My visit to the Dominican Republic was one of those exceptionally short visits, so in all honesty this country hardly counts as a trip! I’ve done way more on the other side of the island in Haiti, for example, but of course I’ll come back here for a proper visit one day.
So far I’ve only visited the capital, Santo Domingo. Aside from seeing much more of the city, I still want to visit the country’s beautiful beaches, climb Pico Duarte, the highest mountain in the Caribbean, go scuba diving, and of course soak up some Caribbean culture!
Explore Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo is one of the oldest European-founded cities in the Americas and the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas. Founded at the end of the 15th century, the city became an important center of Spain’s early colonization of the New World.
Today Santo Domingo is known for its historic Colonial Zone, centuries-old architecture, museums, restaurants, and nightlife. Another famous landmark is the Columbus Lighthouse, a massive monument built in honor of Christopher Columbus that contains remains claimed by the Dominican Republic to be those of Columbus.
Explore Haiti
The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. Although the two countries occupy the same Caribbean island, they have very different histories, cultures, languages, and landscapes. I’ve spent considerably more time traveling in Haiti, where I’ve explored several parts of the country.
