Santo Domingo
Welcome to our Dominican Republic Travel Guide! We stayed in Santo Domingo the capital exploring the colonial zone for the best things to do in the city in 24-48 hours.
While we aren't on a beach (which you know we love!) we are in a beautiful city. It's our first time in a new city for quite some time, and it's one of the oldest inhabited cities in America, dating back to 1496. Welcome to Santo Domingo. we only had 48hrs to explore, and we feel like we did a pretty good job. Here is our list of things to do!
Independencia Park
Head on over to start at the Independencia Park. Here you will find a plaza with more than 47 statues of the founding fathers of the Dominican Republic.
Statues of the founding Fathers of the Dominican Republic
In this park is the altar called Dilla Petrea, a mausoleum for the main three founding fathers of the Dominican Republic.
Mausoleum in Independence Park
El Conde
From the park, make your way on over to El Conde, the main pedestrian street in this part of the city where you'll find vendors, performers, restaurants, and lots of shops. Something we can't do at home (Canada) but was really fun for us to do, was stop by a restaurant and pick up a Presidente beer while we walked!
Police officers walked by us when we were cheering our beers!
Beautiful, historic buildings along El Conde
Parque Colon
While walking you eventually end up at the Parque Colon (Columbus Park). It's one of the main tourist attractions and one of the most prominent features at the end of the street, with Independence Park on the other side. Let your senses be stimulated as you listen to drums, watch tons of pigeons and vendors selling snacks in this park.
Statue of Christopher Columbus in Parque Colon.
Cathedral of Santa María la Menor
Along with being one of the oldest cities in the Americas, we also came across the oldest cathedral. It's known as the Santa Maria la Menor Cathedral. It was constructed between 1514 to 1541. While we didn’t go inside we took a walk around the premises.
Outside of Cathedral of Santa María la Menor
Plaza de Espana
Plaza de Espana (Spanish Plaza), is huge. They use it for events and festivals. It was mainly empty when we arrived and it at first appeared to be a parking lot or something. But there are also a ton of people walking around in it. Rio Ozama is behind us, with the Alcázar de Colón, one of the most important places to visit while in this part of town. It's now a museum, but it was the home of Christopher Columbus's son back in the day.
Walking the Streets
When walking the streets don't forget to stay hydrated! It can get hot.
This city has taken us completely by surprise. It has been so much fun wandering around, getting a little lost. We originally weren't sure what to expect when we thought of Santo Domingo, but there are so many beautiful streets here with gorgeous colonial-style buildings. The Colonial Zone isn’t huge, but it is fair-sized making it super easy to get around.
Fortaleza Ozama
After walking down a beautiful and historic street we head into the Fortaleza Ozama where you can walk around and explore the castle/fortress, and the grounds and check out the amazing view. There is also a castle here, with views of the river and ocean. While we were there we even could see a cruise ship (or a large ferry). We believe the fort and castle is named after the river. The entrance is around 70 pesos per person (about $3). The colonial zone is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which means it is recognized by UNESCO as the oldest military construction of European origin in the Americas.
View from the Fortaleza Ozama
Rooftop Bar
Lastly, we encourage you to head to a rooftop bar. We went to a bar called SugarCane which happens to have an amazing view of the cathedral and Parque Colon.
If you are filming try and be discreet at this bar as apparently it’s now allowed (we had to be very discreet).
Our drinks with a view of the cathedral in the background.
We haven't gone exploring like this in almost two years, and it feels great. This is what we specialize in. This is why we exist. That being hot weather, new cities, exploring, and new experiences. One thing we always say is that we enjoy not knowing what's around the corner, and it's exciting to be in a new city and experience that.
Where to Stay: Casa Sanchez, we stayed in this boutique/ colonial hotel and it was adorable! It has a rooftop with a jacuzzi and loungers and a pool. It's in a great location, and reasonably priced!
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