Malecón & Modern Santo Domingo

★★ Malecón (Avenida George Washington)

The 14 km long promenade along the Caribbean Sea is Santo Domingo's living room. During the day, locals jog here, and in the evening, the Malecón becomes a party: rum sellers with music boxes, domino players, couples on the wall, street vendors with empanadas. At sunset, the atmosphere is magical.

On the west side lies the Obelisco Macho, painted with colorful murals. Hotels, casinos, and clubs line the Malecón.

Los Tres Ojos (Three-Eyed Cave)

One of the city's most fascinating places: three open limestone caves with crystal-clear underground lakes in various colors (turquoise, blue, green). You descend 15 meters into the earth via a staircase and can cross to the third lake by a small raft. The Taíno used the caves for religious ceremonies.

200 DOP. Daily 9–5 PM. 15 minutes east of Zona Colonial (Taxi 5–8 USD). The visit takes about 1 hour.

Faro a Colón (Columbus Lighthouse)

This controversial monument (inaugurated in 1992 for the 500th anniversary of the discovery) is a cross-shaped concrete building that projects a cross-shaped beam of light into the sky at night. Inside: a lavish marble mausoleum with the (alleged) remains of Christopher Columbus, guarded by uniformed soldiers. Surrounding it is a museum with exhibits from every country in the Americas.

The building is controversial: an entire slum was demolished for its construction, the spotlight's electricity consumption was provocative in a country with frequent power outages, and Seville disputes that the real Columbus remains lie here.

200 DOP. Tue–Sun 9–5:30 PM. 20 min. east of Zona Colonial.

Mercado Modelo

The largest market in Santo Domingo — a covered labyrinth of stalls with souvenirs, Larimar jewelry, amber, rum, Mamajuana bottles, handicrafts, and Dominican paintings in a naive style. Haggling is a must — start at 50% of the quoted price.

Mon–Sat 9–6 PM, Sun until 1 PM. Corner of Av. Mella / Calle del Monte. Watch out for pickpockets!