Must see attractions in Central Highlands

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This large, modern museum, built with the tobacco wealth of the León Jimenez family, is a world-class institution with an impressive collection of…

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So picturesque are these falls that an opening scene of the movie Jurassic Park was filmed here. Of the three waterfalls near Jarabacoa, it’s the…

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The second you step out of your vehicle into the aroma bubble of Sendero del Cacao you'll feel transported to a tropical, outdoor Willy Wonka's Chocolate…

Legend has it that Christopher Columbus placed a cross he received as a bon-voyage gift from Queen Isabella atop this hill, which commands fantastic,…

On a hill at the eastern end of the downtown area, this monument is Santiago’s most recognizable sight, featuring a large bronze Angel de La Paz statue at…

The home of Patria, Minerva and María Mirabal, sisters who were assassinated by agents of dictator Rafael Trujillo in 1960 because of their opposition to…

In 1956, the deforestation across the border in Haiti was already bad enough to compel the Dominican government to create this 766 sq km national park, in…

Established in 1958 to adjoin Parque Nacional Armando Bermúdez, the less-visited Ramírez park's 764 sq km spans three provinces and includes Pico Duarte,…

The dense vegetation of this remote countryside, and the difficulty traveling through it, gave the reserve its name: the Mountain of the Missing Spur (a…

This is the oldest and most prestigious cigar factory in the country, with a brand-new showroom and personable tour guides. Exhibits in the showroom…

Santiago’s cathedral, opposite the southern side of Parque Duarte, was built between 1868 and 1895 and is a combination of Gothic and neoclassical styles…

Look for the entrance to this 23-sq-km reserve on the road to Constanza from Santiago. There’s also an easy 2km nature trail through tropical forest where…

What’s left of the original site of La Vega are the ruins of the fort Christopher Columbus ordered to be built and a church. After the great earthquake of…

This breathtaking waterfall, reputedly the largest in the Greater Antilles, is a scenic but extremely rough 16km drive from Constanza (you'll need a 4WD)…

In a lush canyon, Baiguate is not as visually impressive as the other waterfalls in the area, but it’s the most accessible for swimming. A lovely 300m…

This remote park begins around 17km southeast of Constanza. Las Pirámides, a monument marking the geographic center of the DR, is 46km away. The area…

This small gallery displays Dominican painting, photography and sculpture. Some nights of the week a film club meets to screen art-house and Hollywood…

Though not much to look at from the outside, the Centro de la Cultura de Santiago, a half-block from Parque Duarte, offers a regular program of musical…

Built in the late 17th century, the Fortaleza San Luis operated as a military stronghold until the 1970s, when it was converted into a prison. Renovated…

The family-run Monte Alto coffee farm is near Manabao, but the processing factory is just outside Jarabacoa – to get there, cross the bridge over the…