Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Columbus Lighthouse

The country’s main attraction was built over 70 years, with tens of millions of dollars spent on it. The massive concrete structure (height - 33 meters, width - 44, length - 310) on the side looks like a stepped Indian pyramid, while from above it resembles a cross. On the roof, a multitude of spotlights beam into the sky and draw crosses in the clouds. A powerful column of light is visible from several dozen kilometers away. On the lighthouse walls, marble plaques are mounted with sayings by great travelers and quotes from a speech by Pope John Paul II, who inaugurated the lighthouse in 1992. But the main thing, of course, is inside the lighthouse: a marble mausoleum containing the remains of Christopher Columbus, where honor guards in beautiful white uniforms stand watch.

Diego Colón Palace

The two-story building (where Christopher Columbus’s son-Diego-lived) is called either a fortress or a palace, though the Alcázar looks more like a powerful mansion without any special extravagance. The house was built in 1514, but Diego Columbus-appointed Viceroy of New Spain-lived there for only seven years, until he was recalled back to Spain. Over the following years, the Alcázar slowly deteriorated and was plundered. 50 years ago, a major restoration was carried out: the mansion was brought back into proper condition and furnished (some items of household ware were sent from Spain). Today, it houses a museum featuring quite a number of interesting exhibits-such as a trunk made of elephant hide or an antique safe. The bedrooms, Diego’s office, the dining room, and other rooms are available for visiting.

Cathedral

The Cathedral, or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mary - the first functioning church in America. Santo Domingo was the capital of the New World, so it was decided to build the #1 Catholic temple here. The first stone was laid in 1514 by Diego Columbus himself, but construction did not begin because the architect who arrived on the island changed his mind and sailed to Mexico, where he started work on another cathedral (which was later destroyed by a severe earthquake). As a result, the first American church appeared in Santo Domingo only after a quarter of a century. But the magnificent building with altars, chapels, and statues of the evangelists did not stand for long: the English pirate Francis Drake noticed the church, looted and desecrated the cathedral, after which the temple building was practically rebuilt from scratch.

Osama Fortress

The Spanish seriously feared an invasion of their territories by the English, the Dutch, and the French, so they safeguarded themselves by building numerous fortresses. Osama was among the first to be erected, in the 15th century-on the site where the eponymous river flows into the Caribbean Sea, where a ship anchorage was located. The fortress consists of several powerful stone buildings surrounded by a crenellated wall. The most impressive structure is the Torre del Homenaje tower, with thick walls and embrasures. Its main advantage in the modern world is the fantastic view from the roof over the old part of Santo Domingo, so climbing up to the viewing platform with a camera is absolutely recommended for everyone.

House of Bastidas

House of Bastidas is a manor house built by the brave Captain Rodrigo de Bastidas in the early 16th century. It is precisely this period that the oldest parts of the house belong to, facing Dam Street. Since then, the windows, doors, and inner courtyard have been preserved. The façade and the side galleries leading to the courtyard were built and finished much later - in the 18th century. Captain de Bastidas’s son was an influential man in Santo Domingo; he owned dozens of houses in the city and its surroundings, thousands of head of cattle, and nearly a hundred enslaved people. At the same time, he served as the dean of the city’s cathedral. When touring the House of Bastidas, remember that it is not typical of Dominican colonial architecture and looks more like a small piece of Spain right in the middle of Santo Domingo.

Colonial Quarter

The main historical sights are concentrated in the area of the so-called Colonial Quarter, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you can find buildings from the 15th-16th centuries, many of which were erected during the lifetime of Christopher Columbus and are the first European structures in the New World. The most famous mansions have been restored, and today they house museums, restaurants, and shops. In the center of the quarter there is Columbus Park with a monument to the navigator at its center, pointing with his hand toward Spain. On the western side of the square there is a large tourist shop, Columbus Plaza, offering the lowest prices on cigars and rum. This is also where the pedestrian street El Conde begins, lined with many souvenir shops.

Los Tres Ojos Caves

Los Tres Ojos, in fact, is not only caves, but an entire protected area. There are countless magnificent and most picturesque sights here. The park is named Los Tres Ojos (“Three Eyes”) after its main attractions-three underground lakes with crystal-clear water, located at a depth of fifteen meters. The unusual nature of this phenomenon lies in the fact that the water in the lakes has a very rich, practically unnatural blue color. The water in each lake has a special composition of chemical elements and differs greatly in its makeup. In one it is fresh, in another it is saltwater, and in the third it contains sulfur, whose vapors rise above the water. In the past, tourists were allowed to swim in the ponds, but now, for safety reasons, this is not permitted. However, even without that, you will have more than enough impressions from visiting the reserve.

Chu Chu Colonial excursion train

Chu Chu Colonial is an excursion train that began running along the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo. Over the course of 45 minutes-which is how long this excursion lasts-participants will be able to travel back 500 years and see the cultural and historical landmarks of this old yet simultaneously young city. The train departs daily every hour, from 9-00 to 17-00, from the intersection of Isabel la Catolica and El Conde. Throughout the excursion, tourists will hear information about various monuments, colonial buildings, parks, museums and churches in this historic part of the city in 6 languages: Russian, English, Spanish, French, and German. Tickets can be purchased at boarding.

Museum of Royal Houses

In this special mansion, built in the 16th century in the Renaissance style, the Royal Court and the governor’s “office” were located. Officers also liked to hold parties here. Today, in Las Casas Reales, one of the best museums in the country is located, with exhibitions dedicated to the Taino Indians, African slaves, and of course-where would we be without them?-Columbus’s voyages. The museum houses a vast collection of weapons belonging to dictator Trujillo (including samurai swords and a dagger with a built-in pistol), numerous items from the colonial period recovered from shipwrecks (for example, a pile of coins fused on the sea floor into a huge lump of gold), an old apothecary, and other exhibits. Opposite the building, there is a sundial built in 1753.

Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden of Santo Domingo was founded in 1976 by Dr. Rafael Moscoso Puello, a Doctor of Botanical Sciences. The garden covers a vast area, so the most convenient way to explore it is from the windows of a small steam train that runs through the garden. At the entrance to the garden there are 20-meter clocks made of stones and plants. The garden is divided into several themed areas. For example, the water vegetation section features more than 40 species of marsh, aquatic, and floating plants that drift on the surface of numerous ponds (the garden has 109 water bodies). The Orchid Garden fills the air with the aromas of over 300 species of these flowers. About half of the garden is occupied by real tropical forests. One of the most beautiful compositions in the garden is the Japanese Garden with its rock garden.

National Aquarium

In this gigantic complex there are 90 aquariums and other artificial water basins filled with water from the Caribbean Sea. Some of them are located in the open air, and you can swim side by side with the fish there (you’ll have to bring towels with you). The central part of the complex is considered to be the enormous aquarium under a roof, in which a transparent tunnel is laid, allowing visitors to see the underwater world from the inside. In the national aquarium, you can see a total of almost three thousand marine creatures, including local tropical fish, sharks, and inhabitants of other oceans and seas of our planet. The main favorite of visitors to this unique aquatic kingdom is believed to be the manatee Tanauco, found even as a baby.

Santo Domingo Excursion

You will begin the tour with a visit to the Underground Lakes of “Los Tres Ojos”, after which you will visit the National Aquarium, the Columbus Lighthouse-a fascinating architectural monument where the remains of the legendary Christopher Columbus are kept, see the historic part of the city, stroll along the narrow winding streets, visit the Alcázar Palace built by Columbus’ son Diego. You will walk along the first street of the New World-Calle de la Damas, named after Diego’s wife María Toledo, who took walks there with her entourage, see the first Cathedral built in the New World, the National Pantheon, the homes of famous conquistadors, and the fortress of Ozama, as well as much more.

For a more detailed list of excursions and their prices, you can view it after booking the cruise in your “Client Personal Account”.