Altos de Chavon

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The biggest attraction in La Romana, Dominican Republic, is a recreation of a medieval European village conceived from the imagination of Roberto Copa, a former Paramount Studios set designer and Charles Bluhdorn in the 1980's. Narrow, cobble-covered alleyways lined with lanterns and shuttered limestone walls yield several good Mediterranean-style restaurants, a number of quaint shops featuring the diverse craftwork of local artisans, and three galleries exhibiting the talents of students from the on-site design school (an affiliate of Parsons School of Design in New York City). Adding authenticity to the entire fantasy is the charming St. Stanislaus Church with its plaza and sparkling fountain that is a popular wedding venue.

A Roman-styled 5,000-seat amphitheater hosts 20th century musical acts – Pet Boys, Frank Sinatra, and Enrique Iglesias to name a few – while Génesis nightclub provides a popular dance venue for guests from the Casa de Campo resort nearby. Visitors shouldn’t miss the Regional Museum of Archaeology, an astonishing collection of pre-Columbian Indian artifacts unearthed in the surrounding area. Altos de Chavón overlooks Rio Chavón and the Dye Fore golf course of Casa de Campo; both built by former Gulf+Western chairman Charles Bluhdorn, who also reigned over Paramount Studios when Apocalypse Now was filmed on the river.

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