13. Altos de Chavón

Detail

Altos de Chavon, the city of artists

• After breakfast, we will pick you up at your hotel and set off on this wonderful excursion.
• In the Dominican Republic , a few minutes' drive from the town of La Romana, you will find the built-up Altos de Chavon, modelled on a 16th-century colonial town founded over the Rio de Chavon river. The small town is a centre for art and the arts, and although it is only a replica, the illusion is almost perfect.

• It has been a great location for Hollywood adventure films in the past ( e.g. Jurassic Park, Rambo 2 ), and is expected to be used in the future, as there is no other city in the world with a similar character.
• Altos de Chavon is the home of artists, from painters and sculptors to fashion designers, all of whom live and work here. Many of them have helped to shape the city's image and have stayed on to create after their work is finished.
•  Altos de Chavón was meticulously designed by Dominican architect Jose Antonio Caro and Italian designer and cinematographer Roberto Coppa, with every detail made by local craftsmen. The village is a cultural centre for residents, tourists and working artists from all over the world. Active studios for all the world's artists, from ceramics to weaving to silk screening, alongside cobbled streets shops and boutiques showcase their unique creations. The Art Gallery features works by renowned Dominican artists as well as artists from around the world. Altos de Chavón is home to the renowned Altos de Chavón Design School, affiliated with the Parsons School of Design in New York. Other sites include the Archaeological Museum, which offers a glimpse into the fascinating history of the area, the Church of St. Staniaslaus, the 5,000-seat amphitheatre, and stunning views of the Chavón River and the Caribbean Sea.

• The city also has a beautiful 5,000-seat amphitheatre, where great performances are staged from time to time. On the occasion of its opening, Frank Sinatra himself performed here.
•  This architectural marvel has been the site of countless concerts, events and performances since its opening in 1982 by none other than the late Frank Sinatra, in his live HBO special "Concert of the Hemispheres". Sting, Elton John, Andrea Bocelli, Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Fernández, Marc Anthony, Spyro Gyra, Michel Camilo, Juan Luis Guerra, Air Supply, Julio Iglesias, Placido Domingo and many others have also graced the stage.
• In the archaeological museum, you can see mainly relics of the island's indigenous life. Real ancient Indian relics are on display, most of which were found in the Rio de Chavón.
• The whole city is a maze of narrow cobbled streets, where souvenir shops and galleries alternate with doorways. Here you can see works by local artists.