The colonial centre of Santo Domingo

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the colonial zone can be visited on foot. You'll discover some real treasures, remnants of a bygone era when Spain and France held sway over the country. This historic district, the cradle of the New World, is home to some of the oldest and most remarkable buildings in the Dominican Republic, some of them five hundred years old and the first in America.

The district's main attractions are grouped around three main thoroughfares, including the famous Calle de las Damas, the first street in the New World, and the Calle de Conde, the long pedestrian street linking the cathedral to the Puerta del Conde. The colonial zone is a real delight for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in the country's history.

Here you can stroll around, shop or enjoy a coffee in a small shady square. Located on Calle El Conde, opposite Parc Colon, the colonial city's museum displays the largest piece of amber found in the Dominican Republic. It also exhibits amber fossils. Temporary stone-related exhibitions are also held here.

The Alcazar de Colon

This monument is an emblematic building in the colonial quarter of Santo Domingo, if not THE most emblematic. It was the first fortified palace in the New World. The architecture of the building is a clever blend of Spanish and Italian Renaissance, with a hint of Gothic and Mudéjar architecture. The Alcazar has been home to historic figures such as Cortés and Velasquez, both of whom came to the island to colonise neighbouring Cuba, Mexico and Peru.

The Mercado Modelo covered market

Santo Domingo is also a great place for shopping. Here you will discover a unique market, the Mercado Modelo, inaugurated in 1942 on Avenida Mella, at the northern end of the colonial zone. In the heart of a cosmopolitan district, this covered market offers an impressive concentration of all types of Dominican crafts: Caribbean paintings (Dominican and Haitian), small Creole objects, rum and cigars, jewellery made from amber or larimar stones... are all in abundance.

The small shops, set against each other in narrow passageways, offer a wide choice of locally-made objects, such as papier-mâché carnival masks. You can even buy secret health and love filters... Santo Domingo's largest market is also one of the city's main tourist attractions.

The Columbus Lighthouse

Inaugurated in 1992 and blessed by Pope John Paul II to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America, the Columbus Lighthouse (or Faro de Colon in Spanish) occupies the exact spot where the city was founded in 1496, on a hill in the centre of the Mirador del Este park in the eastern part of the city. It is a gigantic cruciform building made of rather ugly reinforced concrete, 310 metres long, 44 metres wide and 33 metres high. It's easy to spot from a distance!

Although located to the east of the colonial centre of Santo Domingo, it can be seen from the Plaza de Espana and the Alcazar de Colon. Financed by the Latin American States, it cost several million dollars and is not to everyone's taste, with its imposing grey concrete architecture!

Inside, the mausoleum houses the supposed remains of the famous navigator who discovered America on behalf of the Spanish Crown in 1492. The great admiral's tomb is permanently guarded by military personnel. Permission must be sought in advance to climb to the top of the building, which offers a superb panoramic view of the city, river and sea.

Santo Domingo's Malecon

With a breathtaking view of the Caribbean Sea, Santo Domingo's Malecon avenue, or Avenue George Washington, is home to the city's main business hotels. This avenue is the scene of the main national parades, including the carnival parade in March. This thoroughfare is the ideal setting for a stroll along the seafront, between the palm trees.

⭐ Crowne Plaza Santo Domingo: A top-of-the-range hotel on the Malecon

Inaugurated on 12 October 1992 to mark the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, the Crowne Plaza Santo Domingo is sure to interest fans of the famous admiral and his epic, with maps and models to back it up. Ideally located on the Malecon in the capital Santo Domingo, this is a top-of-the-range, quality address, starting with its spa and its luxurious, comfortable rooms. An added bonus is the panoramic sea views from the rooms, pool and restaurant.