Santo Domingo

Founded by Bartolomé Colón in 1496, on the eastern bank of the Ozama River, but moved west by Nicolás de Ovando in 1502, due to its destruction by a hurricane, Santo Domingo was the first seat of the Spanish colonial government in the New World ...

However, when Europeans arrived on this earth, it was already inhabited by the Taíno Indians. The natives had divided the island's lands into five cacicazgos and had embodied in them all their culture in the form of art and utensils, which you can discover in the many museums that are in the area. Visit the permanent or temporary exhibitions of the Museum of Dominican Man, the National Museum of History and Geography, the Pre-Hispanic Art Hall and Los Tres Ojos, where you will be especially delighted with the pre-Columbian history of the island.

Today, it is the tenth most populous city in Latin America, and the most populous in the Caribbean. It is one of the largest cultural, economic, political, commercial and industrial centers of the Dominican Republic. In addition, its historic center, known as the Colonial City, was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1990. In the Colonial Train (Chu Chu Colonial) you can walk around the different streets and contemplate the architectural richness of the historic center.

In the city of Santo Domingo, you can witness an entire era through the different buildings, streets, squares and parks. Walk through centuries-old streets and see the colonial houses and fortifications that, despite the weather, maintain the charm of past centuries, both on its facades and inside. Admire the numerous religious temples that withstand the onslaught of weather and climate. Visit small churches such as the Church of Our Lady of Carmen, or other more impressive ones like the Temple of Las Mercedes, or see the Primada Cathedral of America and travel to the origins of Christianity in the New World.

The people of Santo Domingo have many reasons to be proud of their country, since one of their greatest achievements was to achieve independence from it. Therefore, there are many monuments, buildings, parks and museums in honor of those who fought for it. Visit the Independence Park, with the door of the Count and the Altar de la Patria, or the Plaza de la Misericordia, where independence was proclaimed. Get to know the Casa de los Trinitarios, where it was created, or the Casa Duarte Museum, where the main leaders lived. Or also go to the Dominican Resistance Memorial Museum to learn more about that memorable time.

The city of Santo Domingo has turned both to maintain its historical and cultural heritage and to promote the old legends and the new promises of art. Thus, places like the Museum of Contemporary Ceramics, the Bellapart Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Palace of Fine Arts, will give you the opportunity to contemplate the wonderful current Dominican art.

In Santo Domingo you can not only see buildings and objects made by man, you can also see nature in all its splendor. Visit the beautiful botanical garden, the zoo or the amazing aquarium, or stroll through any of the countless parks of the Dominican capital. You can find in the Mirador del Este park both the typical vegetation and the characteristic fauna of the area, and also know the pre-Columbian art that decorates some of its caves. You can also take a refreshing dip in one of the beaches near the city. The beaches Playa Boca Chica, Playa Caribe and Playa Guayacanes await you with their fine sands and warm tropical waters.

When the night comes, you can not avoid dancing to the sound of Caribbean music, enjoy its cuisine or participate in the traditional festivities that the city proposes to celebrate throughout the year.

Santo Domingo is an incredible city formed by a peculiar history, culture and tradition that you cannot miss on your trip through the Dominican Republic.