Follow ArteVivo, the free arts festival around Monción

La Aurora, the country's oldest cigar factory, sits on the Tamboril road outside the center. The visit combines a showroom on how cigars are made, a company museum and a tobacco ranch exhibit, but it is arranged through the factory's contact page or phone rather than at the door. Confirm the day and time first, since…

Fortaleza San Luis stands by the Yaque del Norte river. It was a military school and a prison and is now a history museum with a military collection, an art gallery and pre-Hispanic pieces. Look for the clock tower and ask whether the tower lookout over the river and nearby barrios is open. Published closing days…

Casa Bader, in the old barrio of Los Pepines, has been serving Santiago since 1939 and is known for its quipes and cold Presidente beer. Order a few quipes at the bar, share them and take your time, because it is a local institution more than a quick snack stop. It is a regular stop on walking tours of the historic…

Each July the city builds up to July 25, the feast day of its patron, Santiago Apostol. The program centers on the historic center beside the Cathedral, with daily masses, concerts and cultural activities, and live merengue is part of the mood. Dates and lineup change every year, so check the program that the…

Casa de Arte, a Victorian house on the Benito Moncion artists' boulevard, has been the city's alternative art space since 1983 and reopened after a renovation. It mixes exhibitions, theater, film nights and live music, and it is remembered for its Monday jazz jam sessions. Check the venue's social media for the week's…

On Sundays the Los Pepines barrio hosts the Son de Keka, where dancing couples parade down the middle of Calle Cuba to son music while neighbors sit in chairs along the sides. It began as shoemaker Antonio Keka's get-together with friends and became a weekly tradition. Come in the afternoon, watch a few songs and…

Pico Diego de Ocampo, the highest peak of the northern range, is a rewarding hike with views over the Cibao Valley, but the trail is narrow, steep and muddy after rain. There are no shops or restaurants at the top, so carry water and snacks and wear shoes with grip. Allow roughly one hour up and 45 minutes down, start…

Winter league baseball is the city's big night out, and the Aguilas Cibaenas play at Estadio Cibao, a stadium that dates to 1958. The season runs from about mid October to late January, so there are no games the rest of the year. Check the home schedule on the club's official channels, arrive early to settle in, and…