- La bandera in a comedor: the honest daily plate.
- Mangú for breakfast in the Colonial Zone.
- Presidente beer and the Zona's colmado culture.
Santo Domingo City Guide
Calle Las Damas, Colonial Zone, Santo Domingo. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Santo Domingo is the oldest European city in the Americas: the Colonial Zone's cobbled streets were laid out in 1496, and the cathedral, the Alcázar and the Ozama fortress still stand. It is also a modern Caribbean capital of three million, with the Malecón, the Zona Colonial's bars, and merengue in the air.
The essentials: Calle Las Damas (the oldest street), the Catedral Primada, the Alcázar de Colón, and the Malecón at sunset. The Colonial Zone is walkable and best explored on foot.
What to do in Santo Domingo
The Colonial Zone
- 1
Calle Las Damas The oldest paved street in the Americas (1502). - 2
Catedral Primada The first cathedral of the Americas, completed 1540. - 3
Alcázar de Colón Diego Columbus's palace-museum on the Plaza de España. - 4
Fortaleza Ozama The 1502 fortress guarding the Ozama river mouth. - 5
Panteón Nacional The former Jesuit church, now the national mausoleum.
The modern city
- 1
Malecón The seafront boulevard: sunset walks and the obelisk. - 2
Faro a Colón The Columbus lighthouse: the cross-shaped monument and museum. - 3
Jardín Botánico The botanical garden: the Japanese garden, orchids, palms. - 4Mercado Modelo The craft market: amber, larimar, carnival masks.
Santo Domingo Hotel Guide
How to choose the best places to stay in Santo Domingo. Verified properties below; for the full list, search live availability on Booking.com.
Luxury
Hodelpa Nicolás de Ovando
The 1502 governor's house turned boutique hotel in the Colonial Zone.
View on Booking.com
Mid-range
JW Marriott Hotel Santo Domingo
The Blue Mall business hotel, rooftop pool.
View on Booking.comWhere to eat
Getting there and around
Las Américas International (SDQ) is 30 minutes east. Uber works well in the city. Caribe Tours coaches link Santo Domingo with Punta Cana, Samaná and the north coast.
Eating in Santo Domingo
Fledge Food has a full guide to how Santo Domingo eats: its defining dishes and how to order them, street food decoded, the markets, and the neighborhoods to eat in.