Travel Guide La Vega

44 km from Santiago. The La Vega Real valley is also known as the "Garden of the Antilles", which is to say that it is fertile, verdant and prosperous. You're greeted by the fiery-red cathedral of the flamboyant foliage. In 1494, Christopher Columbus built a military fort near present-day La Vega, to guard the route to the gold deposits in the interior of the Cibao Valley. Gold was found in abundance, and the town soon grew - becoming one of the country's oldest cities (15th century). It is said that La Vega was the place where the first coin was minted and the first merchants settled.In 1562, an earthquake destroyed the town. Its ruins, located at the foot of Mount Santo Cerro, are now the subject of archaeological excavations. Reconstructed in 1563 on the banks of the Camu River, the city experienced a major economic boom when the now disused La Vega-Sánchez railroad line was built. It was the only one in the country never to carry passengers.Today, La Vega is easy to visit and its main attraction is the Santo Cerro. If you want to spend a night in the region, you'd be better off in Jarabacoa, Constanza or Santiago.The Carnaval Vegano is famous for its devil masks, and takes place on February 27. You can meet the main carnival mask designers in La Vega.