Tourism in Santiago de los Caballeros

The first time you arrive in Santiago, if you come from visiting other areas of the country and even the capital ( Santo Domingo ) you will be surprised and you will notice a big difference.

The type of urban planning and the construction of the buildings make Santiago de los Caballeros the most cosmopolitan and modern city in the country as a whole.

We strongly recommend tourism in Santiago de los Caballeros as we are in love with this city in the Dominican Republic and would love to see Santiago continue to gain weight as a tourist destination in the country.

Many travelers dismiss a visit to this destination as unjustified, as it is a pleasant and livable city with good restaurants and bars, a nice park, one of the country’s six baseball teams and, best of all, few tourists, all of which make Santiago a good place to get a taste of the local lifestyle and urban life in the Dominican Republic.

The santiagueros have a saying “Santiago is Santiago” implying that like Santiago… nothing in the world. They also call it the “heart city”. Perhaps because the inhabitants of Santiago are known to fall in love a lot.

We recommend spending a night or two in the city and getting to know all that Santiago de los Caballeros has to offer in terms of tourism. From here you have the option of continuing on to the interior of the country and visiting Jarabacoa, Sajoma and Constanza or heading to the coast and enjoying the beaches of Puerto Plata, Sosua or Cabarete.

🟢 What to see in Santiago de los Caballeros

Below we show you what to see and do in Santiago de los Caballeros. We will show you the places to visit in Santiago de los Caballeros.

The two most important tourist sites in the city are: the cathedral and the monument of Santiago.

Around the two monuments of the city you can stroll and walk quietly soaking up the atmosphere of the city. Also if you want something more quiet and fresh air the park of Santiago is also a must visit.

Santiago Cathedral

The Cathedral of Santiago Apostle is located in the center of the city, next to the Duarte Park, in the heart of Santiago de los Caballeros. In the place where the cathedral is now located, there used to be a colonial church that was destroyed in the earthquake of 1842.

The present structure was built between 1868 and 1894 by Onofre de Lora and by January 21, 1895 the temple was blessed, its construction was delayed due to lack of funds and also because at some point it was used as a barracks for the Spanish troops.

The remains of President Ulises Heureaux and of Generals Jose Maria Imbert, Fernando Valerio, Lucas Evangelista de Peña and Pedro Antonio Pimentel are deposited in this cathedral.

The cathedral has three naves, one of which is crowned by a dome in the apse, another of its components is that the main facade has three corners. The three doors were carved with the purpose of symbolizing the life of Jesus and Santiago Apostle and were carved by the sculptor Gaspar Mario Cruz.

In this cathedral is one of only two copies of Michelangelo’s sculpture “The Pietà”. There are also representations of Jesus and the twelve apostles.

Monument to the heroes of the restoration

The monument to the heroes of the restoration is a monument of great cultural and historical importance, it was built on a hill in the center of Santiago on the castle hill.

This monument was erected to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the country’s independence. The monument to the heroes of the restoration has become the main symbol of the city of Santiago de los Caballeros.

This monument, commissioned by Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina in his honor, was originally named the Trujillo Peace Monument.

After the decline of the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, the monument was desecrated and transformed into a prostitution center where crime made its home. That same year, on the initiative of Congressman Mario Abreu Penzo, it was proclaimed on September 29, 1961 as a monument to the heroes of the restoration.

The monument is a tower of about 74 meters high, partially covered with marble, and was designed by Henry Gasón Bona, inside there are murals of the famous Spanish painter Vela Zanetti and a staircase of 365 steps that leads to the top.

It is composed of a series of coffered cornices that complements very harmoniously the set of elegant Ionic style columns with marble plinths and floors. It has a library with documents where you can read about the homeland and a terrace where you can look out over the city.

This monument was made public after its remodeling and is a meeting place for families and friends, who congregate there to observe the beautiful view of the city, as well as to have a good time.

It is one of the most recognized works of art in the country and, arguably, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.

In February, its surroundings are decorated in commemoration of the Dominican carnival, as well as on January 1st of each year, when people come to witness the moment of the ‘cannon shot’ and at the same time receive the affectionate congratulations of the other people around them on the occasion of a new year.

Santiago Central Park

It is the lung of the city and the best place to enjoy leisure time. It has an area of 344,521 square meters where you can enjoy sports, recreational, cultural, social and artistic activities.

The park has an exhibition area, a mountain bike track, basketball, soccer, volleyball and tennis courts, an internal bicycle path, 29 rest kiosks and nine kiosks for social activities, a platform for outdoor exercise and pedestrian paths.

It also has a children’s playground, a remote control car track, a heliport, a softball field and a baseball field.

Flora lovers will be able to admire some of the following tree species: mahogany, cedar, oak and saman.

Eduardo León Jimenes Cultural Center

If you like art and history, you cannot miss the Eduardo León Jiménez Cultural Center, one of the most important museums in the city and in Latin America.

Inaugurated in 2003, the center has three permanent galleries and a temporary gallery to exhibit the creations of contemporary artists.

It currently has about 40 collections related to visual arts, Dominican folklore, archeology, ethnography, Dominican popular culture, and more.

The museum began operations in October 2003 under the responsibility of the Eduardo León Jimenes Foundation. The original purpose was to house works of art that have been awarded in the Eduardo León Jimenes art competition from 1964 to the present.

Today, Centro León is more than a museum, as it carries out programs in education, research, socio-cultural animation and more.

San Luis Fortress

This fortress-turned-museum is one of the few colonial monuments in Santiago de los Caballeros and a must-see.

It was built of wood in 1804 and rebuilt in 1874 with more durable materials. It was originally used for defensive purposes and to control border trade.

It played a very important role during the Restoration War and later became the local prison and in 2004 became a military museum.

The military objects and the works of Dominican artists are of great historical and cultural value. There you can admire paintings, Taino sculptures (a group native to the region), various weapons, coins, jewelry and much more.

All these elements are part of the permanent exhibition of the fort, although it also has several temporary exhibitions that further enrich the visit. On the other hand, the courtyard exhibits army tanks and artillery donated to the museum.

On the other hand, the section known as “El Boulevard de los Próceres” visits the fathers of the state, the independence fighters and the restorers of the republic.

Its art galleries exhibit paintings and sculptures by Dominican artists, as well as precious works of popular and religious value.

Best of all, admission is free, so there’s no reason not to see it.

Gran Teatro del Cibao of Santiago de los Caballeros

Santiago de los Caballeros is a city full of cultural attractions, so it should come as no surprise that it has one of the most important theaters in the country.

The building is a unique architectural work in the Dominican Republic, designed by a Dominican architect who wanted to make an improved replica of the National Theater of Santo Domingo. It was inaugurated on August 16, 1955, to celebrate the 132nd anniversary of the Restoration.

The Gran Teatro del Cibao hosts important artistic and cultural events, from plays and conferences to concerts.

Its main hall, known as the Great Hall of Restoration, is the largest of all and seats 1,600 people.

Its stage is one of the largest in the world, and its walls are carved in national mahogany. Three additional halls dedicated to concerts and specific events, as well as beautiful gardens complete the configuration of the venue.

Los Pepines Neighborhood

If you want to give life to your eyes, then be sure to visit the Los Pepines neighborhood, the most characteristic and emblematic of the city.

This area of the city is an open-air art gallery, as its houses became the canvas for local artists.

Thus, urban art explodes in each of its corners. If you like art, then you will be enchanted by this particular neighborhood.

🌆 Santiago de los Caballeros

With 623,000 inhabitants, it is the second largest of the three city-states from which the country was formed. Santiago still retains a characteristic cultural air that makes it a uniquely Dominican place as well as very much its own.

The mix of races is different than in the rest of the country, as is the fashion (clothing and hairstyle) and its public transportation system.

Santiago de los Caballeros is becoming more and more known outside the Dominican Republic. This makes visitors to the country go to know this Dominican city. In addition Santiago is very loved by the Dominicans, many times more than the capital of the Dominican Republic itself, which makes it receive a lot of domestic tourism.

Besides being the second most important city in the Dominican Republic, it is also the capital of the province of the same name. Santiago is one of the most prosperous cities in the country and the right place to get to know many traditions of the region among which are the carnivals that are celebrated between the months of February and August.

It is located in the heart of the Cibao Valley and has become the cradle of rum and tobacco since this valley is the main supplier of these products.

The best cigars are manufactured here in the industries that have made this country the first exporter in the world and the factories that have moved from Cuba in recent years have been installed here. And also a good part of the food production for the whole island is obtained here.

Coordinates of Santiago de los Caballeros:

(N19°25’0.01″ O70°42’0″)

Antipodes (S19°25’0.01″ E109°18’0″)

Perieco (N19°25’0.01″ E109°18’0″)

Anteco (S19°25’0.01″ W70°42’0″)

Images of Santiago de los Caballeros

At night

History of Santiago

When speaking of Santiago de los Caballeros, one cannot fail to mention the importance of this valley that was discovered by Christopher Columbus when, once the location of the Isabela was fixed, he decided to penetrate into the interior in search of gold mines.

The Cibao was one of the regions that in those times provided important quantities of gold to the discoverers. It was upon discovering these lands that Columbus pronounced a phrase that Dominicans carry with great pride and that varies slightly depending on who reproduces it, “lands so beautiful that human eyes have ever seen”.

Cibao Valley

Exactitudes or inaccuracies aside, the truth is that the Cibao Valley offers some of the most splendid landscapes that the island has to offer. It is a green and exuberant land where you can appreciate all the fertility of the area for its plantations and the richness of its vegetation.

It is also an open landscape that extends with great panoramas before the visitor and makes you forget how small the country’s territory is.

It is a vast tobacco and sugar cane growing region. The product of the plantations is shipped to Santiago, where most of the country’s rum and cigars are produced; it is certainly a must-see for any cigar lover.

📖 Business Directory in Santiago de los Caballeros

• Travel Agencies in Santiago de los Caballeros.
• Florists in Santiago de los Caballeros

☎️ Useful telephone numbers of Santiago de los Caballeros for tourists

• National Police: 809-582-3322
• Hospital Regional Universitario José María Cabral y Báez: 809-582-1234
• Firefighters: 809-582-2222
• Santiago Tourist Office: 809-582-7666
• Immigration Office: 809-582-6141
• Customs Office: 809-586-2631
• Embassy of the United States: 809-221-2171