Standing on the edge of the shimmering Caribbean Sea just a short jaunt away from the Dominican Republic’s most celebrated stretches of sand and coral reef, the island’s capital represents the perfect fusion of the historical New World and the region’s happening modern edge. Consequently, Santo Domingo a place where ageing Spanish fortresses rub shoulders with bachata and merengue bars, and traditional bulgur wheat broths are served at roadside holes-in-the-wall, all while fashionistas cruise by in their Prada frocks and Gucci sunglasses.

Most Santo Domingo tour guides will point first-time visitors straight to the tight-knit streets of the UNESCO-attested Colonial Zone, where the oldest European cathedral in the Americas still stands. A treasure house of colonial buildings best explored by foot, don’t miss on the stunning Alcázar de Colón and a walk down Calle deLas Damas where the formidable medieval bulwarks of La Fortaleza await amongst others. Of course, there are museums here too, and before hitting the beaches around Boca Chica and Punta Cana to the east, travellers would do well to explore the acclaimed Museo de las Casas Reales and the Museo Naval de las Atarazanas. And at night, why not head down to the Malecon, where bars and shopping boutiques complement a stroll along the waterfront.