Christopher Columbus discovered this place in 1492. In 1496 his brother Bartolomeo founded a city here, which he called San Felipe de Puerto Plata. After a period of rapid development the city’s star has gone down as there were another lands of the New World discovered. The city was all stuck in smuggling while its citizens were collaborating with English and French pirates. To put an end to this predatory business, the king of Spain gave orders to destroy Puerto Plata. In 1742 the city was restored by colonists and immigrants who came from the Canary Islands, and in a short time, it became a prosperous place again. Those were the times when the most beautiful of local buildings were created. Nowadays the city is famous for its romantic old-style atmosphere, stressed with Victorian style buildings. The latter are adorned with elegant wood and metal engravings as well as “spice-cake” motives which are so characteristic for the most part of the manors and public buildings. …read full articles of "Run away from winter to Puerto Plata"
