Welcome to
Santiago
Santiago de los Caballeros–named after the 30 Spanish aristocrats who followed Columbus and settled here in 1495–was the country’s first capital before it suffered an earthquake in 1562. Today, the Dominican Republic’s second largest city–affectionately dubbed “Ciudad Corazón” or the city in the heart of the Cibao Valley–is a modern and cosmopolitan center thriving in commerce, finance, education, and services, and pulsating with culture.
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Towering over its sprawling urban streets, the Monumento a Los Héroes de la Restauración–affectionately called El Monumento–is the city’s chief landmark and social hub, where residents and visitors gather on its lawns, but also serves as a constant reminder of the men who regained the DR’s independence from Spain in 1865. Looming in the distance is the Cordillera Central mountain range, replete with hiking adventures. History, arts, and culture are never far in Santiago–Centro Cultural León offers a comprehensive display of the country’s rich heritage–and are part and parcel of this significant region as birthplace of the Mirabal Sisters, as well as several Dominican presidents. Home to universities, the area also brims with a dynamic population of millenials, amid professionals, all of whom enjoy the city’s vibrant entertainment and nightlife, boasting over 100 discos, bars, and lounges within the downtown area.
Despite the big city life, traditions run deep. Baseball passion thrives, as Santiago is home to the popular Aguilas Cibaeñas team, winners of three Caribbean Series and 22 national titles since 1952. In the city’s surrounding areas are some of the most talented artisans and painters in the DR, while Santiago Carnival ranks among the most revered in the country, with the most bejeweled handmade devil costumes after La Vega’s. To boot, nature has blessed the province with fertile soils that grow the world’s finest tobacco, home to 90 percent of the largest cigar plantations and factories and earning Santiago the nickname “Cigar Country.” Puro aficionados will also find all the premium brand factories near the city center at Tamboril, offering free daily tours and exclusive shopping opportunities.
Cultured, innovative, and fast-paced: that’s Santiago. Yet minutes outside city limits, the peaceful sight of mountains and cool air whisk you away from the hustle and bustle, plunging you into the stunning Cibao heartland.
The Cibao International Airport (STI) is conveniently located a half-hour from the city center.
LATEST EVENTS
Jan 15 - Mar 31
Whale Watching Season
Samana Bay
Watch the 1,500 to 2,000 whales that migrate to the waters of the Samaná Bay on a guided boat tour ...
Feb 23 - Feb 28
Master of the Ocean 2023
Cabarete
Master of the Ocean is considered the most significant open water competition in the region. This ra...
GUIDES & MAPS
Attractions in Santiago
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Established in Santiago in 1996 and consistently ranked among the top 25 best in the world, with multiple award-winning cigars; you can tour this boutique company’s beautiful factory facility. Go from its rolling room to the leaf stripping, fermenting and aging rooms.
Rum + Cigars
City golf course with panoramic views of Santiago, the Cibao Valley and the Yaque del Norte River. It was designed by Pete Dye during the same period when he completed his masterpiece the “Teeth of the Dog” in La Romana. With ascents and large inclines to challenge golfers, it has four par-3 holes, two par […]
Golf
The city’s iconic white marble tower, circled on all sides by a multilevel garden and boasting panoramic views over the city. You can tour its interior, named after the heroes of the Restoration War who died in the fight to regain the DR’s independence from Spain.
Family-Friendly, Iconic Sights, Museums
Dating back to the competitions organized by Tomas Morel for the best carnival masks, this invaluable collection can be seen in the small museum. Calle Restauración.
Iconic Sights
The Mirabal sisters, known for fighting to overthrow former dictator Trujillo, are the country’s beloved heroines, commemorated in part through their home turned museum, in the small town of Salcedo. The museum showcases the Mirabal family’s personal effects.
Family-Friendly, Museums
Once served as the city’s town hall, today it’s a contemporary museum, showcasing the history of Santiago through late 19th and early 20th century photographs, including a carnival culture-focused room.
Family-Friendly, Iconic Sights
Parque Duarte is the perfect rest stop for a break from visiting the city’s iconic sights. With a ceiling of towering, ancient trees, the park is surrounded with historical buildings, including the cathedral, the former city hall, and the pedestrian-packed shopping street Calle del Sol.
Family-Friendly, Urban Parks
A boutique cigar factory, PDR produces over five million hand-rolled cigars a year at their factory in Tamboril, just outside of Santiago where most of the DR’s cigar factories are located.
Rum + Cigars
The largest private university in the Dominican Republic, it has a sprawling well-shaded campus in the city.
Iconic Sights
The Estadio Cibao is centrally located in Santiago on Av. Imbert. It is around an hour’sdrive from hotels in Puerto Plata or Jarabacoa. The homeclub team is the Aguilas Cibaeñas (Eagles of the Cibao). They have won 20 championships. The last championship this team won was in 2008. The team color is yellow. More about Dominican […]
Baseball
