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Santo Domingo Small Group Walking Tour, Specialty Coffee and Beer
5.0
29 Ratings
Santo Domingo
Explore Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone, savor specialty coffee, and enjoy local beer on a small group or private walking tour.
Duration:
1 hour, 45 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Zona Colonial - Explore Santo Domingo’s charming historic neighborhood, full of cultural attractions, restaurants, and parks. Stroll along Calle El Conde, a pedestrian street lined with shops, art, and cafes. Discover the oldest sites in the Americas, including the first cathedral, paved street, monastery, hospital, university, and military fortress.
- Parque Colon - Columbus Park is the central square of Santo Domingo’s historic district. Here, you can find the statue of Christopher Columbus, in whose honor the square was renamed in 1887.
- Catedral Primada de América de Santo Domingo - This cathedral, dedicated to St. Mary of the Incarnation, is the first and oldest in the Americas. Construction began in 1504 and took 46 years.
- Calle Las Damas - This is the “street of the ladies,” the first paved road in the Americas. The architecture dates back to the 16th century and the narrow road contains colonial buildings now serving as museums, embassies, and upscale hotels.
- Fortaleza Ozama - The Ozama Fortress, built by the Spanish in the early 16th century, is the first permanent military structure in the Americas, marking the beginning of Spanish colonization. The fortress resembles a medieval castle and features a 69-feet tall central tower.
- Pantheon of the Fatherland - Guarded by a presidential honor guard, this 18th-century Jesuit church is the national mausoleum of the Dominican Republic, housing the remains of heroes such as Gregorio Luperon, Salome Urena, Jose Nunez de Caceres, and others since 1956.
- Reloj de Sol - This stone clock, standing 12 feet tall, has been located in front of the Royal Houses Museum since 1753 in the colonial city. It was used by government officials to keep track of time.
- Museo De Las Casas Reales - The Museum of Royal Houses was the Spanish Governor’s Royal Court in the 16th century. It offers an overview of the Dominican Republic’s history from colonialism to independence from Spain in 1821.
- Plaza de la Hispanidad or Spain - Located at the end of Calle Las Damas, the Plaza de España is a charming and romantic esplanade in the heart of the Colonial City. On one side of the plaza stands the impressive Alcazar de Colon palace, while on the other side, a series of outdoor bistro terraces offer diners a stunning view of the ancient city. It’s definitely one of the most beautiful spots in the area.
- Ruinas de San Francisco - The San Francisco Monastery is a set of rustic walled ruins in the Colonial City. It was the first-ever Franciscan monastery in the New World and has a tumultuous history. They were damaged by a fire caused by Sir Francis Drake and a couple of earthquakes. It was later used as a mental asylum until the middle of the 20th century.
- Hospital Saint Nicholas of Bari - San Nicolas de Bari Hospital, built between 1503 and 1508 under Governor Nicolas de Ovando, is the oldest hospital in the Americas and served as a model for others. Today, it lies in ruins on the north side of Hostos street, popular for its photogenic scenery and home to pigeons.
- Alcazar de Colon - This is the first European palace fortified in the Americas. It was constructed between 1510 and 1514, predominantly in a Gothic and Renaissance style. It is recognized as the only known residence of a member of Christopher Columbus’ family in the New World; specifically, his first-born son Diego Columbus.
What's Included
- Bottled Water
- Certified Bilingual Local Guide
- Mama Juana Tasting (Dominican Spiced Rum)
- Local Beer Tasting
- Roundtrip Transportation From Punta Cana (If You Book The Private Tour From Punta Cana Option)
- Specialty Coffee Selection (Dominican Coffee, Latte or Cappuccino)
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Admission to museums
- Hotel Pick Up and Drop Off In Santo Domingo (Guests In Santo Domingo Need To Go the Meeting Point)
Additional Information
Experience the wonders of Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone on our small group tour with a maximum of 12 participants or upgrade to a private tour for just your group. Discover the heart of the Dominican Republic as you savor locally-grown specialty coffee and refreshing local beer. The Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo is a charming city with many firsts, including the first street, military fortress, cathedral of the Spanish-settled New World, and more. Get ready to be inspired!
- This is a bilingual tour, please be mindful that we’ll share information in English and Spanish
- Visitors to the cathedral must wear clothing that covers their shoulders and knees.
- The Alcazar Colon and the Pantheon are currently closed for renovations, you will see them from the outside
- Visitors to the cathedral can take pictures (no flash) and video is not allowed
- The Royal Houses museum is under maintenance please know you may see work being done
- You will get a chance to try local beverages like mama juana and purchase souvenirs.
- The guide may rearrange the itinerary sequence for a better experience
- The Tour Duration from Punta Cana is about 10 hours aproximately
- The driver does not speak English but your tour guide does and you will meet the guide in Santo Domingo
Location
Casa Barista & Co.
Calle Arzobispo Meriño
For guests in the Santo Domingo area, we will meet you outside Casa Barista, our tour guide will be waiting for you there.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(29 Ratings)
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Ycelac1
Aug 24, 2024
Colonial Zone Walking Tour - Jean Carlos fue un excelente guía! Great experience and knowledgeable guide. Would definitely try this company again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Justin_c
Aug 12, 2024
Exactly what was advertised - Great tour. My guide Jean Carlos was very nice and helpful. Beautiful area to explore. He was on time and my tour ended up being a private 1-on-1 tour, which kudos to the tour company for not cancelling due to a lack of other attendees at that time slot.
Review provided by Viator
Y7044rrestherk
Jul 26, 2024
The walk through the old city of Santo Domingo - Our guide Mr. Luciano was very knowledgeable of the history around all the areas we visited, we'd highly recommend him.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Beth
Jul 19, 2024
Fabulous walking tour! - From the moment I arrived until the end of the tour, Jean Carlos made me feel welcome! He is very knowledgeable on all things Dominican and I learned a lot about the culture and history. I ended up having a private tour which added to enhancing my experience. I highly recommend booking a tour for a solo traveler or a group!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Beth_g
Jul 17, 2024
Zona Colonial tour - From the first welcome to final good bye, Jean Carlos was a wonderful guide. He is very knowledgable about all things Dominican. I learned a lot about the culture and history. I was also surprised with having a private tour! Thank you for organizing a perfect morning!
Review provided by Viator
Mobile697967
Apr 21, 2024
DAY IN SANTO DOMINGO - A very beautiful day to see the life of the Dominicans. A very attentive and knowledgeable guide. He answers all your questions while giving the tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nadia_ldn
Apr 3, 2024
Great tour, highly recommended!! - This was a fantastic tour around the iconic places in the historical centre of Santo Domingo and included some nice stops to local shops to taste coffee, chocolate and beer. Our guide was really knowledgeable and fun, made the tour even more pleasant. The tour was very well organised and went according to plan. Very positive experience and I would highly recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
935gilm
Mar 29, 2024
Learning history in a fun way - What a fun way to learn about history, we booked the private tour to explore the old town at our own pace. We had amazing lattes, tried mama juana for the first time and it was good. I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gloriamb4689ue
Mar 29, 2024
Santo Domingo Prívate Walking Tour is the Way! - Santo Domingo’s colonial zone has so much history and culture! Our tour guide Jean Carlos told us great stories, we had the best coffee (better than starbucks) we booked the prívate tour and it is worth the extra cost.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joshemax
Mar 16, 2024
Must to do in Santo Domingo - Must to do in Santo Domingo...
Super good. I am Dominican and I recommend it for those who want to know a little more about Santo Domingo. The explanation of the story was super complete and detailed. Jean Carlos is a true connoisseur, he behaved extremely well with the group and explained details to us that I didn't even know. The specialty coffee tasting was spectacular, this is something that I always take with me from Santo Domingo. They also give you a chance to try local drinks, like the Presidente beer and the Mamajuana drink (very strong for my taste) but you had to try it so they don't mention it hehehe.
For this tour I recommend wearing comfortable clothing, preferably shorts and tennis shoes because the weather in Santo Domingo is hot. The environment is super safe, but I recommend going light and it's great.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
