The Dominican Republic is part of the Caribbean and it occupations two third of the Caribbean Hispaniola Island. It is renamed for its white sandy beaches and breathtaking natural scenery. The Dominican Republic was explored by Columbus and the island became a landing point for future Spanish conquests. Now after so many years, the island still provides visitors with historical places and beautiful island views.

Climate
Visiting any Caribbean island you would expect the climate to be tropical; and same is the case with Dominican Republic where the climate is moderate with seasonal rainfall. Due to its location, the island is pumeled with hurricanes around the year which can cause some flooding. The country is surrounded by rugged plains and grassy mountains which add to the beauty of the islands. Some of the well known cities in the island are the Santo Domingo which is the capital city along with higuey; Puerto Pala, Punta Cana and Juan Dolio. The capital Santo Domingo is pretty famous among travelers and its beaches are filled with holiday makers all around the year.

Getting Here
You can get here by plane and land in Santo Domingo at the 'La Isabela' airport which receives flights from other Caribbean islands. Most, you would need to take charter flights from other Caribbean islands in order to get to the Dominican Republic. For most of the visitors, entry visa is free but you need to buy a tourist card upon arrival which will detail your stay information. Once in the capital, you can hire taxis or rent cars which will take you to your nearby hotels. The currency in use here is the Dominican Pesos, which you can change at the airport. There are various car rentals available for tourists, with Hertz, Avis etc. providing quality services. Fuel here is expensive and can add to your overall rental cost. You can also reach the country on boats and cruises which run from Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands to the capital Santo Domingo. Other options include buses or trucks that you can hire; these can take you around the island with ease, although you must take care of your luggage during any long term movement.

People & Accommodation
Most of the people here are friendly and speak Spanish; as it is a tourist destination you would find quite a few English speaking people. The locales are quite helpful and would be willing to help if you are polite with them. Some of the folks also speak French, as some Haitians also stay here. Accommodation is not such a big problem if you have booked your rooms and hotel previously.

Food & Shopping
Food here is similar to other Caribbean islands with spices and fruits making up the major flavors. Seafood is also readily available and many dishes are made up of fishes and other sea creatures. Shopping is also fun in Santo Domingo as there are various places where you can buy local handicrafts. You can buy lots …

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The Romans did not stay in Chichester long, and after they had left, the now king of Sussex (Cogidnubus), decided to turn the fort into a town. The town was called Noviomagus by the Romans, which, grossly translated, means 'new market place'. The layout of the town has changed very little since then, and the main streets (North, East, South and West) to stay almost exactly the same way as when they were first built.

The famous city walls were constructed at the beginning of the 3rd century to protect the city from attack and invasion, and were later reinforced in the 4th century with bastions where guards could stand. An amphitheatre where gladiators often brought the death was a popular source of entertainment, and the public baths located in Chapel Street were also extremely popular among the Roman population; not just for washing, but as a form of socialization.

Many of the residents of the town made their living in craft. Some very popular carers were carpentry, blacksmithing, pottery and leather working – all of which drve great sums of money to the town, although ironically most of the workers were reliably poor. The richer residents of the town lived in large houses in the town center, which featured magnificent mosaic streets and even a primitive central heating system (called a hypocaust).

By 408AD, however, the Romans had left Britain. It is unknown whether the town was completely abandoned or whether a small percentage of the population remained – either way, the Saxons arrived soon after. Although little is known of this time, it is known that the town was used as one of a series of defensive points throughout Britain.

It is the Saxons who gave Chichester the name it is called by today. Originating from the Saxon name 'Cissa' and word 'Ceaster' (what the Saxons called a set of Roman buildings), they cave the town the name 'Cissa's Ceaster'. This evolved into 'Cisscester', and ever 'Chichester'.

In the middle ages, during the Norman call of Britain, Chichester even had its own castle. Constructed in what is now Priory Park, the wooden castle was built on a motte (a man made hill) and was made of wood. The motte still stands today, but the castle, which may have been rebuilt with stone sometime, was destroyed long ago after being left redundant by a French prince who had been invited to Britain to become king during the civil war.

Perhaps Chichester's most famous landmark, its cathedral, was built in 1091 after the local Bishopric was moved from Selsey to Chichester. When it was built, the cathedral had no spire, but a bell tower. After burning down twice, the bell was moved to a separate tower and a spire was built in its place. Much later, in 1861, the cathedral (along with its spire) collapsed in a terrible thunder storm – though it was soon rebuilt and, surprisingly, no one was injured.

In the middle ages, the Chichester born Saint …

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