National Monuments Tour

It's All Up To You... TAKE THE HELM! MIX and MATCH diverse trips and activities in the assorted TOURS categories to create your own "unique" adventure in the Dominican Republic. Email us for more details: info@altgreengo.com

"God, Motherland, Liberty"

Let us take you back in time for a few days. The Dominican Republic has a rich and storied history that traces back over 8,000 years to the arrival of the Taino Indians. Following the island's discovery by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the Republic had epic interaction with the Spanish, French, Haitians and Africans. It's no wonder, then, how the Dominican Republic came to boast such an impressive collection of personal and cultural relics from centuries past.   There are simply too many historic monuments to list them all on a page.  The country has done a magnificent job of maintaining and preserving these artifacts as well as the historical structures in which they're housed. Visiting the Dominican Republic's major cities, especially Santo Domingo, you can easily become engrossed in the historical legends that accompany some of the oldest museums and archeological sites in the New World. We promise to take you on a well-thought-out pre-historic journey that you will never forget!
El Faro a Colon	Description: El Faro a Colon, or Columbus Lighthouse, opened in 1992 to mark the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's remarkable, fateful voyage to the New World. Standing 688-feet tall and constructed of white marble, the lighthouse offers exhibits and a tomb where the great explorer's remains were housed after a move from the Cathedral of Santa María la Menor. After you've seen the lighthouse by day, remember to see its beams by night. They're visible from the city and far beyond after dark.
Altos de Chavon	Description: Explore the flourishing Caribbean art center set above the canyon of the Rio Chavon and the Caribbean Sea. A walk down the cobblestone paths of Altos de Chavon reveals, at every turn, architecture reminiscent of another era. This vibrant cultural village perched high above the Chavon River embodies half a millennium of the islands finest tradition of crafts and art. Coral block and terra cotta buildings enfold craft workshops, artists studios, galleries, shops and restaurants. The center of the village is home to the Church of St. Stanislaus, with its fountain of lions and unforgettable panoramic views. Altos de Chavon is a vital source of inspiration, professional training and artistic expression. Performing arts are showcased in the villages amazing 5,000-seat open-air amphitheater while the Regional Museum of Archaeology holds an extraordinary collection of more then 3,000 artifacts that trace the evolution of indigenous cultures from the pre-ceramic era to the time o Taino Indians.
Plaza de la Cultura	Description: This oasis of culture and higher learning is located about a mile north of the malecon and west of the Zona Colonial within the residential Gazcue district. This museum contains a thorough collection of artifacts that contributed to the country's historical timeline. Displays highlight the DR's first inhabitants, American occupation and interaction with Haiti.
Calle de las Damas	Description: Originally named Calle de la Fortaleza / The Street of Strength or Fortress when it was made in 1502, it is the oldest street in the Americas. With the arrival of Diego Columbus and his wife, the neice of King, Dona Maria de Toledo and other ladies, the city was trying to attain a little class. It is said to have been named for the Ladies-in-Waiting that strolled up and down its north to south running length. During its history the street had many names; most of the names came about because of a name of a building built along its path. Finally, the street was given its historical name back and the name remains to this day. This street is a nice walk with not many cars passing along its stone path. One may feel like they are among the privileged people from times past that used to take their afternoon stroll along this historic street of the colony.
Puerta del Conde	Description: The Conde Gate, or "Gate of the Count" frames the entrance to the Parque Independencia. In the middle of the park is the Altar of the Homeland, a white marble monument where the remains of the founders of the country have been laid to rest. Juan Pablo Duarte, Francisco del Rosario Sanchez, and Ana Ramon Matias Mella are magnificently captured in giant stone statues inside the monument
Parque Colon	Description: Bronze statue of Columbus, pointing northward, and a native Taino climbing up to reach him. According to an other description the native Taino is the Cacica, Anacaona, the first Indian to learn to read and write. Anacaona was captured in an act of trickery whereby her village was burned and all the inhabitants slaughtered by troops under the command of Nicolas de Ovando, then Governor of Santo Domingo. Ovando was under orders by Columbus to wipe out the remaining unsubjugated Tainos who were beginning to rebel against the Spanish. Anacaona was subsequently hung in a public square in Santo Domingo. "In the statue pose the Discoverer points the way to new discoveries and symbolizes the era in which Santo Domingo, the historic name of this island, was the capital of the Spanish Empire.
El Conde	Discription: Parque Colon, the main square in Santo Domingo's colonial city, is often packed with tourists by late morning. However, many stores bordering the park open as early as 9, you can be one of the first customers in the shops along Calle El Conde, a pedestrian mall on the north side of Parque Colon. Calle El Conde, one of Santo Domingo's oldest streets, is a pedestrian area that runs from Parque Colon to Parque Independencia and is a popular shopping strip. It was the site of the March for Independence in 1844.   The stores have an excellent selection of Dominican products, everything from jewelry, cigars, fine art and handicrafts to rum and coffee. These few blocks offer the most concentrated display of quality merchandise in the DR, perfect for one-stop shopping.
Alcazar de Colon	Description: DISTRITO NACIONAL. Built in the early 16th century during the burgeoning years of the Age of Exploration, the palace of Alcazar de Colon stands as a tribute to explorers and nations who helped settle the New World. Diego Columbus, son of Christopher, was the palace's first resident and the city's first governor. After him, the structure's limestone walls and Isabelline architecture went on to greet other famous explorers: Ponce de Leon and Balboa. Today, the palace welcomes guests with an array of period artifacts and artwork from the era of Spanish Colonialism
Fotaleza Ozama	Description: The Fortaleza Ozama was constructed between 1502 and 1508 by order of the Governor of Hispaniola, Frey Nicholas de Ovando, the founder of the city of Santo Domingo. It was built in order to defend the city against attacks by pirates and privateers. The Fortaleza Ozama has the distinction of never having been taken by force of arms, notwithstanding all the military interventions that the city has withstood over the centuries.   To the left of the entrance to the fort is the statue of Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo, who was sent from Salamanca, Spain to Santo Domingo to occupy the position of captain of the fort and warden of the prison there.