The capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, is what I’ve been able to call my home for the past two months. I spent 7 weeks working at a hostel there whilst taking the days off to explore the island. However, Santo Domingo in itself has a lot to explore and I really did enjoy living in the big city. I spent most of my time in Zona Colonial, the first settlement in the Americas actually. It reminded me a lot of Spain (of course haha) and was by far the prettiest and cleanest part of town. Lots of fun cafes and bars around and always music to be heard at every corner. From day to night you will always find drinking and dancing in the park. The capital also has a business district, one filled with tall buildings and malls. This part of the city feels more like Miami. I also love this area, with all its restaurants bars and rooftops. It makes you forget that you are in a Latin American city, so it is the ideal place to spend time if you miss your European home haha. Of course it’s important to remember that my photos don’t portray the reality of the DR. The country, as well as the city, is haunted by corruption, poor living conditions and lots of trash. As a visitor you do get to experience this while traveling around the city and island. It does really remind you of the fact that everything has two sides to it.
Overall, I can only recommend to visit Santo Domingo. Take about two days and you’ll have enough time to explore the historical and culture area, and go for an evening dinner and drink downtown!