Santo Domingo

The cradle of the Americas

Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic, is the oldest European city in the Americas. Founded in 1498, its Colonial Zone is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and holds the New World’s firsts: the first cathedral, the first hospital, the first university and the first paved street in the Americas.

Walking down Calle las Damas is like traveling five centuries back, among stone palaces, colonial squares and the imposing Alcazar de Colon, home of Christopher Columbus’s son. But Santo Domingo is also a vibrant Caribbean metropolis, with nightlife, cuisine, art and the rhythm of merengue on every corner.

Living history

Beyond the Colonial Zone, the city offers the Columbus Lighthouse, the Plaza de la Cultura with its museums, the Malecon facing the Caribbean Sea, and the mysterious Los Tres Ojos caves, underground crystal-clear lakes within an urban park.

Flavor and culture

The capital blends the historic with the cosmopolitan: markets like the Mercado Modelo, signature restaurants, the Chinatown, and a cultural scene ranging from pre-Columbian Taino art to contemporary Dominican art.