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Santiago Review
Read our Dominican Republic sights reviews. Or post your own.
Santiago
- Category: Towns
- Location: Cibao Valley
Fodor's Review:
The second city of the D.R., where many past presidents were born, sits about 90 mi (145 km) northwest of Santo Domingo and is about an hour's drive from Puerto Plata and 90 minutes from Cabarete via the scenic mountain road. An original route from centuries past, the four-lane highway between Santiago and Puerto Plata is dotted with sugar mills. The Office of Cultural Patrimony is overseeing their restoration. This industrial center has a surprisingly charming, provincial feel; the women of Santiago are considered among the country's most beautiful. High on a plateau is an impressive monument honoring the restoration of the republic. Traditional yet progressive, Santiago is still relatively new to the tourist scene but already has several thriving restaurants and new hotels. It's definitely worth setting aside some time to explore the city. Some colonial-style buildings -- with wrought-iron details and tiled porticoes -- date from as far back as the 1500s. Others are from the Victorian era, with the requisite gingerbread latticework and fanciful colors, while more recent construction is noveau Victorian. Santiago is the island's cigar-making center; the Fuente factory is here, though the cigars cannot be bought on the island (if you see them for sale on the streets, they are counterfeit).
You can gain an appreciation for the art and skill of Dominican cigar making by taking a tour of E. León Jimenes Tabacalera (Av. 27 de Febrero, Villa Progresso. 809/563-1111 or 809/535-5555). A tour takes approximately 90 minutes, and the factory is open daily from 9 to 5.
Without question, the Centro León is a world-class cultural center for the Dominican arts. A postmodern building with an interior space full of light from a crystal dome, the center includes several attractions, including a multimedia biodiversity show, a museum dedicated to the history of the D.R., a simulated local market, a dramatic showcase of Dominican art and sculpture, galleries for special exhibits, a sculpture garden, an aviary, classrooms, and a replica of the León family's first cigar factory, where a dozen cigar rollers are turning out handmade cigars. There's even a first-rate cafeteria. Ave. 27 de Febrero 146, Villa Progresso. 809/582-2315. www.centroleon.org.do. RD$50, RD$150 guides in English. Exhibitions Tues.-Sun. 9-6, public areas daily 9-9.
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