Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo is the vibrant seaside capital of this emerging country. As the Dominican Republic grows up, this city, which for decades has had a cosmopolitan atmosphere and infrastructure that distinguished it from the rest of this island nation, only becomes more sophisticated. It's known throughout the Caribbean for its upscale hotels and restaurants, and certainly its nightlife.

There are many reasons why you might choose to fly into Santo Domingo instead of directly to Punta Cana or La Romana, including that it's often less expensive and there are more convenient flights into Las Americas International Airport than into some of the beach destinations. If this is the case, you can easily take a few days for an urban vacation and then couple it with a beach stay elsewhere on the island.

You might also be sent down by your company or have your own business dealings in this growing metropolis. Or you may be scheduled to attend an international conference at one of the deluxe high-rise hotels on the Malecón, the seaside boulevard that's one of the city's main thoroughfares. Plan on having your spouse or a special friend join you for a romantic getaway, and add a couple of days to your itinerary.

Perhaps you've heard about the city's Zona Colonial and, being a history buff, want the ambience and romanticism of such an old-world setting. That one square mile, which was the location of the original Spanish settlement to the island, was ruled in the 16th century by the family of its founder, Christopher Columbus. Achitectural landmarks include a number of firsts for the New World: the first cathedral, monastery, seminary, military fort, and university.

If you're bound for faraway ports on a cruise ship and Santo Domingo is your port of embarkation, you may have to overnight here. Don't hesitate to extend your stay, and enjoy a pre- or post-trip sojourn. Though it can be overwhelming, Santo Domingo is a genuine place, not simply a tourist area. It's the largest city in the Caribbean (with 3 million residents, both poor and rich); it's where the D.R.'s movers and shakers can be found. And as the country's economy has grown ever stronger, the old smoky cars are giving way to decent automobiles, the litter has decreased, and the hotels just keep getting better.

If you like getting dressed up and doing the town, the nightlife here is comparable to the glory days of the late 1950s and early '60s in the United States. People go out—couples, singles, and in groups—to have dinner and then go dancing at one of the clubs. Going a couple of rounds at one of the glitzy casinos is another choice, as are theaters and live music venues. Instead of hitting the diner for breakfast, Dominicans pile into late-night restaurants for sancocho, the protein-rich stew that is the national dish.

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