'The most beautiful land' - Santo Domingo
The Dominican Republic's capital, Santo Domingo, was established over a period of two years from 1496 to 1498. Founded by Bartholomew Columbus, brother of Christopher, the city is the oldest original European settlement in the New World. Santo Domingo, as the first European built city in the Americas and the representative seat of the Spanish royal court, hosted the first catholic cathedral, the first university and the very first hospital on this side of the world. No visit to the island would be complete without taking a tour of the historic sites in Santo Domingo's Zona Colonial. A thriving city, Santo Domingo has been expanding through the years crossing its natural borders (Ozama River on the East, Haina River on the West, and Isabela River on the North) to become the largest city in the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic is the second largest nation in the Caribbean (after Cuba), covering nearly 20,000 square miles. It is acclaimed the world over for its Spanish ruins, magnificent palm-lined beaches, soaring mountain peaks and the warm hospitality of the Latin lifestyle. The island culture is perhaps best represented by the merengue. Developed in the festivities and kitchens of the rural areas of the country, merengue has gone on to become a symbol of the Dominican Republic's culture serving as both a distinctive musical style as well as the national dance of the country. Sit back, and listen to the tropical sounds in local bars and cafes, or get out on the dance floor, and join the fun! The choreography of the merengue is quite simple, which is one of the reasons for its popularity. Couples dance together, the man with his right arm around the woman's left shoulder, holding her right hand in his left, and pointing in the direction they are to turn. There are different kinds of merengue, ballroom merengue ( merengue de salon ), in which couples never separate, and figure merengue ( merengue de figura ) in which dancers also make turns individually, but still never let go their partner's hand. Dominican music is rooted in the community festival, a street carnival of musicians, dancers and singers. Carnivals, festivals and fiestas are held often, both in the largest cities and the smallest rural communities. Two of the top events of the year in Santo Domingo are the annual Merengue Festival in the summer and Carnival in the spring. There is also a Latin Music Festival , which attracts performers from throughout the Latin world. Each of these is held on the city's main seaside thoroughfare, El Malecon, but spill over into hotel ballrooms, beaches, patios and even parking lots. The Dominican Republic is a multicultural, multiracial society of Spanish predominance mixed with the descendants of European buccaneers, African slaves and the Taino native tribe. While English is commonly spoken, especially in the tourist destinations, the island's culture and language are Spanish. The nation's eight million inhabitants are anxious to show travelers what a unique experience a visit to their island paradise can be. |
The Dominican Republic is where Christopher Columbus first set foot on the shores of the Americas. He wrote back to his royal benefactors that it was " the most beautiful land the eyes of man have ever seen ." With its 75 miles of soft white beaches, towering mountains, rushing rivers and lush green valleys, it is easy to see why this land made such an impression on him.