Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo is the historical capital city of the Dominican Republic and is both the largest and the oldest European settlement in the Americas. It wears its significant age as a badge of honour, with the Colonial Zone having earned UNESCO World Heritage status. Here, you can see Alcázar de Colón, Basilica Cathedral of Santa María la Menor and Casa del Cordón – respectively the first castle and first cathedral and the oldest stone building still standing in the Americas. And that’s just a few of the highlights. 

Of course, there’s more to Santo Domingo than just historical buildings. The city has a lively modern culture, with a special emphasis on the performing arts. There are plenty of places to go shopping and the nightlife is pretty active, especially in the well-developed centre of the city. While not right on the beach, you certainly don’t have to go too far along the coast from Santo Domingo to find the brilliant white sands the Dominican Republic is best known for.