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Once the home of Columbus' son Diego and his wife, Doña María de Toledo, the beautifully restored Museo Alcázar de Colón (Museum Citadel of Columbus) houses many objects said to have belonged to the Columbus family. The building itself - if not the objects inside - is definitely worth a look.
Plaza de la Hispanidad
rsta.pucmm.edu.do/ciudad/alcazar/Website tel info 809 682 4750
| full | US Dollar 1.75 |
The Museo de las Casas Reales showcases colonial period objects ranging from Taíno artefacts to dozens of hand-blown wine bottles and period furnishings. Also on display is an impressive antique weaponry collection acquired by dictator/president Trujillo in 1955. Trujillo was in power from 1930 until 1961.
Calle de las Damas
tel info 809 682 4202
| full | US Dollar 1.00 |
The Dominican Republic is one of the world's top sources of amber, and the impressive collection at Museo Mundo de Ambar includes excellent examples of both domestic and international amber. Look for samples containing various critters and bugs - there's an entire room dedicated to ants. Signs in Spanish and English explain amber's origin, mining process and common uses.
Arzobispo Mériño 452
www.amberworldmuseum.com tel info 809 682 3309
| full | US Dollar 2.00 |
It's the capital of the Dominican Republic and the oldest remaining European city in the 'New World'. It's also a vibrant, exciting, polluted, sometimes dangerous (leave the Rolex at home) and always interesting Caribbean city with more to do and see than you might think.
Sights to take in include the Zona Colonial, the ground zero of the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the arrival point for settlers and conquistadors, and an administrative centre once helmed by Christopher Columbus' son, Diego.
The city also boasts the oldest extant cathedral in the Americas, Catedral Primada de América. The nearby Parque Colón not only features a statue of the eponymous admiral, but is also the meeting place for locals and always buzzes with activity.
There are also dozens of museums concerned with everything from indigenous and colonial history to amber, one of the country's most important products. Gardens, zoos and parks keep the city green. Add to this some fun-filled nightlife and a fairly good restaurant scene, and you've got a recipe for a fantastic visit.
This is the serious vacationer's destination. It's got an enormous, beautiful bay, considered one of the best in the world for windsurfing and the newer sport of kiteboarding. The lovely, white-sand beaches are postcard perfect and proud of it. If you need a bathful of luxury, Cabarete is your town.
Don't overlook the bars and discos either, where live music is served fresh nightly to hundreds of well-dressed party people. Even if the thought of scantily clad European 20-somethings enjoying sand and surf isn't your cup of tea, you'll have to admit that the ocean view is spectacular.
The windsurfing attracts people from all over the world. You can rent all the equipment you'll need, and even sign up for a few lessons from any of several operators right on the beach. If a bare board is more your speed, some of the DR's best waves for surfing break just to the west of Cabarete, over coral reefs worth exploring in their own right. You can rent surfboards and boogie boards in town.
