Tours/Santo Domingo/Half Day Excursion Colonial Zone Lighthouse to Colón and Tres Ojos from Santo Domingo
Viator · group up to 15 pax

Half Day Excursion Colonial Zone Lighthouse to Colón and Tres Ojos from Santo Domingo

4.3(58)Santo Domingo1 hour
VIATOR4.3(40)TRIPADVISOR4.4(18)

Description

In this experience we will visit each iconic place in the tourist center of Santo Domingo and we will be providing information in great detail and taking the relevant time. We will also be ready for every luxury of detail and we will guide with the highest standards of professionalism and human quality that characterizes us. Our goal is to show the world our history, our values and provide an exceptional service, seeking that our clients feel how special they are for all Dominicans and their experience is memorable in each of their excursions, this will not be the exception.

Tour Options

Excursion + lunch
  • Buffet lunch included Pickup included
Evening Tour - No Lunch
  • Pickup included
Excursion + lunch
  • Lunch Pickup included

Itinerary

Admission included15 min

We start the tour in the Parque Colón, the main place or entertainment square of the Colonial City surrounded by important monuments such as the First Cathedral of America, the first City Hall of Santo Domingo, Calle el Conde, famous restaurants, shops, among others. In the park there is a statue of Christopher Columbus erected by the French sculptor Ernesto Gilbert in 1887.

Admission included25 min

It is a cathedral and minor basilica dedicated to Santa María de la Encarnación that is located in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. Its official name is Santa Iglesia Catedral Basilica Metropolitana de Nuestra Señora Santa María de la Encarnación or Annunciación. It is located between Arzobispo Meriño and Isabela La Católica streets, next to Parque Colón; leaving its main door to the west, in front of Arzobispo Meriño street, almost at the corner of Arzobispo Nouel. The cathedral of Santo Domingo is the oldest in America, built by order of Pope Julius II in 1504. Headquarters of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo, its construction began in 1512, under the pastoral government of the first bishop of Santo Domingo,

Admission included15 min

It is a mausoleum where the remains of prominent figures in the history of the Dominican Republic are preserved. The National Pantheon has around 36 empty spaces to house future heroes. There is also an empty space without a plaque, dedicated to the unknown soldier. There is a permanent guard of honor, made up of members of the presidential guard, dressed in gala, without moving a single muscle. One of them makes a solemn round walk in the central aisle, which goes from the main entrance to just in front of the main altar. In the pantheon, together with the Dominican flag, the flags of the Air Force, the Navy and the Army of the Dominican Republic are displayed.

Pass by

The Museum of the Royal Houses or Royal Palaces, as it was called during the time of the captaincy general and the province, had two palaces as its headquarters, which date back to the 16th century. This royal palace was built by order of the Crown of Castile, in the reign of Fernando II of Aragon, on October 5, 1511, in order to house the main government offices of the time. This was called the Building of the Royal Houses, since the Royal Court was located there, which was the first court in the New World, it was also used as the Residence of the Governors and General Captains of the time, this second was called the Captaincy General. This building served as a home for people such as Bartholomew Columbus, Louis Ferrand, among others. In the halls of the Royal Court, important meetings or parties were held, made up of the main figures of the society of the time, as well as the royal officials and the judges of appeal.

Pass by

The Alcázar de Colón was built between 1511 and 1514, following the influences of the existing one in Mancera de Abajo, in Salamanca (Spain), of which ruins are still preserved. The name of the architect who carried out the construction of this fortified palace is unknown. Mostly Gothic-Mudejar in style, the Alcázar also has some Renaissance features, notable in its arcades, as well as Elizabethan style observable in the tassels that adorn it. The building was built using masonry of coral rocks. Originally the residence had 55 rooms, of which only 22 remain.

Admission included60 min

It is a cross-shaped monument (remembering the Christianization of the Americas) that measures approximately 800 meters long by 36.5 meters high.1 It is said that the remains of Admiral Christopher Columbus are housed, a fact that It has been proven false due to confirmation by genetic analysis of the aforementioned remains found in the Cathedral of Seville.2 When the headlamp is on, it casts a cross-shaped light into the night sky. This light can be seen from approximately 64 kilometers away, but it causes problems with the electricity supply of the surrounding neighborhoods. It is the reason why it is only turned on on special occasions.

Admission included90 min

In this national park we will find one of the best kept natural secrets of the city, its four lakes are: - Sulfur Lake: This is the first lake that we can see since we entered. Its name is due to the fact that at its bottom you can notice a whitish substance and therefore the people who went to this place thought that it was sulfur. - La Nevera: It is the third lake that we can see, its name is due to the low temperatures it reaches and that it never receives sunlight. Its temperature ranges between 15°C and 21°C. - The Lake of the Ladies: It is the second lake that we get to see, its name is due to the fact that it was previously used as a spa and because of its discreet location and because it is shallow, it was reserved for women. It is 2.5 meters deep at its deepest part. Los Zaramagullones: This is the fourth lake, its name is due to a species of amphibious ducks that are native to the area. It has a natural vegetation that surrounds the lake.

20 min

Stop at Gift Shop for customers who wish to purchase souvenirs.

Highlights

All Fees and Taxes

What's included

Included
All Fees and Taxes

Pickup Locations & Times

We pick up our clients at all Airbnb and hotels in Santo Domingo.

Traveller Ratings

4.3
58 reviews
5
40
4
4
3
9
2
3
1
2

Important Information

  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Reviews(58)

D
dominique_d
January 2, 2026
It went by so smooth. Our...

It went by so smooth. Our tour guide was super knowledgeable he gave us so much history of Dominican Republic, in a fun way kids love the 'quizzes' definitely worth the trip.

M
Miguel_M
October 20, 2025
A bit too many sights for the tour time

It was a nice tour, friendly guide with good sense of humor and a comfortable ride. But it's too ambitious in terms of where they take you in the four hours you have available. It would make more sense to do two separate tours. One for Tres Ojos and Faro a Colón and another for the Santo Domingo old town.

N
Naya_R
October 6, 2025
DR exploration

My friend and I enjoyed this experience. Our guide NELSON was accommodating, informative, helpful, caring, and a great person. I would say add an extra hour of wiggle room to your itinerary. We’re on island time and it’s important to not pack your day with other events because you don’t want to feel rushed on the tour. Take time to explore, shop and taste the local fresh coconuts and other fruits.

M
Marko_v
August 8, 2025
The Best

I had the most absolutely best time. My driver was friendly and courteous, and the tour guide was amazing and very, very knowledgeable.!

M
MrWorldWide808
July 17, 2025
Que lo Que Republica de Dominicana

Rodolpho(Adolpho) my guide and Abraham(driver) was very great and knowledgable about the tour sites, DR culture, and history. The cathedral and pantheon were my favorites in colon. The many DR flags, caskets, and guards in uniform look cool. Cathedral is a beautiful architectural gem. Thanks for the tour. I learned more about the Dominican Republic history, wars, freedom, independence, and their culture.

Operator response

Hello. We're so glad you enjoyed our City Tour. Learning about our Dominican roots. Our staff is trained to give you the best experience. Thank you for your comment.

V
vanessacQ36BB
July 12, 2025
Good not Great

They were an hr late picking us up after numerous text messages and phone calls. Our guide Angel was very nice and knowledgeable. The included lunch was ok. Learned alot about the history of the island but it was obviously very hot and after awhile we were ready to go. Would I recommend it to someone else, not if they have children younger than 13. Would I do it again, no.

Operator response

Hello Vanessa. I hope you're well today. We're glad to hear you learned a lot about our culture. Regarding the various calls and messages, we'll keep them in mind; it's very difficult for that to happen to us. We're deeply sorry you won't be able to do it again. We hope you enjoyed the City Tour.

P
Peter_M
July 3, 2025
Missed Opportunity

We felt that we had missed a lot of what the web site said we would get We did not visit the Parque Colon We did not go into the Casas Reales museum Our guide tried to persuade us not to descend into the Three Eyes cave Our guide was more interested in meeting friends and talking on the phone than guiding us. He did not ask us what our interests were ,or even our names He was no help in getting us into position for the best photographs The included lunch was poor fare in a back street restaurant

1 people found this helpful
G
Greg_B
March 1, 2025
Beautiful Santo Domingo!

This was an amazing excursion! My guide had so much information to share and even recommended different sites to see, as well as restaurants and bars. I learned a lot and enjoyed the experience.

G
Gary_A
February 1, 2025
Better than advertised

The tour started with a pickup inside the cruise pier gate, right in front of the terminal exit. Driver Alex did a fantastic job of navigating the crazy traffic. Guide Armundo knew all about the history of the country and each site, and made sure we knew it (by asking questions about what he told us)! During the downtown walking portion we stopped at some extra sights that were not on the agenda. At the end we had an EXCELLENT lunch at a nice Italian restaurant (which was not advertised clearly in the description). The tour ran a couple hours longer than planned, but this was a good deal for us, as still returned well within our ship's boarding time. For me, the highlight was the underground Caves/Lakes (called 3 Eyes Park).

N
Necrisha_R
January 24, 2025
Don't use this company

This tour was scheduled to begin at 9am. At 9:05am, I messaged the company and was told that the driver was going to get to me at 10am. At 10am, they messaged me saying that the new pickup was going to be 10:20am because of traffic. I messaged them at 11:15am with no response. I called Viator and they tried getting in touch with them with no answer. I requested a refund from Viator and 15mims later, I get a call from the operator telling me that they are 10mins away. I told them I waited over 2 hours for a 4 hour tour and it took them 30mins to respond to my request for an update. The operator gets upset and starts screaming at me in Spanish and then goes tour or not? Who wants to go on a tour with someone who treats paying customers that way. I had one day left and it was too late to book another activity. At this point I hope Viator honors my request for a refund.

Operator response

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and frustration you experienced during your scheduled tour. We understand how important your time is, especially when you have limited days to explore, and we deeply regret that we fell short of your expectations. The traffic situation in Santo Domingo has been exceptionally challenging lately, and unfortunately, this caused significant delays on the day of your tour. While we did our best to keep you updated, we acknowledge that our communication could have been more timely and clear. This is not the level of service we strive to provide, and we take full responsibility for the delays and the lack of responsiveness at certain points. We are particularly concerned about the phone conversation you mentioned, as this type of behavior is completely unacceptable and does not represent our values or the standards we uphold. We are currently conducting an exhaustive investigation to identify the team member involved and will take immediate action to address this matter. We do not tolerate such situations, and we are committed to ensuring that every interaction with our customers is respectful and professional. We appreciate your understanding and patience, and we have already processed your refund through Viator as requested. If there’s anything else we can do to make this right or assist you in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and we hope to have the opportunity to serve you better in the future.

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