Come discover the beauty of Puerto Plata with this excursion that includes the best this tropical city has to offer. Visit the Amber Museum, Fort San Felipe, Cigar and Rum factory, and much more. This is truly the best of Puerto Plata!
This Puerto Plata Sightseeing Excursion will take you on a journey to explore the rum distillery at the famous Fort San Felipe. You will have the opportunity to stop at the Amber Museum as well as the central plaza where you'll find architecture influenced by the Victorian era. You will have time to take a stroll, visit the local shops and maybe take some photos reminiscent of the postcards of yesterday.
Your excursion begins as soon as you've walked through the main exit gate of your Taino Bay Cruise Terminal where your English-speaking shore excursion guide will be waiting for you. Once you have checked in, you will board the air-conditioned transportation, which will be either a van or a minibus depending on the size of the group booked.
First up is the Brugal Rum Factory, which is the largest producer of traditionally made rum in the Dominican Republic since 1888. The Brugal rum is aged in American white oak barrels on-site at the distillery and produces 1.5 million liters of white and dark rum each year. Enjoy the narrated visit inside the factory and take a sip of the quality rum produced here. You will have the option to buy from a wide variety of rums if you would like. Please note the distillery is closed on the weekends.
The next stop is just 15 minutes away at the Amber Museum. The museum hosts one of the largest resin exhibitions in the Dominican Republic. The country has the most important amber deposits in the world; blue, green or warm honey colors are unique to this area due to its volcanic activity. See the displays of amber pieces natural and hand-designed including some with enclosed fossils hundreds of years old. The building itself is a jewel, a nice example of Neoclassical architecture.
Then you are off on a 20-minute ride to Puerto Plata's central plaza, "Parque Independencia". Here is where you will see the charming restored, gingerbread houses and shops. After an orientation, you will enjoy free time to take a stroll through the plaza where you might see some of the staff dressed up in vintage clothing, visit the unique shops and boutiques, take some photos, and maybe stop for a cup of Dominican Republic's world-famous coffee at one of the cafes. Also visit the cigar factory, where the local craftsmen produce the finest cigars. You can watch the process and buy cigars at discounted prices. Don't forget to take a walk along the Malecon, take in the beautiful view, and enjoy the sea breeze.
You will close out your day at Puerto Plata's oldest surviving building, Fort San Felipe. This is a significant piece of Puerto Plata's history, Fortaleza San Felipe was built by the Spaniards in the 16th century to defend the north coast of the Dominican Republic from the British and Dutch, and from French pirates in search of the abundant gold and silver in the area. This fort was built-in 1564 by the order of Philip II of Spain. Most of the city developed around the fort since protection was necessary against both French and English pirates that terrorized the local inhabitants. This fort was also declared a National Monument in 1980. The panoramic views over the Puerto Plata coastline are impressive. Your experienced, English-speaking guide will provide a bit of history and local information along the way.
Once your time is complete at the fort, you will head back to the Puerto Plata Cruise Terminal where the transportation will drop you off.
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