As part of my travels, I decided to take a plane and check out the island life on one of the biggest islands in the Caribbean. Lots of history here!
The island "Dominican republic" is surrounded in the north by the Atlantic ocean and in the south by the Caribbean sea
The island was discovered in 1492 by Christopher Columbus. The total island size of 76000 square kilometers is shared with the neighboring colony of Haiti.
Only in 1844 did "Santo separate domino" separate from Haiti and become independent. only then the eastern part of the island was called the " Dominican Republic".
In 1938 the then-president Trujillo opened his country to about 300000 German Hitler Jews who had to flee from Hitler Germany.
Even today, much of the influence of that time can still be felt, numerous German restaurants or bars can be found in the north of the island.
If you are interested in history, you should take a closer look at Santo Domingo, which is the oldest city in the new world.
In 1900 UNESCO declared Santo Domingo a world heritage site.
The oldest street of the first capital of America, "Calle Las Damas", is definitely worth seeing. Opposite it is the oldest military building, a massive tower that served for defense since 1503.
In this part of Santo Domingo, the old town, there are many other historical buildings. A little further on you can sit down in a small cafe in the square of the cathedral of Santo Domingo and watch the energetic Dominicans socialize and run their daily lives.
TheĀ day we were there a music school was playing a small concert and people were dancing on every corner, it was so nice to watch, with a great vibe and energy!
What is also worth a visit when you are in Santo Domingo is the botanical garden of the city. It was named one of the 10 best botanical gardens in the world. on an area of 180 hectares, you can relax a bit and be away from the hectic traffic of the city.
Besides a japanese garden, an area with medicinal herbs or an orchid house, you will also find a huge impressive flower clock.
it is really a beautiful, quiet place, with many birds and other animals in the middle of the big city. the park is not only a place for plants, 40% of the area acts as a wildlife reserve and nature reserve.
Santo Domingo is worth a trip and especially the historical background is impressive. have you ever been to the Dominican Dominican republic, what can you recommend?
thanks for reading! As always, a like and a comment are appreciated :)