Chocolate workshops in cigar country
The Dominican Republicis also known as "cigar country," and for good reason. Tobacco has been exported since 1531, making it the country's oldest export product. Most tobacco is grown in the fertile Cibao Valley which is located between the two mountain ridges Cordillera Septontrional to the north and the Cordillera Central to the south. As you follow the Yague del Norte River further northwest, you will find small towns where tobacco has been cultivated by local farmers for generations. Major brands like Davidoff, Fuente, Quesada, La Flor Dominicana, Reyes, La Aurora to name a few, are all made in Santiago. From Santa Domingoand Punta Canayou can visit a cigar factory where you can watch the process from tobacco leaf to cigar and when you smoke, try the finished product (smell is also allowed). Less well known is that high-quality chocolate also comes from the Dominican Republic. Visit an organic cocoa farm or a chocolate factory or test your senses with a delicious chocolate workshop.