Santiago de los Caballeros is the country’s second-largest city and is more traditional than Santo Domingo, and you can imagine the rest. As the debate goes, let’s say that if Christopher Columbus founded this in 1494 (according to some historians). His brother Bartholomew founded Santiago de los Caballeros in 1495; it is still valid that Santiago is America’s oldest European settlement, which is a more significant thing than it may sound as. In 1504, 30 Caballeros (gentlemen) Saint James (Santiago) moved from nearby La Isabella to Santiago. It was later called Santiago de los Caballeros. And hence, this was the reason behind its name. I visited this city, which is like a mini Santo Domingo with its traffic and noise and city life feeling, which I have only felt in Santo Domingo and Santiago. Here the main attraction is the monument and that’s really it. You can drive about 45 minutes out of the city and find some rivers and that but that’s about it unfortunately.

El Monumento:
The Los Hérodela Restauracion monument, known as El Monumento, is the city’s main attraction and social centre with the most magnificent views of the city. In 1865, DR fought and accepted from Spain, and now this is the place where citizens and tourists gather on the grass and walk the lawn, but as a permanent memory of people who got them independence. In the distance, the centre of the Cordillera Mountains is the mountain range, and there are many hiking adventures here. So, if you have a thing for hiking, this is the best place to be.

History, art, and culture have never gone away in Santiago. The Leon Cultural Centre is an integral part of this critical region, which was born by the Mirabal sisters and the President of the Dominican Republic. With thousands of years of population dynamics, this place is one of the city’s vibrant entertainment and nightlife with an added touch of professionals to it too. There are more than 100 discos, bars, and lounges in the city centre. The attraction serves the artistic side of our being, and the entertainment is enough for us to ease away the moments. See for yourself, the magic of Santiago de los Caballeros.

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