Description

Location: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Duration: 12:00 hours (approx.).

Santo Domingo, or “La Capital,” as it’s often called, is a melting pot of cultures and neighborhoods. It’s where the sounds of life—dominoes clattering on tables, the counterproductive mufflers and horns of chaotic traffic, merengue and bachata drifting from corner stores—are most intense. At the heart of the city lies the Colonial Zone, home to one of the oldest churches and the oldest surviving European fortress, among other New World treasures. Amidst the cobblestone streets, it’s easy to forget that Santo Domingo is in the Caribbean. But this is an intensely urban city, home not only to colonial-era architecture but also to trendy clubs, vibrant cultural institutions, and elegant restaurants. Santo Domingo somehow manages to embody the core contradictions of the Dominican experience: a living museum, a metropolis crossed with a resort town, and a commercial, political, and media hub with a relaxed and friendly spirit.