Santo Domingo travel guide

History

The first wooden houses were built in 1496 by Christopher Columbus’ (Cristóbal Colón) brother Bartolomé on the eastern bank of the Río Ozama after the failure of the settlement at La Isabela on the north coast. In 1498 the Governor, Nicolás de Ovando, moved the city to the other side of the river and started building with stone, a successful move which was continued by Diego Colón, Christopher’s son, when he took charge in 1509. It then became the first capital city in Spanish America. For years the city was the base for the Spaniards’ exploration and conquest of the continent. Santo Domingo holds the title ‘first’ for a variety of offices: first city, having the first Audiencia Real, cathedral, university, coinage, etc. In view of this, UNESCO has designated Santo Domingo a World Cultural Heritage Site. However, Santo Domingo’s importance waned when Spain set up her colonies in Peru and Mexico with seemingly limitless silver and gold to finance the Crown. Hurricanes managed to sink 15 ships in 1508, 18 in 1509 and many more in later years. 1562 brought an earthquake which destroyed much of the town; 1586 brought Sir Francis Drake, who attacked from inland where defences were vulnerable, looted and pillaged and set the city alight. He was the first of many British and French pirates and privateers who attacked in the 16th and 17th centuries and rebuilding works were continually in progress.

In the 1930s, the dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo renamed the city Ciudad Trujillo and embarked on a series of public works. After his assassination in 1961 the city immediately reverted to the title of Santo Domingo, but his successor, Joaquín Balaguer, continued to build on a monumental scale. Prestigious projects such as the Faro a Colón took pride of place over social spending on education, health and housing for the poor. Governments since the 1960s have been criticized for concentrating on the capital and ignoring the provinces. As a result, migration to the capital has surged and little has been done to prevent the growth of slums and poor barrios. However, tourism is booming and it is a lively and vibrant place to spend a few days.

Ins and outs

Getting there

Aeropuerto Las Américas, east of Santo Domingo, is the main international airport for the capital, receiving flights from North and South America and Europe. Aeropuerto Internacional Dr Joaquín Balaguer, at El Higuero/La Isabela opened in 2005. If you are arriving in the capital by bus, you will come in to that company’s bus terminal. There is no central bus station. Taxis wait outside to take you to your hotel or other destination.

Santo Domingo

Air

Airline offices

Air Europa, Av Winston Churchill 459, T8096838020. Air France, Av Máximo Gómez 15, Santo Domingo, T8096868432, Las Américas International Airport, T8095490309, Punta Cana Airport, T8099593002. Air Jamaica, F P Ramírez 159, Santo Domingo, T8098720080. Air Santo Domingo, Av 27 de Febrero 272 esq Seminario, Santo Domingo, T8096838006, information and reservations, T8096838020, at Las Américas, T8095491110, at La Romana airport, T8098139144, at Puerto Plata airport, T8095860391, at Punta Cana, T8092211170, at Puerto Plata, T8095860385, at El Portillo, Samaná, T8092406571. American Airlines, Edif IN TEMPO, Av W Churchill, Santo Domingo, T8095425151, La Romana airport, T8095565786, Punta Cana airport, T8099597002. American Eagle, Las Américas, Santo Domingo, T8095492339, Puerto Plata airport, T5860325. Caribair, Av Luperón, Santo Domingo, T8095426688, La Romana, T8092218076, Puerto Plata, T8096829855, Punta Cana, T8096885542, caribair.sa@verizon.net.do. Condor, Av George Washington 353, T8096853125. Continental, Av Winston Churchill, Santo Domingo, T8095626688. Copa, 27 de Febrero, Santo Domingo, T8094722233. Coturisca, Av Luperón 49, Santo Domingo, T8096833435. Cubana, Av Tiradentes, Santo Domingo, T8092272040, ventascuba@verizon.net.do. Iberia, Lope de Vega 63, Santo Domingo, T8095080188. Lufthansa, Av George Washington 353, Santo Domingo, T8096899625. Martinair, M Gómez y Juan S Ramírez, Santo Domingo, T8096886661. Mexicana de Aviación, Av G M Ricart 54, Santo Domingo, T8095411016. Sky King, Puerto Plata international airport, T8095860342. United Air Lines, G M Ricart 54, Santo Domingo, T8095418072. US Airways, G M Ricart 54, Santo Domingo, T8095400505.

Bus

OMSA buses run along the main corridors (corredores), Avs 27 de Febrero, Luperón, Bolívar, Independencia, John F Kennedy, Máximo Gómez and the west of the city, US$0.30.

Car

Car hire

There are many places at the airport, on the road to the airport and on the Malecón. MC Auto Rent-A-Car (Av George Washington No 105, T8096886518, F6864529, http://www.mccarrental.com), branches also at Las Américas Airport (T8095498911) and Boca Chica (T8095234414); Nelly (Av Independencia 654, T8096877979, http://www.nellyrac.com, from US$45 a day); Dollar (Av Independencia 366, T8092217368, http://www.dollar.com.do, from US$47 a day); Europcar (Av Independencia 354,T8096882121, http://www.europcar.com.do); Payless (Gustavo Mejía Ricart 826, T8095634686).

Taxi

Carros públicos, or conchos, are shared taxis normally operating on fixed routes, 24 hrs a day, basic fare US$0.30. Públicos can be hired by one person, if they are empty, and are then called carreras. They can be expensive (US$3-4, more on longer routes); settle price before getting in. Fares are higher at Christmas time. Públicos/conchos also run on long-distance routes; ask around to find the cheapest. You can get to just about anywhere by bus or público from Parque Independencia, but you have to ask where to stand. Conchos running on a shared basis are becoming scarcer, being replaced by carreras.

Radio taxis charge between US$3-5 on local journeys around Santo Domingo (US$10 per hr) and are safer than street taxis, call about 20-30 mins in advance: Taxi Anacaona, T8095304800; Apolo Taxi, T8095370000; Taxi Express, T8095377777; Taxi Oriental, T8095495555; Alex Taxi, T8095403311; Taxi Hogar, T8095682825; Tecni Taxi, T8095672010; Maxi Taxi, T8095440077; Taxi Raffi, T8096877858.

Motorcycle taxi service, motoconchos, US$0.20, sometimes illegally take up to 3 passengers on pillion. Drivers are supposed to wear a helmet, but none of the regulations are respected. Take care.

Banks

Many along Isabel La Católica, but check which banks accept which TCs . Casa de Cambio La Catedral, Sánchez, off El Conde, gives a slightly better rate than banks.

Embassies and consulates

Canada, Capitán Eugenio de Marchena 39, Ens La Esperilla, T8096851136, sdmgo@dfait-maeci.ge.ca. Denmark, Torre Panamericana, Piso 10, Av Abraham Lincoln 504, T8095495100. France, Calle Las Damas 42, Zona Colonial, T8096954300, ambafrance.sd@verizon.net.do. Germany, Gustavo M Ricart, Torre Piantini, T8095428949, embal@verizon.net.do. Haiti, Juan Sánchez Ramírez 33, Zona Universitaria, Santo Domingo, T8096868185, amb.haiti@verizon.net.do. Italy, Manuel Rodríguez Objío 4, Gazcue, T8096820830, ambital@verizon.net.do. Netherlands, Max Henríquez Ureña 50 esq Abraham Lincoln, Ens Piantini, T8092620320, std@minbuza.nl. Spain, Independencia 1205, T8095356500, embesp.do@mail.mae.es. UK, 27 de Febrero 233, Edificio Corominas Pepín, 7th floor, T8094727111, brit.emb.sadom@verizon.net.do. USA, César Nicolás Penson esq Leopoldo Navarro, (embassy) T8092212171, (consulate) 8092215511, http://www.usemb.gov.do.

Internet

Centennial Dominicana offices allow you to walk in and use their internet computer stations for free. Offices at corner of Winston Churchill and Gustavo Mejía Ricart (Edificio Grouconsa), corner of Máximo Gómez and Av Bolívar (Plaza de los Libertadores), and Ctra Mella Km 8.5 next to the Ferretería Haché. Mon-Sat 0800-1900. Reserve in advance to use the internet service at the Verizon offices in Unicentro Plaza, T8092204721, Cacique, T8092207411 and Oficina Torre Cristal, T8092205312. Verizon is among the cheapest, at US$0.75 for 15 mins, US$2 per hr. Cyber Café, Plaza Universitaria, Av Winston Churchill T8095324743, 15 mins US$0.45, 30 mins US$0.75, 45 mins US$1.10. Also at Av Máximo Gómez 49, T8096872888. In the Zona Colonial: Abel Brown’s Internet World, El Conde 359, T8093335604, 0900-2100 Mon-Sat, Sun 1000-1600; Servir, El Conde 351 esq José Reyes, T8096228537, Mon-Sat 0800-2200, Sun 0800-2000; Verizon, El Conde 202, T8092201111, Mon-Sat 0800-2000, Sun 0800-1400.

Medical

services

Hospitals Clínica Abréu, Av Independencia y Beller 42, T8096884411, and adjacent Clínica Gómez Patiño are recommended for foreigners needing treatment or hospitalization. Fees are high but care is good. 24-hr emergency department. For free consultation and prescription, Padre Billini Hospital, Calle Padre Billini y Santomé, Zona Colonial, efficient, friendly. Pharmacies Farmacia San Judas Tadeo, Independencia 57 esq Bernardo Pichardo, T8096858165, open 24 hrs all year, home delivery.

Telephone

International and long distance, also fax: Verizon, Av 30 de Marzo 12, near Parque Independencia, and 11 others throughout the city (Mon-Fri 0730-1800, Sat 0800-1300). Cheaper for phone calls is the Tricom office on Av Máximo Gómez between Bolívar and Independencia. In the Zona Colonial: Verizon, El Conde 202, T8092201111, Tricom, El Conde, T8094766000.