Get Lost at Altos de Chavón

A L T O S   D E   C H A V O N  is magical. If I left my description at that and simply shared the following photos, you’d agree. But I’d be doing you a disservice because you need to hear more about this place. Altos de Chavón is an artist community built on a ridge high above the sparkling Chavon River in the Dominican Republic. It is part of the sprawling 7000 acre Casa de Campo Resort, where I visited a few months ago and stayed at Mar y Palma, one of the finest luxury private villas on the island.

Altos de Chavón, in their own words:

You’re forced to daydream as you wander Altos de Chavón. Imagine how gorgeous a destination wedding would be in St. Stanislaus Church? Or how dreamy it would be to host a milestone birthday party or celebration in one of the many private courtyards?

It’s easy to spend hours wandering the cobblestone pathways that weave between the art studios, galleries, and charming cafes. The entire place was handcrafted by local artisans, and the careful thought behind the placement of every stone and every hanging vine is evident.

The pièce de résistance of Altos de Chavon is undeniably the 5000-seat amphitheater. Frank Sinatra, Andrea Bocelli, Placido Domingo, Gloria Estefan, Enrique Iglesias, Marc Anthony, and even Duran Duran have stood on this very stage, entertaining a lucky audience. Can you even imagine how spectacular a concert would be in this location? 

As is normally the case, all this exploring stirs up an appetite. Altos de Chavon has you covered in the culinary department too. There are a handful of delightful restaurants beckoning you to sit down and stay awhile.

We ended our day at Chilango Taquería. If tacos are ever an option, that’s usually where you’ll find me. Add in passion fruit margaritas and I’m in heaven. Chilango was excellent – authentic flavors, super fresh ingredients.

There are so many things that impressed me about Altos de Chavón. Even though it was built as a replica town, it has aged so well that it feels authentically ancient. The art immersion was incredible. Altos de Chavón is also home to the renowned Altos de Chavón School of Design, which is affiliated with the Parsons School of Design in New York. On the list of things I didn’t get a chance to see, the archaeological museum. This museum holds over 3000 pieces, some of which have been featured in international exhibits at prestigious art institutions. I only had one afternoon to explore Altos de Chavón, and it wasn’t nearly enough time, so I will return!

Spending your vacation at a hotel with villas on property gives you access to the best of both worlds: full hotel amenities + the privacy of your own spacious living quarters. Having Altos de Chavón on property, Casa de Campo takes this concept one step further than standard hotel amenities. I’d love to help you decide if a villa vacation is the best option for your future travel plans!

Laura Sangster