Is Santo Domingo Worth Visiting?

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic FAQs, answered by travel experts

Is Santo Domingo Worth Visiting?

Yes! This extraordinary city in the Dominican Republic is as budget-friendly as it is beautiful.

What Should Visitors Know About Santo Domingo’s Climate, History, and Culture?

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, has a warm, tropical climate year-round.

The average total annual rainfall in tropical Santo Domingo is a little over 60 inches per year. That’s over ⅓ more precipitation than Seattle!

Nevertheless, rainstorms don’t last long. Most often, Santo Domingo has clear skies for the majority of the day.

History & Culture: Who Discovered The Dominican Republic (and Santo Domingo)?

Santo Domingo’s history dates back thousands of years.

At some point between 6000 BC and 4000 BC, the indigenous Taino discovered the island that is, now, the Dominican Republic and Haiti. They’re a cultural group from modern-day Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula.

Roughly five and a half millennia later, in 1492 AD, Christopher Columbus discovered the island. He was the first European to set foot on DR.

Santo Domingo was a territory of Haiti from 1822 until the Dominican Republic declared independence in 1844.

Santo Domingo’s culture today is strongly influenced by both periods. For example, the first university in the entirety of the American continents and Caribbean Islands was Universidad Santo Tomás de Aquino, which was established in Santo Domingo in 1518

Today, pedestrians can still traverse Calle Las Damas, the oldest paved street in both the Caribbean and the Americas.

Calle del Conde is another popular, pedestrian-only street, one vital to Santo Domingo’s open air market culture.

What Is Santo Domingo Known For?

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, is known for offering a diverse range of extraordinary experiences. What might visitors encounter?

History

Santo Domingo is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ciudad Colonial, a preserved, colonial-era neighborhood filled with 16th-century Spanish architecture.

Nature

Santo Domingo is home to Los Tres Ojos National Park, a stunning open-air cave system protecting four, pristine subterranean lagoons.

It’s also the location of the National Botanical Gardens, a protective sanctuary to over 69,000 species of flora—including the rare, endangered Bayahibe Rose—and hundreds of tropical birds.

Religion & Spirituality

The city is home to the Cathedral of Santa María la Menor, the oldest cathedral in the Americas. Also called Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación, the 16th-century Gothic cathedral has a gold-tinted coral facade.

Iglesia de Las Mercedes is also in Santo Domingo. This 16th-century cathedral stands in Ciudad Colonial, run and maintained by the Order of the Capuchin Friars Minor.

Fine Dining

Pat’e Palo in Santo Domingo is the first restaurant in the Dominican Republic to earn a Michelin Star.

Meanwhile, La Meson de la Cava won the International Travelers’ Choice Award in 2024. The eatery is carved into the city’s natural subterranean limestone caverns, offering diners a romantic, cove-like getaway—complete with dinner, wine, and a live show.

Luxury Chocolate & Cigars

Small-batch artisan chocolatiers thrive in the Dominican Republic. Since the era of ancient Taino kings, the island has grown some of the greatest cacao in the world. Today, Santo Domingo sits at the heart of the region’s chocolate renaissance: a true global phenomenon.

From shops like Definite Chocolate, the first chocolatier from DR to win the International Chocolate Awards, to up-close bean-to-bar experiences at Kahkow or ChocoMuseo, Santo Domingo is a destination for traveling chocophiles.

The city is also the largest luxury cigar manufacturer in the modern world. The lush region is perfect for growing premium-quality tobacco. Santo Domingo itself is the birthplace of international luxury cigar brands, including Arturo Fuenteand La Flor Dominicana.

Where Are The Best Attractions In Santo Domingo?

When Santo Domingo is your destination, aim for the best of the best the city has to offer. At Caravan, we ensure our guests experience true highlights of every place they go.

Our Dominican Republic tour is no exception. Consider these excellent experiences in the country’s capital city.

  • Explore the flora and fauna of the Dominican Republic’s National Botanical Gardens

  • Learn from—and enjoy—an informative walking tour of Tabacalera de GarciaCasa de la Moneda or House of the Currency, one of the finest luxury cigar factories in Santo Domingo

  • Take your tastebuds on an adventure with a chocolate tasting tour of the city.

  • Explore the final resting place of Christopher Columbus in the Columbus Lighthouse & Mausoleum.

  • Take in the historic sights in Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone (Ciudad Colonial), including:

    • Fortaleza Ozama, a sprawling, castle-like fortress built in 1508
    • The oldest sundial in the Americas and Caribbean
    • Iglesia de Las Mercedes Cathedral

What To Experience In The Colonial Zone (Ciudad Colonial) in Santo Domingo?

Ciudad Colonial is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Santo Domingo. Located on the west bank of the Ozama River, it’s a central neighborhood first built in the 16th century. Protected, preserved historical sites and architecture in the colonial zone include:

  • La Puerta del Conde, the decorated “Count’s Gate”

  • Cathedral of Santa María la Menor

  • El Parque Independencia, a historic park commemorating independence

  • Hospital San Nicolás de Bari, a preserved ruin of the first hospital in the Americas and Caribbean

  • Chapel del Rosario / Chapel of the Zodiac, one of the oldest depictions of astrological representations in vaults

  • Casa de la Moneda (House of the Currency), a museum dedicated to colonial coins

  • Dozens more museums, castles, palaces and plazas, all dating back to the 16th - 19th centuries

Tour The Dominican Republic With Caravan’s Expert Guides

Santo Domingo has much to offer its visitors, especially those who enjoy history, nature, and excellent food. If you’re ready to explore the city of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, our guides can give you the ideal tour.

With Caravan, your only task is to book a spot on the trip; we’ll handle the rest! Our 7-Day Dominican Republic Tour takes you to the hottest destinations in the nation—giving you only the best on every step of our journey.

Ready to explore Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic? Call us at 1-800-CARAVAN or 1-800-312-321-9800 to book a trip today!

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Why Travel with Caravan?

Excellence Since 1952

You can trust our years of experience with tours of superb quality and excellent value. Caravan has enjoyed the same family management and ownership since 1952.

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In 1959, Pan Am invited Caravan to be the very first tour company to fly their clients on its new line of Clipper Jets.
Vintage Motorcoach
In 1964, Caravan introduced the very first fleet of air conditioned motorcoaches in all of Europe.
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Caravan is a proud supporter of the Leatherback Turtle National Park and Costa Rica's efforts to protect this endangered giant.
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Caravan Care

For your safety, Caravan cancelled most 2020 and all 2021 tour departures and refunded 100% of all payments received. See Caravan’s Covid-19 Terms of Travel.

Caravan's Proud History

In 1965, Roger Mudd hosted a two-hour CBS TV special on Caravan Tours. This TV production took about one month to make and was so successful it inspired the 1968 romantic comedy movie “If it’s Tuesday this must be Belgium.” In the early 50’s the Mayor of Dublin presented Caravan with the Key to Dublin for bringing the first American tour to the city after WWII. Since then, Caravan has been recognized as a pioneer in travel. You can trust in our stability, experience and dedication to quality.

Great Hotels

Stay at park lodges, scenic resorts, and excellent hotels in great locations. See hotel descriptions on each tour page.

Meals

Most meals included within Latin America. For USA and Canada tours, included meals are listed on each itinerary page. Bottled water is provided on motorcoaches in Latin America.

Complete Sightseeing

Enjoy complete sightseeing with more visits, extra features, and local guides.

Fully Guided by Tour Directors

All tours conducted from start to finish by professional tour directors, who are fluent in English, experienced, and fun.

All-inclusive

Caravan includes all activities listed in the tour itinerary page. Caravan does not sell any optional activities which can add hundreds of dollars to your tour price. Your free time is scheduled in great settings where there is no need to buy additional expensive activities.

Shopping Freedom

Caravan will not bring you to overpriced shops in exchange for payments. Caravan gives you ample opportunity and time for great shopping, and the freedom to choose where and when to shop.

Great Value, Book Early

Caravan’s strong buying power gives you great vacations at prices much lower than you can find anywhere. In a typical year, most of our tours sell out quickly. Book early for the date you prefer and the best air fare.

How does Caravan Tours sell these tours for such a low cost?

Caravan delivers volume to our suppliers, who in turn reward us with their very best prices. We in turn pass these savings on to you, and you reward us by buying our tours. As volume continues to rise, we then receive even better prices from our suppliers, and we pass even greater savings on to you. This year our tours are better than ever.

Trade Association Memberships

Caravan is a member of NTA (National Tour Association), ABA (American Bus Association), CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), and ACMA (American Commerce Marketing Association).

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