Catedral Primada de las Americas

Everything you need to know before visiting Santo Domingo: places of interest, local food, museums and more.

Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is known as the oldest capital in the Americas. Within its historic center, the Colonial Zone, you can find buildings from the 16th century, some of which are considered the first in the New World. These include the Santo Domingo Cathedral, the Museum of the Royal Houses, which was the first court, the ruins of the San Nicolas de Bari Hospital, the first monastery, the Monastery of San Francisco, and the first university in the Americas, among others. Walking through the streets of the old town of Santo Domingo is like a journey back in time.