Santo Domingo Shopping Tips by Belsaita Top 5 Page for this destination

Shops of "Santeria": Interesting experience

My friend and I could hardly believe it when we found the first shop of "santeria". In case you didn't know, "Santeria" is like voodoo or spiritism. A Creole religion, widespread on Caribbean countries, Brazil, etc... that mixed Catholic saints with old African divinities venered by the slaves that were brought to these lands. This shop was tiny, next to Mercado Modelo. Please don't go there just for fun, it's a serious belief for many people. But very interesting experience if you go there with respect and open mind (and eyes!)

The owner patiently explained us what all these strange things were for. Interestingly, the most accessible items were the less "dangerous" things he did not mind to sell to anyone who wanted them, even if the purchase was just for fun/curiosity. He even said us that some of the items were just for fun, some without any real "power". You can find there sprays to get your car or house free of bad spirits. Soap or perfume to attract your love, to ear more money... or any purpose you can imagine.

However, things that were not convenient to be handled by inexpert hands were kept in closed cabinets. Quite mysterious.
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What to buy: We left the place with a few small bottles of "love perfume" to bring as gift to our friends.... I would had buy the "bad-spirits cleaner for cars" if they had it in a smaller size!

Address: Near Mercado Modelo

Theme: Other

Spice vendors: Spice it!

We saw so many shops and street vendors, with huge amounts of spices.... Nice to see and to smell. No idea about the use of 90% of these products indeed!

Address: Area of Av. Duarte, Av. Mella, near Mercado Modelo

Theme: Food and Drink

Plaza Lama: "La Supertienda ¡Con todo a su alcance!" Plaza Lama Review

The biggest department store in Santo Domingo. We entered there as I wanted to buy a couple of disposable cameras (my camera stopped working on my second day in SD... why they never break down when you're at your home place??? :) What was supposed to be a 10-minutes shopping, ended as kind of funny tour around the place for a couple of hours! Everything was so different as what we are used to find at our hometown supermarkets. We bought here most of our small gifts for friends and family (we really liked the idea of bringing them some "real" stuff more than obvious souvenirs).

For us, straight haired Europeans, the amount and variety of product for uncurl and treat hair was just amazing! The food halls, with loads of nice-smelling spices and fruits, were quite interesting as well.

Address: There are a few, we went to the one in Av. Duarte

Theme: Department Store

Website: http://www.plazalama.com

Street vendors (music records): Music is all around!

I assume there should be some good record stores in SD, but we did not see any. However, music was everywhere, as well as CD street vendors (illegal copies of course, but nobody seemed to worry about).

Theme: Music

Street vendors (anything you can imagine): Real life 3

We found many second-hand street vendors in the streets close to Mercado Modelo. Everything you can imagine can be sold or repaired. A huge contrast with our "use and discard" societies.... something to think about.

Address: Streets close to Mella and Duarte avenues

Theme: Other

Street vendors (frio-frio): Real life 2

Frio-Frio (that means Cold-Cold) is scratched ice with syrup. You'll see these vendors at the most popular streets. We were well advised not to try this typical treat (high risk of E.Coli in the water they use), but it's fun to see it anyway.

Theme: Food and Drink

Street vendors (food): Real life 1

I found the "Mercado Modelo" in Calle Mella (Santo Domingo) really disappointing, a real tourist trap. You will find the same items elsewhere, without the hassle of the vendors and without so many pickpoketers around... BUT, the streets around were really interesting. Just a couple of blocks away and not a single tourist in sight, nobody bothers you, and plenty of "real life" small shops, street vendors, etc. I loved specially the colourful food stalls. No idea of what most of these fruits and spices are, but looked (and smelled) beautiful!

Address: Streets around Mella and Duarte avenues

Theme: Food and Drink