Santo Domingo Full Day Cultural Tour

The Colonial City is the oldest neighborhood in Santo Domingo where you can explore the monuments and learn about Dominican culture. The Colonial City was founded back on January 2nd, 1502 as the first permanent European settlement in America by Spanish colonizers. It's undoubtedly one of the most romantic and lively areas in Santo Domingo. Formerly home to Spanish settlers, who built the walled city as a model for the rest of the Americas, it is an area filled with museums, churches, shops, theaters, restaurants, parks and other attractions making it the perfect location for tourists and locals to enjoy.

Originally built in 1493, the Columbus Lighthouse has been a well-known building on the top of the highest hill in Nuevo Paraíso ever since. With a monument and museum devoted to Christopher Columbus and his discovery of the New World, this one-of-a-kind destination is far from any other manmade landmark. Visit this historic site, discover its significance, and learn more about its history by scheduling your reservation to travel today!

When one thinks of Gothic architecture, this is probably not the first one to come to mind. After all, who would think anything straight and rectangular could be thought of as Gothic? But here you have it in Santo Domingo de Guzmán Cathedral! Built in 1504 originally with Mayan materials located on the present site, this was the first cathedral built off European soil by Pope Julius II (known for having personally designed Michelangelo's dome of St. Peter's Basilica). As is typical to buildings of this time period, this building has solid walls and ribbed vaults along with three doors, two being Gothic style with a third and main door which happens to be plateresque. With its stained glass windows some dating as far back as 1547, there are plenty of ancient wonders awaiting anyone who comes here.

You can venture into La Fortaleza de Santo Domingo or Fortaleza de Ozama is one of the most distinctive destinations in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. The French-built star-shaped fortress was constructed in 1533 and has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO as part of the "Conjunto Historico Santo Domingo" (Santo Domingo Historical Complex). It was built to protect against incursions from various European powers due to its strategic location. While it's not entirely clear why this particular site was chosen over other options in consideration for building the fortress, some historians believe it could have been because it overlooked a number of natural ports where ships used to dock.

The Alcázar de Colón or Viceregal Palace of Don Diego Colón is a palace located in the Plaza de España in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, which was built on a site near the cliffs overlooking the Ozama River . The colonial era Alcázar de Colón is one of the most emblematic sites of Santo Domingo and holds an important place in the country's history. One can come to explore this unique structure and its retaining walls, watch it change colors and admire views of Columbus' city!

Three lakes in one cavern? With Los Tres Ojos National Park, it's the only place on earth where you can view all three without having to be inside. Located in the Santo Domingo Este municipality in the Dominican Republic, Los Tres Ojos is a natural formation, formed by the Jueyes River that washed out all of the limestone during heavy rain at some point and formed three small freshwater lakes that are separated by limestone rocks and stalactites that clearly define each lake. The caves themselves are also fascinating! It's pretty amazing what time does to nature.

The San Francisco Monastery in the city of Santo Domingo is one of the most important historical sites in the Dominican Republic. It is located in Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo and was declared a World Heritage Site. A marvelous detail about this site is that it houses the first aqueduct signaling to future tourists where supplies and water were stored during its time. Today, even these same underground pipes still distribute water throughout the entire city, making this attraction not only interesting but also totally useful!

A street to explore! Calle del Conde is a microcosm of Dominican history with its first elevator, concrete and art deco buildings. Take gorgeous pics of the buildings in this old town area and watch out for the mafia who might be following you... This street is actually a tourist attraction. They call it the “Street of firsts” because it has the privilege to being the place with the most architecturally important buildings for this area and the planet. Not only does it have loads of cultural relevance and a famous city hall, but it also is home to many hotels, tourist spots, and restaurants that are sure to do their job at keeping you comfortably fed and entertained!