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After breakfast in your hotel, head for the Parque Duarte , the main downtown hub of activity. It’s worth taking a look at some of the grand buildings lining the square, notably the Moorish-style Centro de Recreo and the Palacio Consistorial , a gingerbread-style building housing exhibitions. You can also hire a horse-drawn carriage, which should cost no more than $10 for half an hour. Always negotiate a price before setting off.

The carriages normally run down the busy shopping street of Calle del Sol , but you may prefer to walk the mile or so down this buzzing commercial thoroughfare. On the intersection of Calle del Sol and Avenida España you’ll come across the Mercado Modelo, a cornucopia of tourist souvenirs.

As you reach the end of Calle del Sol and approach the Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración , you’ll certainly have earned a rest and a cold drink. Look out for a couple of bars, such as Puerto del Sol.

When you’ve gathered your strength, it’s time to visit the massive monument to the dictator Trujillo (later re-branded as a memorial to independence fighters). The lift has stopped working, so it’s a long, rather tiring, climb to the observation platform at the top. But the exertion is worth it for the view, and it’ll make you feel better about having lunch.

The Cordillera Central is home to a number of exotic species, especially in the national parks. Look out for parrots and parakeets, as well as the Hispaniolan woodpecker and the emerald hummingbird.

Jimenoa is the place for this energetic and alarming sport, which involves holding onto a rope and jumping down a sheer rock face into the water below.

In this variant on canyoning, the participant jumps through a waterfall into the pool at the bottom. The Salto de Jimenoa is a recommended spot.

Go for the menú del día , served with rice, beans, salad, and any other vegetable in season.

Reputed to be the site of an ancient Taino city, a large open space contains a ring of boulders with what seems to be a ceremonial slab in the middle. It was here that Anacaona, the legendary widow of Caonabo — who was tricked into captivity by the Spanish — attempted to galvanize anti-Spanish feeling among the differing Taino chieftains into a revolt. She was captured and executed, and the settlement destroyed. From what remains it is not clear how much is reconstructed, but the carved stone face on the slab looks authentic enough.

Whether on or off road, cyclists will enjoy fantastic views as well as a warm welcome in villages, where you can always buy drinks.

Snacks and Mexican food are the fare in this restaurant run by a Puerto Rican family. It has a small disco on the roof.

Local meats such as lamb, rabbit, and guinea fowl are cooked here in various ways.