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 The ancient Caribbean seaport of Santo Domingo is a city of firsts, the first capital of the new territories discovered by Christopher Columbus, the first to have Spanish coinage, a university, a cathedral, a fort, a monastery, a hospital and a palace.
It was here that Madrid's rulers in 1512 set up the Spanish colonies first royal appellate court, the highest level of its judicial system since the Middle Ages.
Its old world charisma and Latin charm has blended well into the modern era, resulting in a cosmopolitan city of 2 million which offers the best of the old and the new. Its rich colonial past is fertile ground for tourists from throughout the world.
Santo Domingo was founded in August 1496 by Columbus brother, Bartolome, who moved the temporary capital from Hispaniola's northwest coast. Christopher Columbus discovered the island in December 1492 and set up its first settlement, Navidad. Later, he established a community he called Isabela in the northwest, which his brother later moved to present-day Santo Domingo.
The seaport soon became the center of Spanish activity in the Greater Antilles and served as the base of exploration for the New World discoverer for 17 months. Later, Spanish conquistadores used Santo Domingo as the jumping-off point to explore and conquer other lands.
From Santo Domingo's harbor, Ponce de Leon sailed to Puerto Rico, Hernan Cortes launched his attack on Mexico, Vasco Nuñez de Balboa set out on the journey that discovered the Pacific Ocean and Diego de Velazquez went off to settle Cuba.
In recognition of the city's role in the Spanish colonization period, and its many "firsts", the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed Santo Domingo the cultural heritage of the New World.
Santo Domingo's numerous museums, restored historic sites and the cobblestone streets of the old city take the traveler back in time. Its parks and plazas invite the traveler to linger. Its ancient churches, its cathedral, its coastal fortifications and reconstructed Spanish-government buildings tempt one to stay and discover more of the past.
But the tourist can disregard history entirely, if he or she chooses, and merely come to enjoy the city's modern society, its music, fine dining, its casinos and five-star hotels.
 The city's principal waterfront thoroughfare, El Malecon, is a bustling drive that winds seamlessly through Santo Domingo's ancient neighborhoods and its modern-day cityscape of high-rise hotels and office buildings, restaurants, outdoor cafes and shops. All front on the turquoise-blue Caribbean Sea, with its sandy coastline dotted with coconut palms.
With its good location in the Caribbean, a dozen first-quality hotels and numerous smaller establishments, it is drawing business travelers and vacationers from many countries. Its excellent cuisine , active nightlife, casinos and historic locales also attract the sun-and-sand tourists throughout the island.
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