Altos de Chavón

Altos de Chavón is a replica 16th-century Mediterranean stone village on a clifftop above the Chavón River, inside the Casa de Campo resort at La Romana. Work began in 1976 and it opened in 1982, when Frank Sinatra played the opening concert in its Greek-style amphitheatre. You walk cobbled lanes past the church of St Stanislaus, an archaeological museum, a design school, shops and restaurants, with a wide view over the river. It is private resort property with access controlled at the Casa de Campo gate, and sources disagree on whether day visitors pay; check before you go or visit on a tour. From Bávaro it is about 1 to 1.5 hours by road, and most people spend 1.5 to 3 hours there, often combined with a La Romana or river trip. It can be visited year-round; the village is generally open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the late-afternoon light is the warmest on the stone. No excursion we photograph goes here, so photos at Altos de Chavón are a private shoot, arranged in advance.