The Dominican Republic (not to be confused with Dominica, which is a much smaller Caribbean country) occupies more than half of the island of Hispaniola, the rest belonging to Haiti. It was colonised by Columbus, and Santo Domingo has been the capital since 1496. Consequently, some of the oldest European buildings in the Americas are in Santo Domingo.
Tourism is a big part of the economy, and many visitors see only the beaches. Caribbean beaches are great, of course, but you already know what they look like, so here are some pictures of Santo Domingo instead.
Click on the little pictures to enlarge them.
| The Alcázar de Colón, built between 1510 and 1514 as residence of the Spanish viceroy Diego Colón. |
|
|
| The cathedral (in the background) is the oldest still standing in the Americas. |
|
|
| The Botanic Garden has some unusual trees. |
|
|
| There's a little park along the seafront, and a beach where locals surf. |
|