Must see attractions in Santo Domingo

The first monastery in the New World belonged to the first order of Franciscan friars who arrived to evangelize the island. Dating from 1508, the…

A handsome building with a Gothic facade built in 1509, this was originally the residence of Governor Nicolás de Ovando, who is famous for ordering Santo…

Highlights here include an impressive collection of Taíno artifacts, including stone axes and intriguing urns and carvings and an interesting section on…

Built in 1510 by Charles V, this is the first convent of the Dominican order founded in the Americas. It's also where Father Bartolomé de las Casas – the…

Constructed during the first half of the 16th century, the church was sacked by Drake and his men and reconstructed on numerous occasions following…

The museum’s permanent collection includes paintings and a few sculptures by the DR’s best-known modern artists, including Luís Desangles, Adriana Billini…

This museum is located in the Casa de Tostado – the beautifully restored, 16th-century home of writer Francisco Tostado. It's interesting as much for the…

This museum explores the natural environs of the Dominican Republic, with the massive jaw of a sperm whale welcoming visitors at the door. Old-fashioned…

Housed in a restored 16th-century building, exhibits here celebrate rum and sugarcane, two of the country’s most important exports. Displays and…

This large, centrally located park, mostly a sun-baked, fairly unkempt plaza, has three museums (two of which are worth visiting), the national theater…

Across from the Museo de las Casas Reales, this sundial was built by Governor Francisco Rubio y Peñaranda in 1753 and positioned so that officials in the…

Home to the first nunnery in the New World, built in 1552. Years after being sacked by Drake and his men (who apparently hated all things Catholic), it…

The 1813 birthplace of Juan Pablo Duarte was converted into a modest museum and renovated in late 2016. Three rooms display documents, artifacts and…

The Gothic-style chapel was built during the 16th century by alderman Francisco de Avila and was intended to be a private chapel and family mausoleum…

Running north–south in front of Fortaleza Ozama is the first paved street in the Americas. Laid in 1502, the street acquired its name from the wife of…

Built in 1729 and the only colonial structure in Santo Domingo that remains fully intact. These days the building is used by the office of the archbishop…

This small art gallery, in a renovated 16th-century home, features ever-changing exhibits of colonial and contemporary art. A shady courtyard at the back…

This huge neoclassical building houses several national performing arts schools and is sometimes the sight for exhibitions and performances. Check the…

The main attraction of Parque Independencia, this marble mausoleum holds the remains of three national heroes: Juan Pablo Duarte, Francisco del Rosario…

Said to be not only one of the first European residences in the Americas, but also one of the first residences in the Western hemisphere with two floors,…