Christopher
Columbus claimed the island of Hispaniola for Spain on his 1492 voyage of
exploration. About 200 years later, the Spanish ceded the western third of the
island – now known as Haiti – to France. Spain retained the eastern two-thirds
of the island, the present-day Dominican Republic.
In
the capital city of Santo Domingo, cruise ships dock at the Sansouci Pier, the
main cruise terminal. It’s a quick taxi ride to the sights of the city, which
include the Zona Colonial (Colonial
City), a UNESCO World Heritage site with the first cathedral, first hospital
and first fort built in the Americas.
No
one is certain where the remains of Christopher Columbus lie, but residents of
Santo Domingo will tell you they are at El
Faro a Colon, where a tomb is watched over by an impressive lighthouse.
Pope John Paul II visited during the 500th anniversary of Columbus’
arrival, and his “Popemobile” is still on display.
To
explore shops, restaurants and casinos, head to the Malecon, an oceanside walkway. Or, choose an excursion to the town
of Boca Chica, which has great shopping and a lovely beach dotted with food
stalls that offer local specialties, such as empanadas stuffed with fresh fish,
rice and spices.
Some
ships that call on Santo Domingo also visit La Romana, a town next to the
resort village of Casa de Campo. Many cruise ship visitors take a shuttle up to
Altos de Chavón, a hilltop
re-creation of a 16th-century European village. The lovely stone
buildings house restaurants, art galleries and shops with handiwork from local
artisans. Don’t miss the 5,000-seat Roman-style amphitheater or St. Stanislaus
Church and plaza, a popular site for weddings. There’s also a museum of
archaeology with a collection of pre-Columbian artifacts found in the area.
Serious
golfers will love the resort’s 18-hole course, Teeth of the Dog, ranked 46th
in the world by Golf Magazine in
2013. Visit the Cueva de las Maravillas
(Cave of Wonders) to see fascinating cave drawings; or, simply relax on nearby
Bayahibe Beach.
To
select a Caribbean cruise that will take you to the Dominican Republic, talk
with Anita, your Cruise Holidays personal cruise expert.
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