Historical Santo Domingo Day Trip from Punta Cana
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- 11 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Explore the oldest city in the Americas on this walking tour of Santo Domingo. During this 10-hour excursion from Punta Cana, follow your local guide to view some 5th century colonial monuments, Las Damas Street and Diego Columbus Alcazar, the first cathedral built in the new world. Stop by the National Presidential Palace, get fantastic views of downtown and shop for souvenirs at the local markets. Lunch at a traditional Dominican restaurant and round-trip transportation from Punta Cana hotels are included.
- Explore Santo Domino with an art historian
- Indulge in a buffet lunch included with your tour
- Comprehensive tour of the city—ideal choice for families or those short on time
- Complimentary hotel pickup and drop-off included as an added convenience
What's Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Professional art historian guide
- Headsets in some of the monuments with language selection
- Enter to the monuments all inclusive, audio guide
- Buffet lunch at Atarazana Restaurat, typical dominican food, vegetarian option available
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Between 7:00 am and 7:30 am. Hotel pickup time varies based on hotel location. please verify with your hotel guest service staff about pick up location for excursions.
Operating hours.7:00 am
Itinerary
Calle Las Damas (Pass By)
Columbus Lighthouse (Faro A Colon) (Pass By)
1
Alcazar de Colon
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Palacio National (Pass By)
2
The 3 Eyes National Park
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Basilica Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
4
Zona Colonial
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Sol Cana Tours (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Most travelers can participate
- To enter the Cathedral, women and men must be covered to the elbows and knees
- It is recommended that you wear comfortable walking shoes
- It is recommended that you bring cash, a camera, sunscreen, and a hat
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Constantin_D
Even though it is a long drive, it is worth the effort and it is one of the "must check" activities in RepDom for anybosy even slightly interested in the history of the Americas. While the city at large is nothing to write home about, the Colonial area is intersting as the first landing and the Cathedral is truly memorable, and on par with some of the other European architectural works of that era. The people were great and made this experiance great.
Reviews
3.8
based on 176 reviews
Constantin_D, Dec 2024
Even though it is a long drive, it is worth the effort and it is one of the "must check" activities in RepDom for anybosy even slightly interested in the history of the Americas. While the city at large is nothing to write home about, the Colonial area is intersting as the first landing and the Cathedral is truly memorable, and on par with some of the other European architectural works of that era. The people were great and made this experiance great.
Anonymous, Mar 2024
Reynaldo was an excellent tour guide and did a great job accommodating Spanish and English-speaking guests. We enjoyed all the elements on the tour including the lunch. We even stopped to address a medical issue of one guest and he handled it kindly. Totally recommend this to everyone who loves history and who loves to learn about the wonderful people of the DR. What an amazing island!
PS our driver kept us safe and comfortable even though it was hot for us New Englanders.
Shahira_P, Mar 2023
We enjoyed this tour a lot. Only thing was the guide was talking a lot which was abit too much. He started talking the entire way and back which was abit too much.
Larisa_S, Feb 2023
It was a great tour which we thoroughly enjoyed. Starting with the pickup from the resort , tour guide, driver, activities and returning back to hotel everything was just great. The tour guide was speaking five different languages, and the information provided was fantastic. We stopped at the most important sites. The only thing I would probably change is to stop at the Columbus Lighthouse and actually walk there instead of presidential residence. Otherwise it was well thought through and incredibly informative
Vojtech_Z, Apr 2022
The excursion was good, cannot say anything. The only thing I did not like was spending almost an hour in a gift shop. Better would be spending the time by walking through the city. And one day prior the trip nobody still informed me when and where the meeting point is. But apart from that all went well - visited national park, zona colonial, had a great lunch,... Would go again.
Berthold_A, Feb 2022
Great tourguide. Lots of information in the bus about dominican life. Good explanation about the trip. Enoufh time to visit the 9 activities.
Most fun the caves, dinner with local dance and colombus son's house
WaiHo_T, Nov 2021
Don't waster money, this tour is very misleading. We are willing to spend more to get better service, however, this tour is a mixed of English, German, Spanish and Portuguese speaking people which we thought it's only English. We can barely hear or understand what's the tour guide talking. Also, more than half of the people did not wear mask which is not lawful as we have kids not vaccinated in the car with them. The tour guide should be more responsible to have all people wear mask, especially in the car which some people were coughing.
TERESITA_C, Aug 2021
The guide was very good and discovering a part of Rep. Dominicana’s history was great.
The round trip even though it was well organized, was a bit too long.
DrBillR_R, Apr 2021
The tour guide was superb. He spoke 5 languages, and his English was perfect, although he was Dominican born. His historical explanations were very interesting.
The only bad thing, which could not be helped was the long 2.3-3 hour drive each way. But, having a total of 11 hrs. allowed enough time to really "see" Santa Domingo. The buffet lunch was good.
Jillian_H, Feb 2020
Most of the sight seeing unfortunately was only done from the bus window! Rather disappointed, because the description made it sound like you actually got to go to a lot more places, however you only actually go into 1 'museum' and the church, everything else you just drive right by
Michelle_L, Feb 2020
This tour was amazing, we were granted entry to places that you couldn’t just walk into. Tour guides were exceptional!! Multi-lingual and very knowledgeable! Highly recommend this company and tour.
Lee_R, Jan 2020
Went January 2020, A very international group, but all languages seemed to have been catered well, yes there were some coach changes but we weren’t waiting too long, we were picked up from hotel at 0730, arrived back 1940. Water provided for on coach, our guide at the national park a bit pushy for a tip. We had a good variety of sights to see, this tour cheaper than what hotel reps were offering, would recommend
SARANTIS_K, Dec 2019
I booked with your office some daily excursions and i am really very disapointed. Many waisting hours to collect passengers from hotels and change buses. They picked me up in 6.00 am and we departed at 08:40 am. I cannot understand why i had to missed my breakfast.. and in the returning from the port after Bacardi island to Punta Cana we did 3.40 hours. This is tragic. In Santo Domingo we start picking up at 07.30 am and we left in the citry at 13.00 pm. And we didn't have time to see by our own the city. We could avoid waiting in the bus 1.40 min waiting another bus which we had to changed with.
Leaders and guides didnt run as well as they ought to do. I do not reccommend this office for any excursion. Think about before book..
Response from Host, Jan 2020
Hi dear client.
as I see, none of these excursions were booked through us. please verify, our company¨s name is Sol Cana Tours. we dont do Bacardi Island excursion. we dont start any pick up at 6:00 am. all our excursions start after 07:00 am.
so, I think this reviwe does not belong to us.
EUtourister, Dec 2019
To be honest, this was the the worst experience ever. As a frequent traveller, I ll try to always explore the beauties around my destination. So I have decided to take a St Domingo 10 hours trip from Punta Cana. The only positive part of the trip was hotel pick up with a small van, on time, clean car, polite driver. But then, only negative experience. While we came to meeting point at Punta Cana, we have been informed, that tour is delayed. So we did not start at 8.00 am but after 9am. 30 seater minibus has been full booked, mostly south americans, so the guide did not care too much about english speaking guests (but we asked for engl tour). First stop was officialy because of the toilets, but finally the main raison was an overpriced shop next to the Romana town (an example - you pay everywhere about 0.80 cents for Coke, here 3.50), actually they were only 2 toilets here, so not good reason for a stop.
Then we continued another 2 hours to S. Domingo - 2 nd stop was a Columbus memorial and papamobil. After 20 minutes (not 5 as discussee) we continued to capital. We stopped for a Three Ojos Caves - if u ever been to real cave, this is not worth to see) - 1 hour except of 30 minutes as discussed.
Here was the 3rd stop, the oldest street in a New World + museum (only from outside), then we moved to the typical Dominican restaurant (presented as Dominican, but food included Spagetti from Italy and rice from China - all cold, some green lettuce and pieces of pork chops), so not very nice. Plastic plates and cups, so also not very representative.
Then, after 1,5 hour we moved to pre- agreed overpriced souvenir shop (for example same coffee u can buy 50% cheaper just 20 metres away). After 30 minutes we moved to the cathedral (10 minutes visit) and to another overpriced souvenirshop. Here we spent 1,5 hours, as 4 of 30 pax from the group liked it. After we moved back to the bus. We asked guide to drive us home, but he did not agreed and told us, we have to see Presidential palace(just from the bus). So we spent more than hour un a traffic, none of the guests took a picture because of the dark). 2 passangers asked for a cab and left alone. We came back to punta cana late in the evening. So resume:
6 hours driving, 2 hours in a traffic, 1,5 hour lunch and 30 minutes sightseeing at St Domingo. The tour guide was uncompetent and dissorganized. I make at least 30 tours like this every year, this was the worst ever in my past 20 years.
Response from Host, Jan 2020
Hi dear client. I am sorry for what you experienced in this excursion, which was not from Sol Cana Tours (our company). I dont know how this review came to our product.
it is totally different to our Historical Santo Domingo Day Trip we have. that means that this tour was not taken from our company.
stice2019, Aug 2019
This was, by far, the best excursion we have been on. Our guide, Sandro, was incredible and very knowledgable. He seamlessly switched from Spanish to English. Santo Domingo was beautiful and I highly recommend visiting!
Michael_H, Jun 2019
Great trip- the guide was “spot on”- I really enjoyed the colonial city! I feel there was a significant amount of effort made to create an enjoyable time for all
Response from Host, Jun 2019
Thank you for using our service!
Thank you for coming to our country! we apreciate it very much.
Jackelin O, Jun 2019
Love every part of it. Try it out for so much information about the island.The dinner was great! The caves! The shops! The museums.
Tracy_V, May 2019
I love to visit towns as I travel and was sadly disappointed with this tour. The guide was informative but he spoke in English and Spanish and it made it very hard to follow long I figured picking an English speaking tour I would have an English only guide. The city was very disappointing as well very dirty people unfriendly and lots of street vendors attacking you while on tour to buy items. Went to other town on another town and loved it. The guide makes the difference .
Cynthia_D, May 2019
We really enjoyed this tour. Enjoy the side trips especially to the cave. Would love to have more English spoken to understand a bit more. Overall it was a very good trip.
Laetitia_G, May 2019
Book book
It was so awsome lots of walking. Tour guy was so passionate his name was isaac his English was so great this was so good. Not all Santo domingo tours are good but book this one you will not be dissatisfied
Aylin J, May 2019
This was a very informative tour. Our guide, Sandro was awesome! It’s fast pace, so I do not recommend it for people with problems walking.
Daniel Y, May 2019
Santo Domingo is an amazing city, with a fascinating history, and beautiful architecture. The people are wonderful and extremely friendly.
This tour, unfortunately, was horribly organized. We were twice almost left at a gas station because a bus dropped us off, and someone else didn't understand who they were supposed to pick up. We were traded around from guide to guide. Once we were in the city, there was clearly a lot of confusion about when we should go where. The entire thing ran several hours behind schedule. The main guide was aggressively controlling, which made it very difficult for us to do and see what we wanted.
Shariffah_C, Jul 2018
It was a good tour. I am glad that I took it but its not just a must do. It really was something that you could have walked around or driven around with a rental car and done yourself. But we were not in santo domingo we were in punta cana so we needed a tour guide or so we though.
Rachel S, Apr 2018
The tour was great, in the sense that it took us to a lot of places, but it was fairly rushed at some spots. For example, we had a tour of the Amber museum that was approximately 10 minutes long. It was so rushed to see everything that was in there. I really liked going to places that had an audio tour guide so that I could take my time going through the museum. Such a great city to visit though - I definitely recommend it!
Liam D, Mar 2018
The tour guide and driver were both exceptional.
The biggest issue I had with the tour was the early morning Pick-Up and excessive waiting.
I was picked up at 7:15AM.
We then proceeded to pick up several additional passengers.
We then waited for more passengers at a gas station for 20-30 minutes.
This gas stations was 15-20 minutes away from my hotel.
If I had know this I would have just taken a taxi to the last pickup location to avoid the excessive wait time.
We finally got on the road between close to 9AM and were returned back to the hotel at 8:30 PM.
I would have preferred meeting at a single pickup location and avoid the excessive time involved with picking up and dropping off of passengers.
The guide was very informative and was tri-lingual speaking German, Spanish and English.
After returning back to Punta Cana they transferred some passengers into additional vans to expedite the drop-offs.
This was welcomed but unfortunately the guide moved into one of the other vans before I was able to tip him for a job well done.
Rocio L, Mar 2018
Sandro, the guide and Samuel, the driver were great. Sandro has a lot of history, economy and political knowledge to share with you.And both very helpful and they really look after you.
The sights were beautiful, you are going to see history. The lunch was fine and they offer you a cheerful local dance to entertain you while you eat.
The only down side was the not very well organised arrangements for picking up from hotels, so it took more hours journey than it was supposed to be.
Monica G, Mar 2018
Very informative. It was a long day but well worth it.
Thomas_M, Feb 2018
The visit to the national park Los Tres Ojos was a very nice experience, but I wish we had more time to see the lakes. Overall, I recommend this trip.
Wendy_C, Feb 2018
It was interesting, but the guide was hard to understand as he switches between Spanish and English every sentence. Before I realized he was speaking English, he had gone back to speaking Spanish. It would be better if he tells the whole story in Spanish, and then the whole story in English, without switching back and forth constantly. Even better if they have an English only tour I would pay extra for that.
BLUMA_H, Jan 2018
the tour was most interesting, the guide was very informative
however the bus that was provided was very small and the seats where more for the size of children than adults which was very uncomfortable since it took 2 hrs to get to santo domingo and a bit longer on the way back since there was more traffic
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