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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
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- Destinations
- Caribbean
- Dominican Republic
- Santo Domingo
- Cathedral of Santa Maria
Cathedral of Santa Maria
Inside the Colonial City stands the oldest cathedral in the
western hemisphere, built in 1523 and still used to this day. Its
mix of late-Gothic and Renaissance elements provide a beautiful
example of Spanish Renaissance architecture, with its golden coral
facade and Gothic interior. Its walls have seen a great deal of
history, including the coming of Sir Francis Drake who captured
Santo Domingo in 1586 and held the town for ransom. He made the
cathedral his headquarters.
Information & Facts
Language
Spanish is the official language, but English is spoken
in the main tourist centres.
Money
The currency is the Dominican Republic Peso (DOP), divided into
100 centavos. Many of the hotels and restaurants in the main
tourist destinations display their prices in US dollars as well as
in Dominican Pesos, as US dollars are widely accepted and some
places will also accept Euros. The peso cannot be exchanged outside
of the Dominican Republic. Major currencies can be converted into
pesos at Central Bank approved bureaux; only 30% of the pesos
bought can be re-converted and this only if the original receipts
are produced, so it is best not to buy more pesos than you are
likely to need. Major credit cards are accepted everywhere, but a
commission is usually charged and it is recommended that you only
use your credit card at your hotel as fraud incidents have been
reported. The best exchange rates are paid on US travellers cheques
and secondly on US dollars cash and are best exchanged at exchange
bureaux (
casas de cambio). Banking hours are Monday to Friday from
8.30am to 4.30pm; some banks also open on Saturday. ATMs are
widespread.