Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
According to the story, a sick child in Higüey was healed when an old man thought to
be an Apostle asked for a meal and shelter at the city's original church, the Iglesia San
Dionisio. On departing the following day, he left a small print of Our Lady of Grace in a
modest frame. Since that day the 16th-century image has been revered by countless de-
votees, upon whom the Virgin is said to have bestowed miraculous cures. Originally
housed in the handsome Iglesia San Dionisio, the image of the Virgin has been venerated
in the basilica since the mid-1950s. Designed by Frenchmen Pierre Dupré and Dovnoyer
de Segonzac, and completed in 1956, the long interior walls consist mostly of bare con-
crete and approach each other as they rise, connecting at a rounded point directly over the
center aisle. The entire wall opposite the front door consists of stained glass and is quite
beautiful, especially in the late afternoon when the sunshine casts honey-colored shadows
across the floor.
The new
Museo de la Altagracia
(Calle Arzobispo Nouel; Dominicans/foreigners RD$400/US$5;
9am-5pm Tue-Sun)
is an extremely well-done and modern museum tracing the history of re-
ligion and culture in the DR back to the 18th century. It is on the grounds of the basilica,
surrounded by an impressive sea of palm trees, and well worth a pop in.
Festivals & Events
Thousands of people travel to Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia in a moving and
intense homage to the Virgin every January 21. Pilgrims, dressed in their finest, file past
the Virgin's image, seeking miracles and giving thanks. The church's bells chime loudly
throughout the day. In August, the city's streets fill up with cowboys on horseback who
ride in from all directions for the
Fiesta Patronal
(Festival of the Bulls).
Sleeping & Eating
Hotel Don Carlos
( 809-554-2344; cnr Calle Juan Ponce de León at Sánchez; r old/new bldg RD$1250/1490; )
Only a block west from the basilica, Don Carlos is a maze of rooms. It's friendly and pro-
fessional, but deserving of only a night when passing through. Ask to stay in the newer
annex, with modern and larger rooms; rooms in the older building are cramped and aged.
Conveniences include an attached restaurant (mains RD$100 to RD$500; open for break-
fast, lunch and dinner) - best to eat here due to Higüey's uninspiring dining scene - while
the biggest inconvenience is the lobby-only wi-fi.
HOTEL
$
