If you have a week of vacation and you’re choosing to spend it in the Dominican Republic, here’s a one-week guide to having a successful trip. Sure, sitting on the beach for a week and sipping on delicious cocktails is relaxing, but there is so much more to this island than gorgeous beaches.

Following an itinerary can guarantee you’ll see everything there is to see.

The itinerary begins in Santo Domingo on day one, visiting the Zona Colonial and the Malecon. You can choose to take a half-day or full-day tour or simply explore the area on your own. It’s filled with several cultural attractions.

Since you’re already in Santo Domingo, it works out nicely to spend day two exploring the surrounding cities—El Higüero and Los Morenos. In these areas, there are opportunities to interact with the local culture which was influenced by African, European and Taino heritage.

A couple of hours north of Santo Domingo is Santiago de los Caballeros, the Dominican Republic’s second-largest city, and this is where you can spend day three.

This city is known for its tobacco and sugarcane plantations which tourists can visit. Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración is a well-known landmark in this area, and it’s an ideal spot to visit during sunset.

Days four and five include a stop in Jamao del Norte and spending time in Cabarete, and day six is all about discovering remote beaches in Bahía de las águilas before heading back to Santo Domingo on day seven.

Visit the Dominican Republic’s blog to view all the details about this one-week itinerary.

XOXO @palmgreenvacations 

View this post on Instagram

Huimos del frío y ponemos rumbo al calor del Caribe. ☀ ¿Quién se apunta? ¡Destino Punta Cana! ✈ 🇩🇴 . 📸@bucketlistbums #destinosAirEuropa #puntacana #republicadominicana #caribe #beachlife #travel #palmtree #walktothesun #instabeach #enjoyinglife #palmgreenvacations #bavaro

A post shared by Palm Green Vacations (@palmgreenvacations) on Jan 4, 2020 at 5:04pm PST