Island adventures in Santo Domingo Region

• Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is the oldest city in the New World with buildings that are almost five centuries old standing just steps away from modern 5-star resorts. The major historical attractions are concentrated in what is known as the Colonial Sector.
• The Calle Las Damas (Street of the Ladies), the main street, is lined with historic sights that you won’t want to miss. The best place to begin a tour is at the Fortaleza de Santo Domingo, a 16th-century military complex built to guard the city’s entrance at the Ozama. The fortress tower is haunted by legends, and maybe a few ghosts.
• Nearby is the noteworthy Museum of the Royal Houses. This restored 16th-century complex originally housed the official headquarters for the government of the New World. Reproductions of the king’s throne room, as well as the old colonial courtrooms, can still be seen.
• At the end of Calle de las Damas sits the Alcazar de Colon, the imposing stone palace of Christopher Columbus’ son Diego and his wife. The Alcazar holds one of the most significant collections of period furniture in the Americas.
• Santo Domingo harbors the oldest cathedral in the New World, dating back to the 16th century. It is one of the most distinguished structures in the Colonial Sector.
• Be sure to visit the city’s main waterfront street, El Malecin. Hotels, restaurants, discos, shops and cafes line the sidewalk and palm trees offer shade along the beach.
• Another popular attraction is the Tres Ojos de Agua, which are three breathtaking underwater lagoons. Located along the Las Americas Highway, they offer a most unique setting for adventure-seeking visitors. Several Tarzan movies were filmed here.
• Also worth a visit is the Acuario Nacional, a beautifully landscaped park that features giant turtles and sharks. Nature lovers might also enjoy the Jarden Botanico and the Parque Zoologico Nacional.
• The Carretera Sanchez, a scenic highway that runs along the serpentine coastline from the capital of Santo Domingo to Barahona, is yet another scenic paradise and definitely worth the drive. You will be rewarded with incomparable vistas of mountains and the azure ocean.
• As you near the Barahona, the mountains rise up from the skyline. It’s beaches, Bahoruco and Paraso, are famous for their white-sands and crystal-clear waters.
• Another of Barahona’s attractions is Lago Enriquillo, a saltwater lake 144 feet below sea level. In the center of the lake, the Parque Nacional Isla Cabritos (Goat Island National Park) serves to protect the endangered American crocodile. Visitors can stop in at the National Parks Department headquarters in Santo Domingo to make arrangements to visit the island.
• A day trip away is the industrial center of the island, Santiago. The wonders of Santiago and its surroundings are best appreciated by driving there from Santo Domingo. The two-lane Carretera Duarte passes through some of the islands most pleasing landscapes, including El Cibao Valley, with the highest peak in the Caribbean Basin, La Vega Real, the burial site of Columbus, and Jarabacoa.