Vacations San Pedro de Macorís - Dominican Republic

San Pedro de Macorís is a province of the Dominican Republic. The area was only slowly populated, with its tiny settlements from the Spanish colonial period seeing increases in their population as people fled the Haitian occupation. Known also as ‘Misquitisol’, the province is famous for its savage mosquitos and hot tropical sun.

One of the groups that settled the area, the ‘cocolos’, introduced practices of harvest festivities associated with the churches that they built. The ‘guloya’ festival, which takes place between 22nd December and 16th January, is a remnant of this heritage. The historical legacy of the area is also found in the regional cooking. Some of the specialties are ‘yaniqueque’, a type of flour bread, and the sweet little ‘domplin’. Macorís produces a local drink, Guadaberry, from the fruit of the araijan tree, traditionally consumed at Christmas.

The province’s capital, San Pedro de Macorís, has its origins as a port town that was dependant on the fruits provided by the capital during the Spanish colonial era. The first mayor was nominated in 1815, and in 1852, with the construction of a military post, the city began to grow. San Pedro de Macorís city was decreed a Community in 1865, during the Second Republic, and its port was opened to foreign imports in 1867. The sugar industry was established in 1879.

The city’s economic growth was accompanied by a cultural development, with newspapers being established and schools constructed. During the 1920s, this was the Dominican Republic’s third most populated city. Today, its population totals about 217,000, and it is still one of the nation’s most important ports.

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Casa de campo (About 26.1 mi)

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