An Amazing City! Santo Domingo
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I’ve visited Santo Domingo multiple times and the city has really changed in the last few years, all for the better. Its much cleaner now, the economy is visibly booming with new construction, shopping malls, stores and the like sprouting everywhere. The Colonial Zone looks better than ever with the renovations that have been done. All in all, the city looks great, feels great, it is great!
Sightseeing:
In terms of sightseeing, most of the places of interested are concentrated in the historic quarter known as the Colonial Zone. There you will find the most historic European buildings on this side of the Atlantic such as the Palace of Christopher Columbus, the oldest cathedral of the New World, the ruins of the first hospital of the New World, and much more.
In the modern part of the city you should head to the Plaza de la Cultura. Its a nice park where the National Theater and several museums are located. Of the museums, the one not to be missed is the Museo del Hombre Dominicano. The entire museum is dedicated to the history of the country from the days when the Taino indians lived up to today. Another great museum in the area is the Museo de Arte Moderno where modern Dominican art is on display (different from the Haitian art that is sold in tourist areas).
Other places of interest includes the Faro A Colon, where Christopher Columbus is buried and many small museums related to Columbus and the discovery of the New World. The National Aquarium is quite impressive situated along the scenic coast with an awesome view of the highrises studded skyline of the city. The aquarium also has a nice plexiglass tunnel where you can see sharks and other fish swim above you, its very nice. There is also a museum called Museo Prehispánico that chronicles the development of the Taino indians before they were colonized by Spain and the Museo de Arte Moderno Bellapart, which has one of the finest collections of modern Dominican art in the world.
There are many other museums, cultural centers, monuments and the like scattered all over the city. This is a city to be explored, so its impossible to list all of them, but keep your eyes open to anything that catches your attention and then, go an discover it!
Shopping:
This city was made for shopping, otherwise what else can explain the fact that this city has at least 8 shopping malls? Of all the malls, the glitziest most high class mall is called Acropolis Center. The architecture of this mall is ultra modern, very peculiar but tastefully done. This mall is geared to the local moneyed classes, so it is a pricey and many brand stores are located here like Benneton, Zara, etc. The largest mall in the country is MegaCentro. The place is huge, it has hundreds of stores selling everything you could ever want, food courts, and wonderful people watching. This mall is geared more to the local middle class so its not as expensive as Acropolis Center. Other malls that might be of interest includes Bella Vista Mall, Diamond Mall, Unicentro Plaza, Malecon Center Mall, and Coral Mall. Right now they are constructing two new glitzy malls.
In the Colonial Zone there is a pedestrian street lined with many nice restaurants, stores of all kinds, and the like. The place is great for window shopping, people watching, or for good nightlife. There is even a Hard Rock Cafe on this street, so to all the enthusiasts of Hard Rock Cafes, make your way to here.
Through out the city there are many large US-style department stores and small shops selling everything imaginable. The best way to shop in Santo Domingo is to keep your eyes open and if you see something you like, buy it.
Nightlife:
The nightlife in this city is perhaps the best and most lively in the entire Caribbean. Along Avenida George Washington attached to the luxury hotels you will find an array of casinos and nightclubs geared to tourists and locals alike. The best nightclubs and bars in the city, however, are located in the Colonial Zone (great for bar hopping) and along Avenida Abraham Lincoln. Keep in mind that many of the clubs along Avenida Lincoln are geared towards the upper class, so you will see many people arriving in expensive luxury cars and many of the clubs are very picky as to whom they allow in. But, you can give it a try. If you get in, you will have a blast. For more down to earth partying, you can head over the Avenida Venezuela. This avenue is lined with nightclubs and bars geared to the lower middle class and working class. These are not pretentious places and they are not picky when it comes to admitting people into the clubs, but you will spend a good time with wonderful people that know how to party.
Conclusion:
Santo Domingo is awesome! The city has been going through a transformation and even though its still in the process; many of the results are already visible. Many parks that previously were abandoned have now been redesigned and beautified, the major avenues have been refreshed with new lamp posts, sidewalks, and beautification of the buildings. The first line of the new underground Metro was recently inaugurated facilitating the transportation in the city with the second line starting construction early next year. The city is booming in every sense and it continues to pulsate with plenty of latin charisma with a modern twist.
The city is changing for the better and now is the time to come and experience the fun!
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Tags: , Destinations, Hotels & Travel, Santo Domingo
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