Named after the 30 Spanish aristocrats who followed Columbus and settled here in 1495 – was the country’s first capital before it suffered an earthquake in 1562. Today, the Dominican Republic’s second largest city–affectionately dubbed “Ciudad Corazón” or the city in the heart of the Cibao Valley–is a modern and cosmopolitan center thriving in commerce, finance, education, and services, and pulsating with culture. Yet minutes outside city limits, the peaceful sight of mountains and cool air whisk you away from the hustle and bustle, plunging you into the stunning Cibao heartland.