center is a place people live and work, not a closed museum quarter. Sidewalks are uneven. Midday is hot. Early morning and late afternoon are the kinder hours.
While you are there
Cover shoulders when you step into a church, a mosque, a temple, or the synagogue. Ask before you photograph people at prayer or at work. The houses are homes.