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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
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- Destinations
- Caribbean
- Dominican Republic
- Santo Domingo
- Colonial City
Colonial City
The historic enclave of Santo Domingo, known as the Colonial
City, covers only one square mile (3 sq km), but inside the walls
are dozens of historical buildings and sites, including palaces,
forts, museums, and churches; parks, plazas, statues and monuments.
A walking tour of these fascinating buildings takes at least three
hours through cobbled streets, where once walked Christopher
Columbus, Fernando Cortez and Francis Drake. The main street, Calle
Das Lamas, is the oldest street in the New World. Must-sees include
the House of Cord, the oldest European building in the Americas,
and where Diego Columbus, son of Christopher, once lived; and the
Alcazar Palace, now a museum, built in 1514.
Information & Facts
Language
Spanish is the official language, but English is spoken
in the main tourist centres.
Money
The currency is the Dominican Republic Peso (DOP), divided into
100 centavos. Many of the hotels and restaurants in the main
tourist destinations display their prices in US dollars as well as
in Dominican Pesos, as US dollars are widely accepted and some
places will also accept Euros. The peso cannot be exchanged outside
of the Dominican Republic. Major currencies can be converted into
pesos at Central Bank approved bureaux; only 30% of the pesos
bought can be re-converted and this only if the original receipts
are produced, so it is best not to buy more pesos than you are
likely to need. Major credit cards are accepted everywhere, but a
commission is usually charged and it is recommended that you only
use your credit card at your hotel as fraud incidents have been
reported. The best exchange rates are paid on US travellers cheques
and secondly on US dollars cash and are best exchanged at exchange
bureaux (
casas de cambio). Banking hours are Monday to Friday from
8.30am to 4.30pm; some banks also open on Saturday. ATMs are
widespread.