Columbus and his compadres encamped here in 1492, making Santo Domingo the first permanent establishment of the New World. Ever since, the bustling city pushes its acclaim as a destination of superlatives. A modern gastro-destination with vibrant arts scene and green escapes where orchids sway in the shade breeze at the National Botanic Garden. But it is within the walled Zone Colonial, amongst graceful plazas and cobbled streets, that await many “firsts” in the Americas: a cathedral, monastery, hospital, customs house and university. And, it is here where for the first time native European and African cultures crossed and a Dominican monk was the first to fight for fundamental rights of mankind.