Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo

A great place to begin your explorations is the nation's capital, Santo Domingo, an enchanting city uniting modern sophistication, old world charm, and Latin charisma. This throbbing metropolis seduces you with superb dining, vibrant night life, and fashionable shopping. It is the first European city in the Western Hemisphere, and a large part of its rich colonial heritage is preserved in a unique enclave beside the Ozama River called the "Colonial City."

Attractions

Beyond its handsomely preserved colonial past, Santo Domingo's cultural and artistic vitality is showcased in its vibrant theaters and concert halls and its galleries galore. The palaces of the Colonial City have become fascinating museums, but the aptly named Plaza de la Cultura a vast, green oasis in the heart of the city clusters four museums as well as the National Theater, home to concerts, ballet, opera and theatrical performances.

Shopping

A very favorable exchange rate makes shopping for colorful handicrafts and other locally produced products a great bargain. Most popular are the amber (brought to world acclaim in the hit film Jurassic Park) and larimar semi-precious stones. Other favorite items are wicker, rattan, and wood furniture, hand-painted masks, macrame, ceramics, straw and woven goods, rocking chairs, carved mahogany structures, Dominican fine art and paintings, fashions from local-born designers such as Oscar de la Renta and local coffee, rum, and cigars.

Food

Dominican restaurants offer a worldwide mix of cuisines including Italian, Chinese, Spanish, German, Swiss, Japanese, Korean, New Orleans, Mexican, French, Iranian, Continental, North American and South American. The local Dominican cuisine is a savory yet subtle blend of native Indian, Spanish, Middle Eastern and African ingredients. Popular Dominican dishes are sancocho (meat and vegetable stew), moro (rice cooked with beans), mangu (mashed green plantains), longaniza (spiced pork sausage), carne guisada (beef stew), lechon asado (roast suckling pig cooked on a spit), pescado con coco (fish simmered in a coconut sauce, popular in Samana) and stewed goat. Plantains, rice, beans and root vegetables are staples.

Currency

The Dominican peso is the official currency of the Dominican Republic.

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