Santo Domingo Tour: Colonial Zone, Ozama Fort, Los Tres Ojos

Walk the oldest European settlement in America, then descend into a cavern lake.

A six-hour guided tour of Santo Domingo covers the Colonial Zone (founded 1502), Ozama Fort, Columbus Lighthouse, Columbus Palace, Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor, El Conde Street and Los Tres Ojos National Park, with hotel pickup and lunch included. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese. Children from age one are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Santo Domingo's historic sites

• Visit the Colonial City
• See the Columbus Lighthouse
• Tour the Alcázar de Colón
• Visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor
• Walk along Calle El Conde
• Explore Los Tres Ojos National Park
• See the Monastery of San Francisco ruins
• Visit the Ozama Fortress

The Experience

The tour starts with pickup from your Santo Domingo hotel and moves into the Colonial Zone, the oldest urban nucleus in the city and the first permanent European settlement in the Americas. You walk through streets that have stood since 1502, passing El Conde Street and the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor, the oldest cathedral in the Western Hemisphere. The Ozama Fort, built by Spanish colonizers and the oldest European fort in America, anchors the zone's eastern edge overlooking the Ozama River.

From there the tour reaches the Columbus Lighthouse, a Dominican monument and museum dedicated to Christopher Columbus, and the Alcázar de Colón (Columbus Palace), where Diego Colón, the discoverer's son, lived as governor starting in 1509. The palace now operates as a museum on the Plaza de España. You also see the ruins of the Monastery of San Francisco, a World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological remains in the Dominican Republic.

The afternoon takes you to Los Tres Ojos National Park, a cavern system with freshwater lakes naturally divided into three separate bodies of water visible only from inside the cave, plus a fourth lake visible from outside. Lunch is included during the tour. The guide conducts the full day in your choice of English, Spanish, Italian, French or Portuguese, and the pace suits all fitness levels.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Santo Domingo.
• a live guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or Portuguese.
• entry to the Colonial Zone, Ozama Fort, Columbus Lighthouse, Columbus Palace, Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor and Los Tres Ojos National Park.
• lunch.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Oasis Humpack RD

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup means you don't arrange transport to the Colonial Zone or navigate between sites yourself. The guide handles the route and timing across six hours, so the day holds together without a rental car or the planning that usually comes with a self-guided walk through a historic city.

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Top questions

What is the Ozama Fort and why is it important?

Ozama Fort is the oldest fort built by Europeans in America, constructed by Spanish colonizers during colonial times. It stands in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo as a historical and cultural monument, overlooking the Ozama River from the eastern edge of the Colonial Zone.

Can I bring young children on this Santo Domingo tour?

Yes, children are welcome from age one. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, so families with infants and toddlers can join.

What exactly is Los Tres Ojos National Park?

Los Tres Ojos is a cavern system containing freshwater lakes. Three of the lakes are visible only from inside the cave itself, while a fourth lake can be seen without entering the cavern. The park is located in Santo Domingo Este municipality.

Is lunch provided during the tour?

Yes, lunch is included in the tour price. You eat during the six-hour itinerary as part of the experience.

What languages does the guide speak?

The guide conducts the tour in English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese, so you can choose the language that suits you.

Does the tour include entry to the museums and sites?

The tour visits the Columbus Lighthouse (a museum), the Alcázar de Colón Museum, the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor, Ozama Fort and Los Tres Ojos National Park. Entry to these sites is included as part of the guided experience.