The cultural revival of the Ciudad Colonial

The first stop on this itinerary has to be Santo Domingo, where the colonial city is undergoing a new era of urban regeneration. A major regeneration project is transforming the historic centre into a predominantly pedestrianised area, restoring the charm of the ancient 16th-century mansions, now converted into craft workshops, boutiques and sophisticated dining venues. The Kimpton Las Mercedes fits perfectly into this revitalisation, a five-star boutique hotel housed within a listed historic building, where the monumental spaces dedicated to the Cuban patriot José Martí sit alongside an infinity pool overlooking the city’s rooftops. In the evening, just a short walk from the hotel, you can dine at Pat’e Palo, a historic restaurant overlooking Plaza de España, which serves its dishes in an atmosphere steeped in colonial history. For those travelling in summer, between July and August, the city comes alive with the Merengue and Caribbean Rhythms Festival and the celebrations for Restoration Day, which is observed on 16 August and commemorates the date when, way back in 1863, a group of patriots led by Santiago Rodríguez raised the Dominican flag on Cerro de Capotillo, sparking the uprising that led to the expulsion of the Spanish and the founding of the Second Republic.