Santo Domingo
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Santo Domingo: Tours & Tickets

See all tours & things to do in Santo Domingo

Top 10 things to do in Santo Domingo

As well as being a major metropolis, Santo Domingo is the capital and cultural heart of the Dominican Republic. The city is a wonderful mix of history and modernity, and is an incredible place to tour and visit. Here are some top tips for when you visit.

Los Tres Ojos

Los Tres Ojos

This natural wonder and cave complex is perfect for a day tour. You can enter the beautiful structures by foot or by boat (the latter is a little bit more exciting!)

Alcázar de Colón

Alcázar de Colón

The oldest colonial residence in the Americas and one of the best art galleries in the region. The gallery exhibits some the Caribbean's most important collection of art works.

Basilica Cathedral of Santa María la Menor

Basilica Cathedral of Santa María la Menor

A fascinating building architecturally and the oldest cathedral in the Americas, situated right next to Colombus Park, it's well worth a stop here.

Calle las Damas

A beautiful part of the city - here you can see a sundial dating back to 1753 and visit the Institute for Hispanic Culture.

National Palace

National Palace

An exquisite building built on beautiful park grounds, and the offices of the Presidency and Vice Presidency of the state; it is an important cultural point of interest.

National Botanical Garden

This should definitely be high on your list to visit as it is considered by some to be the best garden of its kind in the world. Tours are advised as the park is so vast!

National Theater

Whether it's for international or local performances, you won't be disappointed by the quality of the acts here.

Museum of Natural History

An amazing place with really world class exhibits. One of the highlights is definitely the planetarium show, and a tour will make your trip even more enjoyable.

Fortaleza Ozama

Fortaleza Ozama

At the entrance to Santo Domingo, overlooking the Ozama River, you'll find this beautiful 16th-Century castle.

Museo de las Casas Reales

Museo de las Casas Reales

One of the important cultural monuments built during the colonial era - if you want to learn more about the region's history, this is definitely a sight to visit.

Our insider tips

When to Visit?

The city is ideal to visit all year long, as there is always a warm tropical climate. However, in the summer months it can get very hot indeed, and is sometimes prone to hurricanes, so if you don't like it too hot, a visit in the winter months might be more up your alley!

How long to visit?

Two or three days is a perfect amount of time to see all the tourist spots and still have enough time to relax and enjoy the city. Most people combine a trip to Santo Domingo with a visit to the nearby Punta Cana.

Good to know

  • Language
    Spanish
  • Currency
    DOP ($ or RD$)
  • Time Zone
    UTC (-04:00)
  • Country Code
    +1
  • Best time to visit
    If you don't like intense heat and possible hurricanes, try to visit in the winter, when the temperatures are still warm and tropical.

What people are saying about Santo Domingo

Overall a great experience and great way to learn about the city.

This was a great experience for anyone who wants to learn the history of Santo Domingo. However, it was a little disorganized when we picked up our audio guides from Alcazar De Colon at the beginning and the person there didn't speak good with English. It was not explained how things work and where we had to turn in the audio guides at the end of the tour. Luckily, one of the representatives ran after us to explain things more clearly and give us a map that made it SOO much easier. It was also confusing regarding the admissions to the sites you could go into.

Santo Domingo: 3-Hour Walking Tour with Audio Guide Reviewed by Jeremy, 04/12/2017
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