Tours from Santo Domingo

Today, Santo Domingo offers a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, entertainment, culture and dining to its visitors.

Located off the southern coast of the central portion of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo is the Caribbean nation’s largest city and the is the oldest continually inhabited European settlement in the Americas, having been founded by Spanish explorer Bartholomew Columbus in 1496.

The city has served as the capital of the Dominican Republic since its founding, and has earned an interesting history because of it. Santo Domingo spent more than 30 years named Ciudad Trujillo, after the dictator Rafael Trujillo who ruled the country from 1930-1961. Upon his death the city reverted to its original name, which it still bears to this day.

Many of Santo Domingo’s most notable landmarks are located within the Zona Colonial district of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990. The Colonial Zone, bordered by the Río Ozama, also has an impressive collection of early 16th century buildings, including palatial houses and majestic churches that reflect the architectural style of the late Middle Ages.

Santo Domingo is home to a mix of cultures form Africa, Spain, and the Taino indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The capital city serves as the Caribbean’s most culturally rich and historic destination and, arguably, it’s most vibrant. The city itself displays contrasts at every turn – contemporary hotels sit on ancient cobblestone streets, luxury cars park beside well-worn scooters, and exotic cuisine is served at chic restaurants while street vendors offer traditional Dominican fare.