DK Travel : Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a country of surprising contrasts and extraordinary variety. From the chilly peak of the Caribbean’s highest mountain to some of the region’s most delightful beaches, the country boasts lush valleys, spectacular waterfalls, and sun-baked deserts. The past and present also blend in a fascinating mix of colonial buildings and modern hotels, sleepy rural villages and lively tourist resorts. The people, too, reflect a kaleidoscope of influences — Spanish, African, indigenous — creating a culture that emphasizes both creativity and fun in the fields of music, sport, and art.

Sancocho

A close relative of stews made in Colombia and Venezuela, real sancocho contains no fewer than five different sorts of meat (chicken, goat, pork, beef, and sausage) as well as a medley of vegetables and spices. It’s a dish for very special occasions, also reflecting the country’s mixed European and African heritage.
Santa Bárbara, Santo Domingo

The uncertain nature of colonial life is dramatically reflected by this asymmetrical church-cum-fort, dedicated to the patron saint of soldiers and explosives. The church was vandalized by Sir Francis Drake’s pirates in 1586, and later damaged by a hurricane.
Santiago

The laid-back second city is different in ambience from bustling Santo Domingo. Its streets are filled with monuments to its past glories as a tobacco boom town.
Santiago

Smaller and slower paced than the capital, Santiago is nonetheless a major metropolis of over 750,000 people, with contrasting elements of wealth and poverty, old and new. The plush modern suburbs to the north are pleasant, but the city’s real atmosphere and interest are concentrated in a relatively small downtown district around the Parque Duarte and the huge Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauracíon, joined by the main shopping street. It’s also worth looking into Santiago’s proud past as a major producer of sugar and tobacco, especially with a visit to a cigar factory or rum distillery.

Santiago’s cathedral
Santiago (July 24–26)

Santiago Apostól, or Saint James the scourge of the Moors, is the object of great veneration.
Santo Cerro

Commanding a spectacular view of the valley that Columbus dubbed La Vega Real (Royal Valley), the 19th-century church of Santo Cerro reputedly marks the spot where the Virgin made a miraculous intervention in 1495. The cross that she defended from burning by the Tainos was, according to legend, erected on the hillside by Columbus himself, and the church claims to preserve a fragment of the original crucifix. It’s surrounded by ornate Catholic iconography.
Santo Cerro

The site of a Spanish victory over the Tainos and a holy pilgrimage place, this mountain-top church is surrounded by a belvedere from where views extend for miles over the fertile Cibao Valley. The forested mountains and green valley floor might look European were it not for the palm trees.
Santo Domingo

La Capital has something for everyone, whether cobbled colonial-era streets steeped in history or state-of-the-art shopping malls. A patchwork of ancient and modern, the sprawling city lives life at a frantic pace, with gridlocked streets and other urban challenges. But there are quiet corners and shady plazas in the Zona Colonial, extensive parks offering fresh air, peace, and quiet, and the magnificent seaside Malecón, the favorite playground of Santo Domingo’s inhabitants (see Santo Domingo: The Zona Colonial).
Santo Domingo: The Modern City

The modern metropolis encompasses crowded downtown streets, charming suburbs, and relaxing parks, where art galleries rub shoulders with US-style shopping malls .
Santo Domingo: The Zona Colonial

The historic jewel in the capital’s crown, this district of restored colonial buildings and shady plazas is filled with well-preserved reminders of a bygone age.