Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic

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.