I spent 2 days in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic before leaving for Puerto Plata, one of the first tourist places in the country.
My flight from Buenos Aires arrived in the afternoon so I didn’t have much time to explore the first day, because in the month of November the sun already sets at 6:00 p.m.
The next day we start the tour very early, on the most famous and touristy street in Santo Domingo, Las Damas Street.
The order in which I put the names is in which they can assemble the route so that each point is overlooked. It would be about 2.5 kilometers in total, so you can easily visit the historic center of Santo Domingo in 1 day. There are several points that can be added to the itinerary but I understand that these are the main ones
Calle Las Damas – Historic street of Santo Domingo
The first stone street in America. Called Las Damas, in honor of Maria de Toledo, and her group of ladies, wife of Diego Colón, eldest son of Christopher Columbus, who walked down this street daily. He was governor of Hispaniola and Viceroy of Spain in America.
A large part of the historic buildings of Santo Domingo are concentrated on this street, and it is a good point to begin the tour of the city. The good thing is that almost all the buildings have details of their history, such as the date it was built or who lived there.
Such is the case that on this street is what was the last place where Christopher Columbus lived in 1504.
Ozama Fortress
It is the oldest construction in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo. It dates from 1502, beginning of the 16th century, one of the constructions of Nicolás de Ovando. Inside the military complex, there is the keep; Medieval-type construction, it is the tallest of the colonial buildings, built to protect the city from invasions by pirates and enemies.
It served as a prison during the Trujillo era, and as a military base for the constitutionalists of April 1965.
Within its walls the six flags that have occupied the island in history have been raised. Spain, France, England, Haiti, United States, Dominican Republic.
There is also the sculpture of Gonzalo Fdez. De Oviedo, Chronicler of the Indies, and governor of the place. In addition to the powder keg; place used to store and protect weapons.
The entry value is 1 dollar.
Rodrigo de Bastidas House (trampoline children’s museum)
Advanced colonizer – conqueror. Like other Spanish colonizers, he settled in Santo Domingo, being an honorary major, he participated in Christopher Columbus’s second voyage to America in 1493. House where he stayed during his stay in Santo Domingo.
The house is part of the Fortaleza Ozama military complex, and since 2003 it has been a children’s museum. Beautiful palm road to take some photos.
Hotel Hodelpa Nicolas de Ovando
It was the hotel where I spent my stay in Santo Domingo. Not only highlighted by the beauty of the hotel and the attention, but also by the colonial style and the history that this place keeps.
It was nothing more and nothing less than the residence of Nicolas de Ovando, the founder of the city of Santo Domingo, governor and colonial administrator of Hispaniola from 1502 to 1509. He was the planner of the Colonial City, advancer and builder.
He is the one who founded the New Isabela, on the west bank of the Ozama River, which King Ferdinand of Spain later named Santo Domingo de Guzman (1508), in honor of the Founding Member of the Catholic Religious Order The Dominicus or the preachers.
Also known as the House of the Cannons, Gothic style, stone façade with decorated portal unique in America. Built at the beginning of the 16th century, exactly in 1506.
Those who can indulge, since it is one of the best hotels in the city, and also one of the few that has a swimming pool.
Plaza Maria de Toledo
Also in honor of Diego Colón’s wife, it has nothing in particular, but it is worth taking a look. Even more so if you are in the city on a Sunday, when fairs are held in the same square and all kinds of antiques are sold.
Pantheon of the Homeland
In my opinion, it has the most beautiful interior of all the buildings in Santo Domingo. Admission is free so don’t miss out. Guided tours are offered at the door.
The Panteón de la Patria is the Mausoleum where the remains of prominent figures in Dominican history are preserved. Built from 1714 to 1755.
Until 1767 it functioned as the Church of the Jesuit Fathers. Later it became a tobacco warehouse and theater until 1778.
From that time until 1917 it functioned as La Republica Theater before becoming Government Offices until 1956.
Finally, in 1958 it was restored and converted into the Panteón de La Patria.
People like Luperon, in charge of the restoration of independence, or the first president of Santo Domingo among other figures who fought for the country’s independence.
Plaza España in Santo Domingo
From the pantheon and walking along Las Damas Street, we reach the end of this street and what is one of the most important squares in Santo Domingo. Plaza España.
The importance of this square lies in the fact that the Alcazar de Colon is located here, which was the first viceregal palace in America. All the ships arriving from Europe passed through here and where they had to pay port taxes, a big business for Columbus’s son.
Today the castle remains a museum, it can be visited inside and you have views of the city of Santo Domingo and the wall that protected the city from invasions.
In the center of the square we find a monument in homage to Nicolas de Ovando.
Outside of the historical, Plaza España is one of the main points to enjoy a delicious lunch or the night of Santo Domingo. A row of beautiful bars and restaurants with music, good food and drinks invite you to stay a while to enjoy the night or the sunsets. One of them, called pata e palo, was the first tavern in Santo Domingo.
Monastery of San Francisco
The rustic and dramatic walled ruins of the Monastery of San Francisco occupy large blocks of the Colonial City, between Duarte and Hostos streets, and serve as a fantastic setting for merengue concerts every Sunday.
But on any other day of the week, the sprawling unoccupied ruins provide a stunning backdrop for photography lovers and serve as a reminder of the first 16th-century Franciscan monastery in the New World.
It endured several disasters, including a fire caused by Sir Francis Drake, and a couple of earthquakes, before being used as a mental asylum until the mid-20th century.
hostos street
With only 200 meters it has become the most famous street in Santo Domingo. A small part of the movie The Godfather 2 was filmed here and that is why many tourists come to see it. In addition, the truth is that it is very picturesque and quiet, which is why it invites you to get closer with your camera.
San Nicolas Hospital of Bari
Built between 1503 and 1508 under the reign of Governor Nicolás de Ovando, the oldest hospital in America served as a model for other hospitals built in the New World. The Ruins of the Hospital of San Nicolás de Bari, named after Saint Nicholas of Bari, considered the patron saint of cures, are located on the north side of Hostos Street, where pigeons are now its main residents.
You will be able to see photographs of this landscape of colonial ruins, which are remains of a splendid piece of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. The hospital survived numerous historical events, including pirate attacks, earthquakes and revolutions.
Parque Colon – Main park of Santo Domingo
Originally, the square occupied 3 times the land it occupies today, and in the center was located the water tributary (water source), which was the first aqueduct in the new world.
In the year 1519, Bishop Alejandro Geraldini promoted and managed to begin the construction of the Cathedral.
Already in 1863 – the trees were added, during the presidency of Buenaventura Baez.
During the Trujillo dictatorship (1930-1961), improvements were made, and the Rossello building was built, where the El Conde de Peñalva hotel is currently located, and the building that housed the Bank of America, where the Jalao restaurant is currently located. .
The original plaza was dirt, without trees, with a water fountain in the center.
On February 27, 1887, the statue of Christopher Columbus was added in the center, a work by the French artist E. Gilbert.
Cathedral of Santo Domingo
Saint Mary, Our Lady of the Incarnation.
Construction began in 1509, stopped due to economic issues, and in 1519 Bishop Alejandro Geraldini promoted and achieved the resumption of the construction of the Cathedral, finishing in 1540. And in 1546 it was consecrated as metropolitan and primate of the Indians. , by Paul III.
Late Gothic style also known as Elizabethan. Its interior is made up of 14 chapels and the central or main nave. Each chapel with a particular decoration and style according to the family to which it belonged.
El Conde Street, the pedestrian street of Santo Domingo
Originally called Calle del Clavijo, it is the only pedestrian street in the colonial city, it is a commercial street, called Calle El Conde, in honor of the Count of Peñalva y Bracamonte, governor of Santo Domingo, who successfully defended the city of Santo Domingo, in an attempt by the English to take the city. The attempted military invasion of Admiral William Penn and General Joseph Venable on April 13, 1655.
It starts on Puerto Avenue, crosses Las Damas Street and ends at Puerta del Conde, followed by Parque Independencia where the Altar de la Patria is located (Mausoleum where the founding fathers of the Dominican Republic are located). And where kilometer zero is located. Only pedestrian street in Santo Domingo.
From Las Damas Street to Colon Park, we find several restaurants with local food. We chose buche perico for lunch. Very good quality, although with high prices if you are looking to spend little. At night, on this street and in front of the park, we also ate at Jalao, which offers dance shows and the stage is magnificent. The attention was not the best.
Passing the Park, we find on the corner one of the most photogenic buildings in my opinion in Santo Domingo, which is the Town Hall Palace.
And from there all the businesses, street art and what would be the most commercial street in Santo Domingo. It is worth walking about 7 blocks to find all kinds of paintings, crafts, etc.
The 3 eyes of Santo Domingo National Park
After 15 minutes by car from the center we arrived at this unique park in the Dominican Republic. The name of The three eyes It obtains it because it is made up of three main underground lakes inside caverns, which are called eye due to their condition. Definitely a dazzling view accompanied by the natural decoration of the rocks in the caves.
The formation of the Three Eyes is a rarely seen natural phenomenon. It is the emergence of rivers, rising to the formation of the three lakes. This magnificent natural process took place thousands of years ago. The aborigines of the Island of Hispaniola, today the Dominican Republic, have left historical evidence that shows that they used the caves for different purposes, among which their magical-religious activities stand out. Because it is a national park, you cannot go into the cenotes.
Apart from the presence of the three lakes with their crystal clear waters, in this place there is a rich fauna where we find a great variety of fish, bats that only eat fruits, the largest fern on the island with a height of up to four meters high. .
After the park was named and opened, a fourth lake with greater depth was discovered but this is not considered an eye because it is located outdoors. To get to this you have to pay 1 dollar more for a raft to cross you
It opens from 8:30 to 17:30 and the entrance fee is 4 dollars. Any other information about Santo Domingo can be obtained from the official website