Zona Colonial
History, nightlifeThe old walled city.
City guide
Things to do in Santo Domingo
The oldest European city in the Americas and a loud, living Caribbean capital: the cobbled Zona Colonial, the first cathedral in the New World, merengue and bachata in the street, and the cheapest good food in the country.
6
Hostels in the city
9.6
Average, from 2,080 reviews
1496
Founded
2–3
Days
The first city of the Americas
Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic and the largest city in the Caribbean, home to around three million people in its metropolitan area. It was founded by Bartholomew Columbus in 1496, which makes it the oldest permanent European settlement in the Americas.
Its Zona Colonial, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990, is a walkable grid of stone streets with a run of New World firsts: the first cathedral, the first hospital, the first paved street and the first university. Unlike many old towns, it is still a working neighbourhood, with colmados, barbers and families on doorsteps between the museums and bars.
Beyond the walls, the city is big, busy and rewarding for anyone curious about how Dominicans actually live: the Malecón seafront, the cave lagoons of Los Tres Ojos, baseball at the Estadio Quisqueya and dancing that is taken seriously. Give it two or three days.
Where to base yourself
The Zona Colonial for history and nightlife, Gazcue for a quieter local base, or Piantini and Naco for modern city life.
Gazcue
Quieter, localLeafy streets west of the Zona.
Piantini and Naco
Modern cityMalls, restaurants and clubs.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 6 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Santo Domingo
Walk the Zona Colonial: the Catedral Primada de América, completed in 1540, Calle Las Damas, the Fortaleza Ozama and the Alcázar de Colón, the palace of Diego Columbus. Visit the Museo de las Casas Reales and sit in Parque Colón as the city goes by.
Go underground at Los Tres Ojos, a chain of lagoons inside limestone caves, and walk the Malecón at sunset. In season, from October to January, catch a baseball game at the Estadio Quisqueya, which is as much a party as a match.
On Sunday evenings, join the crowd at the Ruinas de San Francisco, where live son and merengue bands have played to dancing locals for years.
Free things
And what it costs nothing to do
Walking the Zona Colonial, its plazas and Calle Las Damas costs nothing, and so does the Malecón at sunset.
The Sunday evening music at the Ruinas de San Francisco is free to watch, and Parque Colón is the best free people-watching in the city.
The Jardín Botánico Nacional charges a small fee, and the Catedral Primada and the museums charge for entry.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking
Santo Domingo is the best and cheapest place to eat Dominican food. La bandera, rice, beans, stewed meat and salad, costs €3 to €6 at a comedor at lunchtime, and mangú, mashed plantain with fried cheese, salami and egg, is breakfast.
Try chicharrón, sancocho stew and street chimi burgers, and finish with a cold Presidente at a colmado.
Restaurant bills add 18 per cent tax and a 10 per cent service charge by law, so check whether menu prices include them; a little extra for good service is appreciated.
Nightlife
Going out
Merengue and bachata were born in the Dominican Republic, and Santo Domingo is where to dance them. The Zona Colonial has bars in colonial buildings, from rooftop terraces to small dance halls, and it gets busy from Thursday to Sunday.
Colmados with speakers outside are the cheapest night out, and Piantini and Naco have upmarket clubs.
A Presidente costs €1.50 to €3 in a colmado and more in bars. Take a registered taxi or an app home.
Getting around
Getting around
Las Américas International Airport is about 30 to 40 minutes from the Zona Colonial by taxi. The city has two metro lines and a cable car, clean and cheap, though they do not reach the Zona Colonial directly.
Uber and other ride-hailing apps work well and are the easiest option at night. Carros públicos, shared cars on fixed routes, and guaguas are cheap but crowded.
Caribe Tours and Metro Tours run air-conditioned intercity buses from their own terminals.
Costs
What Santo Domingo costs
Santo Domingo is cheap away from tourist restaurants. Dorm beds start at around €12 to €20 a night. La bandera costs €3 to €6, and a colmado beer €1.50 to €3.
Museums cost a few euros each, and metro rides well under €1.
Cards work in most places, but carry pesos for colmados, comedores and guaguas.
Safety
Safety and scams
The Zona Colonial is well policed and busy, but bag snatching, sometimes from motorbikes, and pickpocketing happen. Keep phones out of reach of the road and valuables out of sight.
Use ride-hailing apps or registered taxis at night rather than street hails, and avoid unlit areas after dark.
Do not drink the tap water; bottled and refill jugs are cheap everywhere. In an emergency, call 911.
Worth leaving town for
Beaches, caves and the colonial south.
Bayahibe
Gateway to Saona Island.
Jarabacoa
Mountains and rafting.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Carnival, baseball and saints' days.
Sundays in February, national parade in March
Carnival
Santo Domingo
Masked diablos cojuelos and parades.
27 February
Independence Day
Santo Domingo
Military parade on the Malecón.
October to January
Baseball season
Estadio Quisqueya
The winter league, loud and joyful.
Hostels
Where to stay
The highest-rated hostels in Santo Domingo, live from Hostelworld. Prices and availability are live on each property page.
Hostal 53 Boutique
Rooms from €21 a night
See dates and book
La Choza
Dorms from €14 a night
See dates and book
Hostal Gato Colonial
Rooms from €14 a night
See dates and book
Island Life Hostel
Dorms from €22 a night
See dates and book
Hotel Boutique Puerto Malecon
Rooms from €31 a night
See dates and book
RIG Casa Conde
Rooms from €18 a night
See dates and book
When to go
December to April is the dry season and the most comfortable time. May to November is hotter and wetter, and hurricane season runs from June to November, peaking in August and September.
Jan
Dry, festive
Feb
Carnival
Mar
Dry
Apr
Semana Santa
May
Rain begins
Jun
Hurricane season opens
Jul
Hot
Aug
Hot, wetter
Sep
Peak hurricane risk
Oct
Wet, baseball starts
Nov
Rain easing
Dec
Dry season returns
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs, rounded. Hot and humid all year.
What your trip will cost
Per night, for one person, based on Santo Domingo prices.
Treat these as a guide. Day trips cost extra.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Santo Domingo questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is Santo Domingo worth visiting?
Yes. The Zona Colonial is the oldest European city in the Americas, and the capital is the best place to see everyday Dominican life.
Where should I stay in Santo Domingo?
The Zona Colonial for history and nightlife, or Gazcue for a quieter base.
Is Santo Domingo safe?
Take normal city care: watch for bag snatching, and use apps or registered taxis at night.
How do I get from the airport?
By taxi or ride-hailing app, in about 30 to 40 minutes.
Does Uber work in Santo Domingo?
Yes, and it is the easiest way around at night.
Where can I dance in Santo Domingo?
The Zona Colonial bars, and the free Sunday evening music at the Ruinas de San Francisco.
Can I drink the tap water?
No. Drink bottled or filtered water.
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