Moca

Set in the fertile agricultural plains to the east of Santiago, Moca is a truly authentic town that’s known for its political heritage. The name of the town is a holdover from indigenous native tribes, and some of the nation’s most revolutionary figures have either lived, or passed through the town. The political history aside, however, the main attraction in blue collar Moca is the soaring Iglesia de Corazón de Jesús that rises from the middle of town.
Like an infusion of Old World, European Catholocism in the middle of the Dominican plains, the church features gorgeous, stained glass windows imported from Turin, Italy, as well as a pipe organ and intricate façade that hearkens the 19th century. Cigars, ceramics, and Dominican crafts are additional draws of the town, where mass tourism and foreign development have thankfully yet to reach. 

Practical Info

The town of Moca is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes from the capital, Santo Domingo, and about 35 minutes from Santiago de Los Caballeros—the nation’s second largest city.