We included the city of Santo Domingo in this trip purely for the historical significance of this old town.  It is the first major area populated by the first Christopher Columbus voyages and is generally accepted as the first major land mass that he arrived at.  To be precise, he did land on the small island of San Salvador earlier but quickly realized that this was not the goal he was seeking.  His journey continued and he eventually wound up on the Caribbean side of Hispaniola (the island that today contains Haiti and the Dominican Republic) at the spot now known as Santo Domingo.

The area is rich with historical monuments and landmarks.  We visited the home of Christopher Columbus, the oldest Cathedral in the Americas, the memorial where the Three Heroes of the Dominican revolution are laid to rest, the Columbus Lighthouse, and a few other places that just have to be seen to be appreciated.  It really is a beautiful city and, like the rest of the country, all of the people there are extremely friendly.  Their hospitality is heart-warming.