Constanza

Most tourists don’t venture into the central highlands of any Caribbean destination. Typically we want to stay by the shore with easy access to the beach. But if there’s any place where I’d recommend you step outside the norm and out of your typical beach resort it’ll be in the “Switzerland of the Caribbean”  aka Constanza, Dominican Republic.

This agricultural town surrounded by mountains will transport you into a valley wonderland of flower fields, farms, and small-town charm. However, you’ll have to be committed to the drive to get there…

My first visit to Constanza was in 2015 on my paternal family trip to Santo Domingo.  Being the hospitable hosts that Dominicans are, they told me to pick any place where I wanted to go and they’d take me there. Well, I made a list, and the first destination was Constanza. 

Now the moment I say Constanza a deafening silence in the room descends until the family repeats in unison, “Constanza?”

I’m confused. My facial expression says it all, What is wrong with Constanza? They say the drive will be long but they keep their promise to take me there.

The next morning my family is equipped with snacks and drinks for the drive signaling a longer trip than I anticipated. Luckily, I have no idea what I’m in for until we’re already too far to head back.

Once we’re past the city and are driving up the mountains the scenery is a cross between majestic, and petrifying. I mean petrifying in a literal sense, as I find myself stiffening to the side of the car opposite of the mountain’s edge.

Yet, the mystery and stillness of the foggy mountains would steal glances from me despite my fear. My cousin’s whimpering grows as we reach high enough to drive past the tallest tree’s on the mountain tops, all while a 6-inch rail guard “protects” us from tumbling down thousands of feet. In an instant, a new scenery emerges and I’m blinded by a thick white atmosphere; clouds are all we can see. Although this is hauntingly beautiful, I worry that only planes and helicopters should be able to reach this height.

I do my best to keep calm and enjoy the scenery. The adults in the front seem to be ok as they obliviously indulge in classic bachata hits. Each time I begin to relax a truck whizzes by the opposite lane as if we’re not a million miles above sea level.

A couple hours later we find ourselves in a town of greenfields where the mountains are now a regal backdrop.

As we continue to drive through town we pass concrete homes and small shops until we spot a lone restaurant. It’s definitely time to celebrate the miraculous feeling of having my feet on the ground.

The first field we drive to is a flower farm of greenhouses filled with rows of white chrysanthemum flowers. It’s just the sight I need to override the fall of death mountain views I witnessed on the way up here. Outside are pink roses and hibiscus flowers that offer an inviting vibrance amidst the now misty valley.

In Constanza, you’re welcome to farm hop from field to field to tour and purchase available goods. With each field we visit I relax more and more in the peaceful atmosphere the valley provides.

We drive past lettuce and tobacco fields and make our last stop on a thriving field of sprouted vegetables.

The sweetest part of this visit is greeting a baby pig and spotting some rabbits. Better yet, the farmer places a rabbit in each of our arms to cradle. This moment is the most attentive part of our visit as we fawn over how calm they are in our arms.

Just when my view couldn’t get any more adorable the farmer brings a pair of baby rabbits that fit into the palm of his hands.

The best way to end your visit to Constanza is to take a dip in a nearby creek. We drive to this hidden gem accessed by a flight of stone steps downhill.

As we inch closer to an opening we’re greeted by a swimming hole surrounded by greenery. Trees arch overhead, shrubs line the edges, and sunlight filters perfectly onto the large rocks nestled in the creek. You’ll feel like you’re in the tropics again as this spot brings a raw nature that contrasts the orderly farm fields.  

Being in a cooler part of the island the water will be a bit chilly but we adjust quickly. The earthy mix of fresh water and foliage rises into the fresh air and grounds me into the ultimate escape of being in the highest city of the Dominican Republic.

I get why my family had their reaction. The drive itself was a journey. But more so Constanza feels like a home away from home. We were transported into “The Switzerland of the Caribbean”. A vastly different landscape than what most Dominicans experience in their hometowns. The people of Santo Domingo experience a bustling city, the people of Santiago experience the sunny countryside, and Puerto Plato is a laid-back beach town. But they all still feel…tropical. On the other hand, less than 1 percent of Dominicans live in Constanza, a distant brisk valley that makes you forget you’re on an island.