La Isabela Columbus's First City & Culture

OVERVIEW

Delve into the early history of La Isabella with regard to founder Christopher Columbus and participate in a hands-on cooking class that celebrates Dominican cuisine. While browsing the town’s museum, you will see artifacts from the indigenous Taino that lived there before Columbus landed in 1492 and built the first Spanish settlement in the New World. A train ride around the archaeological park at La Isabella will shed more light on life in the 15th century. The first Catholic church in the Americas was built nearby and some of its original bricks and remnants are inside the church that now stands on that site. The focus will turn to Dominican cuisine as you learn to prepare the traditional dish mofongo for your lunch. Although recipes vary, they typically call for fried plantains mashed with pork cracklings or shrimp. You will see another side of the Dominican culture while browsing a crafts market.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Learn about the founding of La Isabella, the first Spanish settlement in the New World.
• Discover how Columbus chose the site in 1492 and abandoned it just a few years later.
• See the remains of La Isabella in an archaeological park.
• Join a hands-on cooking class and prepare the classic dish mofongo for your lunch.
• Browse a market that features handmade artisanal crafts.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.