Raffles Singapore, first opened in 1887, is dubbed the "Grand Dame of the East".

Raffles stepped ashore on Jan 28, 1819. He revived the island's fortunes, establishing it as the region's first free port and attracting merchant ships from around the world.

His exact landing site is marked with a white marble statue of Raffles, engraved with words: "With genius and perception, Raffles changed the destiny of Singapore from an obscure fishing village to a great seaport and modern metropolis."

A walk along the river is a stroll down the city's memory lane, enlivened by a clutch of colonial-era buildings and memorials.

Facing Raffles statue is the old parliament building. It's Singapore's oldest building and was built in 1827. The British colonial building housed parliament from 1965 to 1999 and currently contains film-and-studio art exhibits curated by The Arts House.

Behind the statue, across the river, stands the former general post office, which has been renovated into its current incarnation as the five-star Fullerton Hotel.

Overlooking the Singapore River's mouth is the former Empress Place Building. It was built in 1864 as a courthouse but was instead used as government offices until the late 1980s. It now houses the Asian Civilisations Museum.