Dominican Republic
Country: Dominican Republic
Highlights: Gastronomy ★, Art / Museums ★, Historical sites ★★★★, Natural Beauty ★★★, Shopping 0; Sports/Adventure 0, Geographic extremes 0, Glamour 0
When to go: From January to March (Drier season)
Where to go: Santo Domingo and the beaches
Downside: High crime rates
Our Experiences: The beaches in Dominican Republic are good, but far from the best in Caribbean. The main reason that brought us here was history. The country is home of the oldest city in the Americas, the oldest Church and the oldest European settlement. Christopher Columbus grave is here. Columbus fleet has actually stopped first in San Salvador Island (Today Bahamas ) but the first settlement was in La Isabela in the north coast of Dominican Republic. Santo Domingo was founded in 1496 and it is the oldest city ( standing ) in the Americas. We have visited many nice historic spots in the city, despite the poor touristic structure.
Hotels we love and recommend: JW Marriott (Santo Domingo)
