Puerto Plata, the Bride of the Atlantic

It was on this coast that Christopher Columbus first landed on the island of Hispaniola on 11 January 1493 aboard his caravel Santa Maria. He named the place Puerto Plata (literally the port of silver), because of the silvery sheen of its waters. The town of Puerto Plata, nicknamed "The Bride of the Atlantic", is the capital of the province of the same name. Its real name is San Felipe de Puerto Plata, as the name of the fort (San Felipe) and the cathedral (San Felipe) suggest. Razed in 1863 after the war between the Dominicans and the Spanish, the town was rebuilt in 1865 in Victorian style.

The seaside resort of Cofresi benefits from its location just 5 km from Puerto Plata, along the Amber Coast, and just 19 km from the airport, a 35-minute journey. The site is renowned for its Ocean World park, one of the best-known in the Dominican Republic for swimming with dolphins. Another must-see spot is Cofresi's Café del Mar, inaugurated on 24 September 2015. It has everything going for it: a location close to Puerto Plata, where many cruise ships dock.

In particular, it attracts guests from the luxurious Lifestyle Holiday Vacation Resort and Cofresi Palm Beach.

Visit the Amber Museum

Opened in 1982, the Amber Museum is naturally located in the town of Puerto Plata, on the Amber Coast, close to the largest amber deposits in the world. It is housed in a two-storey mansion with Victorian architecture typical of Puerto Plata houses.

Amber is a precious stone of plant origin with a honey-yellow tinge, obtained by preserving the resin of prehistoric trees. This resin sometimes contains fossils trapped inside, such as plants or animals with an extraordinary quality of preservation that can date back 40 million years! In this museum, you'll see a lizard measuring almost 43 centimetres, a scorpion, a centipede, wasp nests and two beetles mating...

Damajagua Falls

Take an hour to climb the mountain, then jump off and descend the 27 waterfalls. If you prefer a shorter adventure, climb only the first 7 waterfalls. This adventure, run by local guides who live in the village, is for those in good physical condition. It is about half an hour from the town of Puerto Plata.

Fort San Felipe

Fort San Felipe, or the citadel of Puerto Plata, was built in 1577 to defend against attacks from the sea, particularly from pirates. The fort was then used as a prison under the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, from 1930 to 1961. It now houses a museum on the history of the city. You can see the cell of Juan Pablo Duarte, Father of the Homeland, who was detained there in August 1844.

The old town of Puerto Plata

Puerto Plata's old town is full of charm, with its Victorian-style houses, its Independence Square featuring the cathedral and a kiosk, and its two main museums: the Amber Museum and the Gregoria Luperon Museum. Not forgetting Fort San Felipe. Welcome to the first city in the Dominican Republic, where Christopher Columbus landed on 11 January 1493 aboard the caravel Santa Maria! It was he who christened it the Port of Silver.

Don't miss Independence Square, with its charming kiosk facing the cathedral, one of the symbols of Puerto Plata.

El malecón de Puerto Plata

El malecón de Puerto Plata is almost 5 km long and runs alongside the Atlantic Ocean. It's a popular place for a stroll for the inhabitants of the amber capital. A colossal statue of Neptune, almost 7 metres high, watches over the city with his trident. It was erected on an islet opposite the beach in 1971. A stroll along El Malecón will allow you to admire this beautiful statue, as well as the sea, the beach, the locals playing dominoes and the young people gathering in their hundreds.

The Puerto Plata cable car

Designed by a company in Milan, this is the only cable car in the Caribbean. Inaugurated in 1975, it takes tourists to the top of Mount Isabel de Torres, 800 metres above sea level, in just 10 minutes. The most courageous can climb on foot in 2h30... A road also takes you there in 30 minutes. The view over Puerto Plata is splendid!

Inaugurated in 1970, Christ the Redeemer is reminiscent of the statue in Rio de Janeiro. You'll also find a botanical garden, a restaurant, a grotto and a bunker built by the dictator Trujillo under the statue of Christ the King, which now houses several shops. This domed blockhouse is a former military fortress that has seen very little use.

The Gregorio Luperon Museum

The Gregorio Luperon Museum was inaugurated in summer 2013 in a lacy Victorian house dating from 1875. Its collection traces the island's turbulent past and the story of General Gregorio Luperon, who liberated the country from the Spanish yoke. You can also admire the rich colonial interiors from the 19th century, with their precious wooden furniture and rich collections of porcelain, paintings and period costumes.