Colonial City

The Colonial City is the perfect starting point for visitors to discover Santo Domingo. Here, between Independence Park and the Ozama River, you will find the first city built in the New World by European settlers, including Columbus’s brother, Bartholomew, and his son, Diego Columbus.

The first street in the Americas is Calle de Las Damas, the site of numerous historic buildings including the Ozama Fortress, the oldest fortress in the Americas. There is also the house of Nicolás de Ovando, governor of Santo Domingo in the early 1500’s and a ruthless warrior against the Taino Indians.

Of great historical interest is the Museo de las Casas Reales (Museum of the Royal Houses), the restored 16th century palace of the Spanish Court, which features a wonderful glimpse of the past. Nearby is the Alcázar de Colón (Castle of Columbus) built by Diego Columbus and his wife Maria de Toledo, niece of the Spanish King Ferdinand.

A few streets over in the center of the walled city, visitors will find the Cathedral Basilica Santa Maria la Menor, pronounced the first cathedral in the New World by Pope Paul III in 1542. While touring the colonial city, visitors can learn all about amber, the stone made even more famous by Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park film. The Amber Museum on Calle Arz. Meriño features exceptional educational exhibits of this semi-precious jewel.

PUERTA DEL CONDE

This gate is named for the Count of Peñalba, Bernardo de Meneses y Bracamonte, who led the successful defense of Santo Domingo against an invading force of 13,000 British troops in 1655. It’s the supreme symbol of Dominican patriotism because right beside it, in February 1844, a handful of brave Dominicans executed a bloodless coup against occupying Haitian forces; their actions resulted in the creation of a wholly independent Dominican Republic.

It also was atop this gate that the very first Dominican flag was raised. Just west of the gate inside Parque Independencia look for the Altar de la Patria , a mausoleum that holds the remains of three national heroes: Juan Pablo Duarte, Francisco del Rosario Sánchez and Ramón Matías Mella. The park itself has a few benches but little shade.

PUERTA DE LA MISERICORDIA

This gate was erected during the 16th century and for many decades served as the main western entrance to the city. It obtained its name after a major earthquake in 1842, when a large tent was erected beside it to provide temporary shelter for the homeless.

ALCAZAR DE COLON

The Alcázar de Colón or Viceroyalty Palace of Don Diego Colón is a palace located in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, which was built on a site near the cliffs overlooking the Ozama River, granted to Diego Colón, eldest son of the discoverer of America, Christopher Columbus, by King Ferdinand the Catholic, so that he would build a home for him and his descendants on the island of Hispaniola, which he arrived in 1509 as governor and where the Alcázar Museum currently operates. Colon.

CALLE EL CONDE

Calle El Conde is an old street in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo. For a time it was one of the main streets of Santo Domingo. Its name is due to the Count of Peñalva. This street begins with two corners, begins at the Puerta del Conde Monument, at the intersection with Palo Hincado street, and ends at a stone staircase that leads to Francisco Alberto Caamaño avenue. It is currently the only pedestrian street in Santo Domingo.

MUSEO DE LAS CASAS REALES

The Museum of the Royal Houses or Royal Palaces, as it was called during the time of the colony, had as its headquarters two palaces, which date from the XVI century. This royal palace was built by orders of the Spanish Crown, under the reign of Fernando II of Aragon, 5 of October of 1511, with the purpose of to lodge the main governmental offices of the time.

This one was called like Building of the Real Houses, since in him was the Real Hearing, which was the first court of the New World, also was used like Residence of the Governors and Generals Captains of the time, to this second it was him Called as Captain General.

SANS SOUCI TERMINAL PORT

Sansouci Terminal, located in the Port of Santo Domingo, is the most modern cruise terminal in the Caribbean.

Located in the eastern side of the city of Santo Domingo, it’s the port of entry for large cruise liners, operating in the capacity of home port, allowing the processing of passengers, migration and luggage handling.

Its facilities are prepared to receive a large volume of passengers in an efficient and secure manner. Sansouci Terminal can process up to 3,800 passengers simultaneously, integrating architectural elements of Santo Domigo’s Colonial Zone in its interior design and lighting.

FERRY SANTO DOMINGO

Located at the Port of Santo Domingo, Don Diego Terminal and only 10 walking minutes from Hotel Boutique Puerto Malecon, ferry crossings are performed and operated by American Cruise Ferries, connecting the city of Santo Domingo with San Juan and Mayaguez in Puerto Rico. Given its competitive price structure, the frequency of its trips and its storage capacity, the ferry is an excellent business opportunity for small businesses, for containerized cargo and the export and import of merchandise between destinations that connect with Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Tourists, hotels, restaurants, tour operators, travel agents, carriers and port terminals from both countries are favored by this alliance; it promotes tourism, generates jobs and expands the range of trade relations between Dominicans and Puerto Ricans. In terms of freight, the ferry has the capacity to transport 140 40’ containers (equivalent to 280 TEUs) in each leg of its journey.

The ferry is ideal for those whom enjoy traveling, especially passengers who enjoy shopping since, unlike other means of transportation, it has less restrictions and limits with respect to quantity, size and weight of the luggage allowed on board.

The Hotel Boutique Puerto Malecon location at only 10 walking minutes from the Ferry give to the Ferry customers the posibility of staying at this excellent location hotel and enjoy the clean rooms and the friendly staff.

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