Things you should do while in Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo is the capital and the largest city in Dominican Republic. Here is a list of my favorite things to do in the city that you shouldn't miss out on

Santo Domingo is full of everything, and our visitors always ask me for recommendations on what to do in the city itself. I have collected the best of my recommendations in this post, hope you will find use for it.

1. Go dance at Parada 77

There are multiple party spots in the city, and you are welcome to explore all of them, but the most accessible one would be the party street in Zona Colonial. In this street you will find a lot of clubs, dance bars and other places to party. One of these places is called Parada 77, located close to Plaza España. This place is a rather big dance bar, and if you ask me, the best place to dance. They play the local types of music - salsa, bachata, merengue, reggaeton and dembow. If you are into any of these, you should definitely check it out!

2. Have a meal in the local Chinatown

Like many big cities in the world, Santo Domingo has it's own Chinatown. The Santo Domingo version is quite small, combining just a few streets, but it is one of the only places to find all the supplies for your asian food, and there are plenty of chinese restaurants that serve Chinese food and some Dominican versions of the same food. The portions are huge and the prices are low. So what are you waiting for?

3. Buy something at the weekend market

Not far from Chinatown (starting around Parque Enriquillo), there are a few streets that close on the weekend in the benefit of a local market, the market sells mainly clothes and shoes, but you will probably find anything you want if you look close enough. This is the best place, in my opinion, to fell the real local culture. Go around the shops and the stalls and enjoy yourself, just beware of pickpockets!

4. Take a ride in the metro

Another way to feel the local life is to take a ride in the metro. The metro has 2 lines (that intersect at the Juan Pablo Duarte station) and cover a portion of the city that connects to Santo Domingo Este. From the Eduardo Brito it connects to the cable car as well.

5. Take a ride on the cable car

The cable car opened in the year of 2018 and has 4 stops. It provides a great view from above on the whole city and is definitely worth the trip!

6. Parque Duarte in the evening

Part of the Santo Domingo nightlife culture is getting together at parks and spending the evening with your friends or getting to know new people. One of these park is Parque Duarte, that is located in the heart of Zona Colonial. The park is quite small and full of benches. And has some shops to buy your alcohol. This is one of the favorite places of the locals and is always lively and full of people. From time to time, if you are lucky enough, you will also get a street performance from some band that wants to increase it's exposure and earn some change.

7. Explore Zona Colonial

Santo Domingo has a lot of history, this history starts at the colonial area of the city, calle Zona Colonial. You will find anything from a fort, to old churches and even a brewery that was lost to time. Spend your time walking on these streets and admire the history and the architecture!

8. Take a walk on the Malecon

Santo Domingo does not have a beach that you can enter the water from, at least not a safe one. What it does have is one of the nicest boardwalks, spend time among the walking, running, cycling, rollerblading people. Sit at a one of the restaurants with a view to the sea, or have some fun at the amusement park. If you are visiting at the right time, you also might catch a carnival or some parade.

9. Sit at one of the Colmados and make local friends

The locals like to party cheap, which usually means buying local alcohol at local prices, in their neighborhoods. This tradition developed shops that called colmados, that might sell everything, but mostly sell rum and beer, and are a center of attention. Every evening they fill up with people that just spend their time there drinking with friends, listening to music or just chilling with a barbeque. Just follow the loud music and search the ones with more people in them. Get the local experience!

Final thoughts

These are my favorite things to do in the city, and I'm sure there are plenty more! Go and explore, find the ones you like best!