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If you want to see the cosmopolitan, upscale side of Santo Domingo, head to the Piantini and Naco neighborhoods. Streets like Gustavo Mejía Ricart and major avenues like Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill are lined with high end boutiques, shopping plazas, expensive cafes and restaurants offering a huge variety of international cuisines and just about anything money can buy, from cigar shops to Ferrari and Bentley dealerships. The Holiday Inn Hotel has opened in this area, which is very likely to bring much more tourism into what is the actual "downtown" of Santo Domingo. Don't miss Acropolis Center, an ultra-modern shopping center/office building where you will find everything from TGI Friday's to Prada. Just opened is Blue Mall, which has the most expensive shops in the city from Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo, Cartier, Tous & L'Occitane to more casuals like Zara and Adidas. Also just opened is Novo-centro which opened in a glass tower which was going to be a bank, but turned into a 2-story shopping center featuring a Fine Arts Cinema and some high end restaurants and gelaterias. Further away you can find Bella Vista Mall and Diamond Mall, two other big shopping malls in Santo Domingo. If you're looking for more open-air plazas lined with smaller boutiques, you should check out Plaza Andalucia. For bowling, you can go to the Plaza Bolera, which has had a face-lift. If you're in this area in the early afternoon, you should check out trendy cafes, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars.
An important landmark because it is the first cathedral of the Americas. Construction began in 1514, and was finished in 1540.
Ozama Fortress
The oldest formal military construction still standing in the Americas. Cost of entrance is RD$200 per person and about RD$200 for a guide to take you. The guide is recommended because he will explain much of the historical background. The fortress itself is not very large, but within the perimeter you will find a large open area with a park and an exhibition of military vehicles and weapons, most of them relatively modern.
Head of state location for the Dominican Republic. No entry, but the structure is very grandiose and warm-feeling with its orange hue.
Museo Alcázar de Colón
Visit this stunning villa, built in 1510 and retaining period furnishings and other items owned by Governor Diego Colón, first-born son of Christopher Columbus. As of March 2025, it's undergoing renovations.
Museo Naval de las Atarazanas
Located across the plaza from the Alcazar de Colon on Calle Atarazana, the oldest street in the Western Hemisphere.
Museo de las Casas Reales
Another great museum featuring collections depicting life in 16th-century Santo Domingo. It is walking distance from the Alcazar de Colon and the Naval Museum. In September 2025, under renovation