Art plays an important role in the cultural identity of the Dominican Republic and Santo Domingo in particular is known for its vibrant cultural scene. This city tour with a focus on art offers you an overview of what the capital has to offer in terms of cultural highlights, as well as suggestions and walking tips for the rest of your stay.
Your guide will pick you up at your hotel in the late morning at 10:30 am. You will leave the old town and drive to the Plaza de la Cultura, the cultural square, where you will visit the Museum of Modern Art. There, the works of the most important Dominican artists of the 20th and 21st centuries are displayed on three floors. Afterwards, you will return to the old town, where you will take a walk to discover a form of artistic expression that has a high social value in the Dominican Republic: mural painting. About five blocks of houses not far from the Zona Colonial were decorated by order of the city government with 13 murals depicting scenes from Dominican history. The works were executed by internationally known Dominican artists.
Before continuing your tour of Santo Domingo’s art scene, you will have a light lunch. Afterwards, you will visit a private museum, housed in a beautifully restored colonial building, which houses a selected collection of works by Dominican and European artists who have had a relationship with the Dominican Republic. Afterwards you will have time for a coffee in the picturesque courtyard of the museum to review the impressions of the last hours. Finally, you will visit a gallery for arts and crafts. If you wish, you can buy a souvenir here, guaranteed to be of higher quality and more original than in any souvenir store. Then return to your hotel.
Please note that the exhibitions in the visited museums change.

Immerse yourself in the old town of Santo Domingo, crowned a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and learn about the historical origins of the New World. This city tour through the so-called Zona Colonial is especially for travelers interested in the colonial history of the Americas. After a short introduction with Dominican coffee or a fresh tropical juice in the idyllic courtyard of a colonial building from the early 16th century, the discovery tour starts. You will visit the first cathedral, the first university, the first fortress and the first Palace of Justice. Further on, you will stroll along the first street paved by the colonizers, see the first hospital, the first shipyard and the first viceregal palace of the American continent. You will visit the most important museums, squares and landmarks, with plenty of opportunities for spectacular souvenir photos in this beautifully picturesque setting. At the end of the tour, a cold (malt) beer awaits you in a unique setting overlooking the ruins of America’s first monastery. Breathe history and review the impressions. From here it is only a few hundred meters before the tour ends in the pedestrian zone El Conde with its many stores and street vendors as well as bars and restaurants.

In the middle of the big city of Santo Domingo and not far from the colonial zone is the recreational destination Los Tres Ojos (the three eyes), which houses a small natural park and several stalactite caves. Descend into the caves and enjoy views of the partially open stalactite caves and green coral bedrock. Walk through the lush green vegetation and marvel at the three eyes (caves). The fourth eye can only be reached by boat, which will take you across a small underground river to the cenote. There you will have a fantastic view of a hidden lake surrounded by green, wild vegetation.
Afterwards you will visit the botanical garden. Here, on 20 hectares, you can see, among other things, a large collection of palms and many endemic and exotic plants, including a large collection of orchids with many different species of the island. The Japanese Zen Garden is one of the absolute highlights of the Botanical Garden.

On this excursion you will get to know Santo Domingo from a different side. Off the beaten tourist track you will see the life of the less privileged population and make a small contribution to improving their circumstances.
After breakfast, you will be picked up by your driver at 09:00. Then you will drive to one of the most precarious neighborhoods in the Dominican Republic, Gualey. The neighborhood is located north of the old town on the west bank of the Ozama River. Here you will visit the non-profit Rincón de Luz Foundation. The foundation has been doing work in the areas of education, nutrition and health for socially disadvantaged children, youth and seniors for over 18 years. Children from preschool age to the beginning of middle school receive schooling and participate in lunch. At the foundation you will hand over a food donation (included in the price of the excursion, will be provided for you in advance). The founder and president Leyda Alvarez will give you a tour of the premises and present her work. You will also have the opportunity to interact with the school children.
Afterwards you will get a guided tour through Gualey. You will get an impression of the living conditions in one of the poorest neighborhoods of the Dominican Republic. You will visit the four Pozos, small lakes fed by natural springs, which are popular with the residents. One of the pozos has recently been used as a breeding pool for ornamental and food fish. Drinks are available during the walk from local corner stores called colmados.
After the end of the tour you will go to the cable car station of Gualey. You will board the cable car, from which you will enjoy a spectacular view. You will cross the Ozama River, passing through the Tres Brazos and Sabana Perdida stations to the Charles de Gaulle terminus in the north of Santo Domingo, and then return to your starting point. During the tour you will gain a new perspective on the city and get an impression of the different living conditions. From the gondola you will have numerous opportunities for spectacular photos.
Afterwards, your driver will take you back to the hotel.
A quarter of the excursion price will benefit the Foundation in the form of a food donation, which you will hand over on the day of the excursion.