Why choose
Santo Domingo?
Santo Domingo is the oldest city in the New World, where the settlement of
all the Americas began. See the first cathedral, the first hospital.
Wander down cobble stone streets among the Spanish colonial architecture
and imagine how things were back in the 1600s.
No other city in the Caribbean has a greater variety of restaurants and
night life. There are so many restaurants in this city that it is
practically impossible even for those who live here to have visited them
all. And it's a city that never sleeps. A great place to meet people. A
lot of young single executives who come here to work end up leaving (if
they leave) married to a Dominican.
Santo Domingo has great shopping. Major chains from all around the world
have opened branches here and more will be opening soon. Discount stores
offer great prices on designer brands, the leading shops offer clearance
sales several times a year and there are many designer shops for more
exclusive wear.
Santo Domingo is the most bustling and diverse city in the Caribbean. It
has a population of over three million inhabitants and sprawls out over
250 square kilometers.
What else is nearby
Santo Domingo is located on the south coast of the
Dominican Republic, about mid way between the western border with Haiti
and the eastern coastline. The furthest western border, the north coast
and east coast are all four hour drive away. Go east and the first major
town you come to is the resort town of Boca Chica. Go west and you will
arrive at the Palenque and Nizao beach areas. Go north and you will pass
the cities of Bonao and Jarabacoa as you work your way through the highest
mountains in the Caribbean.
How to get to Santo
Domingo
Las Americas International Airport is located to the
east of Santo Domingo, about 30 minutes away from the heart of the city.
It receives direct flights from:
The other option is the Air Santo Domingo connection from San Juan, Puerto
Rico that puts you right into town. This way you save the half-hour to
45-minute (depending on the traffic) drive into Santo Domingo. Inexpensive
coach bus transport is available from the North.
Getting around
Most tour groups will be bussed into the city in
large chartered busses. If you are traveling individually, you will need
to take a taxi from the airport to the city which will cost about RD$300.
Negotiate this price with the taxi driver prior to leaving for your
destination.
Another option is to rent a
car. It is pretty straight forward driving into the city - take the Las
Americas Expressway westbound until you pass over the Duarte Bridge and
continue onto the 27 de Febrero overpass system.
A cheaper way to get from the airport to the city (if you have little
luggage) is to take a taxi or motoconcho (motorcycle taxi) up to the
highway about 1/2 mile. From there, you can take a public bus to Santo
Domingo.
Within Santo Domingo there are excellent radio-taxi services. You can call
a taxi that for RD$65 (with air-conditioner) will get you to most points.
These taxis will usually arrive in around five minutes. Befriend a taxi
driver and he can become your tour guide, assisting you with many of your
needs.
Other forms of public transport are the "carros publicos"
(multi-fare taxis), the minibuses, the OMSA large grey buses and car
rentals. For more information, see our Transport
Page
Best ports of entry
Santo Domingo has two international airports. These
are the Las Americas International Airport and the Herrera International
Airport. The Santo Domingo Port receives many cruise ships throughout the
year as well.
Attractions:
Colonial City
The Colonial City is the perfect starting point for visitors to discover
Santo Domingo. Here, between Independence Park and the Ozama River, you
will find the first city built in the New World by European settlers,
including Columbus's brother, Bartholomeo, and his son, Diego Columbus.
The first street in the
Americas is Calle de Las Damas, the site of numerous historic buildings
including the Ozama Fortress, the oldest fortress in the Americas. There
is also the house of Nicolás de Ovando, governor of Santo Domingo in the
early 1500's and a ruthless warrior against the Taino Indians.
Of great historical interest is the Museo de las Casas Reales (Museum of
the Royal Houses), the restored 16th century palace of the Spanish Court,
which features a wonderful glimpse of the past. Nearby is the Alcázar de
Colón (Castle of Columbus) built by Diego Columbus and his wife Maria de
Toledo, niece of the Spanish King Ferdinand.
A few streets over in the center of the walled city, visitors will find
the Cathedral Basilica Santa Maria la Menor, pronounced the first
cathedral in the New World by Pope Paul III in 1542. While touring the
colonial city, visitors can learn all about amber, the stone made even
more famous by Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park film. The Amber Museum on
Calle Arz. Meriño features exceptional educational exhibits of this
semi-precious jewel.
Plaza de la Cultura
From the old to the new, Santo Domingo takes visitors on a trip through
time with its dozens of national museums celebrating all aspects of
Dominican life, past and present. Many of these museums are located in the
Plaza de la Cultura, a large park area where visitors can stroll easily
from one museum to another.
They include The Museum of Dominican Man, the Museum of Modern Art, the
National Museum of History and Geography, and the National Museum of
Natural History. Visitors to the Museum of Dominican Man will enjoy the
fascinating look into the history of the Dominican people including
original Taino artifacts, the Spanish conquerors and the African slaves.
The Museum of Modern Art has an impressive collection although small by
developed world standards.
Columbus Lighthouse
Another site not to be missed is the Faro a Colón (Columbus Lighthouse)
an impressive structure in the shape of a cross which was constructed to
mark the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the
Americas in 1492. It houses his remains in an impressive tomb and features
numerous exhibits. After exploring it by day, it is exciting to view the
Lighthouse at night from the Colonial City, when the powerful lights are
reflected into the sky in the shape of a cross. The lighthouse is located
in the Mirador del Este Park.
Los Tres Ojos & National Aquarium
When visiting the Columbus Lighthouse, make a stop at Los Tres Ojos and
then the National Aquarium. Los Tres Ojos is an impressive 50-foot deep
cave with three lagoons surrounded by stalagmites and lush vegetation,
five minutes from the Lighthouse. The National Aquarium, also five minutes
away, is a medium-sized aquarium where the main attraction is the huge
fish tank with a Plexiglas tunnel passing through it.
Botanical Gardens & Parks
With about 2 million square meters, the Santo Domingo Botanical Gardens is
the largest in the Caribbean. The park is viewable by small train. Within
are exhibits of the natural flora of the island and areas dedicated to
palm trees, orchids and exotic plants. Also on the grounds is what was
once the largest floral clock in the world.
Those who have visited Japan will agree that the Japanese Garden here is
one of the most lovely in the world.
The well-kept Santo Domingo Botanical Gardens is well worth the visit if
you love nature.
Other city parks worth a visit are the Mirador del Sur Park and the
Mirador del Norte Park (for bicycling, skating, jogging and
kite-flying).
Horse, Auto & Go Kart Racing
Santo Domingo is home to the V Centenario Horse Race Track, with capacity
for up to 15,000 race enthusiasts. A perfect view of the Caribbean can be
seen while watching the thoroughbreds speed around the one mile
course.
Nearby is the Las Americas International Speed Racing Course where
competitions are held several times a year attracting regional
racers.
West of the City, the Santo Domingo Go Kart facility is right on the
Malecon (seafront drive) in front of the Feria Ganadera and it hosts
several go kart competitions a year.
Spas and Beauty Salons
This is a city for pampering yourself. Very attractively decorated spas
and unisex beauty salons pamper all with reasonable prices. Come for a
vacation and go back with a new look.
Accommodations
Santo Domingo’s better hotels cater to the business executive that
visits the city. They are located along the sea-bordering Malecon. Several
small hotels offer attractive rates for those on a budget or wanting to
stay longer.
Also you should choose your city accommodation depending on where your
center of activity will be. If you are coming for leisure, there are many
boutique hotels in the Colonial City. If you will be here for business,
consider the facilities of the larger hotels on the Malecon or near the
Mirador del Sur Park. There are also many hotels in the uptown business
district of the city.
For more information on hotels, see our Hotel
Directory
Restaurants
Santo Domingo's dining scene rivals any cosmopolitan city around the
world. A truly international mix, visitors can find every type of cuisine
as well as savory Dominican dishes at superb restaurants. Restaurants are
clustered in the Colonial City, Gazcue, the Malecon and uptown on 27 de
Febrero Avenue, between Winston Churchill and Ortega y Gasset streets. For
a listing of restaurants, see our Restaurant
Directory
Nightlife
People-watching at the cafes and bars, many of them open air. Dancing
merengue, salsa, bachata and even rock until the early morning in discos
and night clubs. Casino gambling until dawn in hotel casinos.
Santo Domingo has its fair
share of casinos, international theatre, music and dance performances, the
finest of them performing at the National Theater.
For what's happening, see our Calendar
Page
A city for young people,
every evening hundreds of young executives congregate for drinks at the
many bars and cafes in the city, many located at the Avenida Abraham
Lincoln, Gustavo Mejia Ricart and Roberto Pastoriza or on the Malecon.
The nightlife starts late,
with people arriving at the discos after 11 pm and the merengue, salsa and
rock beats don’t stop until around 4 am at upscale dance clubs in
town.
Newcomers to the city should visit the Guacara Taina, a famous multi-level
dance club set in a massive underground cave in the Mirador del Sur Park.
Excursions
City Tour. This will feature many of the top historical attractions
mentioned above, plus time for shopping including a visit to the Mercado
Modelo, a huge indoor crafts market in the Colonial City. Some city tours
also include a visit to the National Aquarium and/or the Tres Ojos
cave.
Note you can plan your own
tour with the help of a friendly taxi driver or one of the freelance tour
guides who hang out in the Colonial Zone.
Night Life. This tour is offered by various companies and may have
different components, but all include a visit to the Guacara Taina cave
disco and a city casino.
Colonial City Half-Day Tour. Visit the main monuments in the Colonial
City, with time for lunch or dinner in the area.
Shopping
Santo Domingo is a city for shoppers, with several large shopping centers
offering a wide selection of almost everything.
|