Cuban Connection Tour's 7 days ROUND TRIP

Cuban Connection Tour's 7 days ROUND TRIP journeys through the most authentic colonial, historical & natural sites of Western and Central Cuba. We aim to give you an approach to the heart of our culture, our roots and ordinary life, a unique perspective and understanding of this intriguing island and its people. Be a local for a week; experience the diversity of Cuba through food and drinks and learn about locals' ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit. Enjoy this adventurous week-long trip while a local private tour guide helps you navigate along vibrant cities, rural sites and charming villages’ atmosphere.

Description


  • All prices are expressed in (USD). They are subject to changes and can fluctuate in relation to number of guests, and high or low season.
  • Fifty percent of the round trip payment is required on day 1 (cash only) upon arrival, and the rest will be collected at the end of the tour.
  • All accommodations we arrange are in privately owned Bed & Breakfast (homestays or Casas Particulares) but not in Hotels. Otherwise, we will appreciate you book your own. All B&B meet the required amenities for your stay such as comfort, safety, location, and owner's reliability.
  • All optional activities mentioned in our program such as museums, shows, clubbing, and factory tours, etc. which are subject to admission fees are not included in our base price. Booking any of them is not required in advance and prices are listed below the Itinerary.
  • Please note that we have built a custom-made program embracing the most Authentic Western & Central Cuba, but our flexibility allows you to change in our sample itinerary the number of days for your stay and add, remove or stay longer at any city.
  • Gratuities at the end of the Round Trip for the tour guide/driver are left to the guest’s discretion.
  • Itineraries can and do change during the course of the year due to unforeseen circumstances. We are not always able to advise you in advance of these changes. We ask for your understanding and flexibility in these cases.
  • Welcome pre Round Trip briefing upon arrival. However, every morning you will debrief with your tour guide about everyday program.

Inclusions


  • Transfer in. Arrival at the airport. You will be welcomed by your driver/tour guide at the airport with a Cuban Connection Tour sign and will be transferred to your accommodation. As a courtesy, we will present you with a bottle of Aged Cuban Rum.
  • Six nights of accommodations in B&B Homestays. Six breakfasts included. Four nights in Havana (day 1, 2, 3, 6), two nights in Trinidad (day 4, 5).
  • Seven days of transport in a modern, comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle and local tour guide service by a professional member of our staff.
  • Visit to breathtaking natural, historical and colonial sites (Havana, Viñales, Zapata Swamp, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Santa Clara, Varadero and Matanzas) covering 1650 km.
  • A memorable ride in a vintage convertible car for 1 hour in Havana. You will enjoy a breathtaking ride in a vintage convertible car for 1 hour and be able to travel back in time to the 50’s. Live it up and do it your way like Frankie!!!!

Itinerary


Day 1: "Transfer in from the airport"
  • Pick up at the airport (Havana or Varadero).
  • Accommodation in a (B&B). Free time upon arrival.
Day 2: "Havana Inside Out Tour"

Founded on 1519 as San Cristobal of Havana, it is simply a lively and colorful city plenty of bustle and entertainment, with some splendid architectural gems from the Colonial period and beyond, and several other sights. Everything, from the beauty of buildings architecture to the treasure of museums, invites you to get deeper within the street maze. UNESCO declared its old section along with the defensive system a World Heritage Site in 1982. Time seems to stand still there!

  • 10.00 am - Panoramic tour along "Malecón" Seawall, the Revolution Square, Central Park, Opera House, Capitol building, former Bacardi Building, Museum of the Revolution-former Presidential Palace and the surroundings of the Morro-Cabaña fortresses complex. Stop at sites for pictures.
  • Lunch at a local private restaurant: “Paladar” (price varies depending on your choice).
  • Walking tour in Old Havana. Visit to Saint Francis of Assisi Square, Arms Square, the Old Square and Cathedral Square, El Floridita bar, La Bodeguita del Medio bar, Hotel Ambos Mundos (Ernest Hemingway's regular bars and hotel in Old Havana).
  • Optional visit to Havana Club Rum Museum, a cigar BOUTIQUE or Columbus Cemetery.
  • Free time at a flea market is optional.
  • Drive back to your accommodation around 5 30 pm.
  • Free time for nightlife. Take the pulse of Havana's nights by attending a great concert where legends perform. The "Buena Vista Social Club" groups 90 percent of musicians who have been Grammy awarded or nominees. It is a two hour show (9:00pm to 11:00pm) where you watch stars shine on stage. Fees are 30.00 USD/person including the show and 3 drinks or 50.00 USD/person including show + three drinks + supper. Jazz Clubs (La Zorra y el Cuervo or the Jazz Café) are also recommended to taste Havana's nightlife.
Day 3: "Viñales Valley Tour"

The Western region of Cuba is known for very high quality tobacco fields and breathtaking landscapes. Viñales valley with its gigantic "mogotes", unusual limestone formations, which resemble a huge church organ, therefore the name Sierra de los Organos, invites visitors to explore the most scenic natural parks of Cuba. It was declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site in the category of Cultural landscape and houses 17 botanical species and 47 archeological sites, most of them related to aboriginal communities and runaway African slaves.

  • 8.00 am - Drive to Viñales Town (the most overwhelming and scenic valley in Cuba).
  • Tour across Viñales Town and valley, visiting the Indian Cave, Pre-history Mural, Hotel Los Jazmines' lookout. Stop at sites for pictures.
  • Lunch at a local private restaurant: “Paladar” (price varies depending on your choice).
  • Visit to an authentic veguero (tobacco grower) 's farm, his house, plantations and Tobacco shed.
  • Drive back to accommodation in Havana.
  • Dinner at a local private restaurant: “Paladar” (price varies depending on your choice).
  • Free time for nightlife. Tour guide will take the night off, as next day will be a long drive. We can help you arrange a local taxi.
Day 4: "Zapata Swamp – Cienfuegos – Trinidad"

Zapata swamp, the biggest swamp of the Caribbean. Zapata is one of the most complete wildlife reserves in the Caribbean, rich in birds and animals and it was declared a Biosphere Reserve. The area around the Treasure Lagoon has been designated a national park, the Gran Parque Natural de Montemar.

  • 8.00 Drive to Zapata Swamp.
  • Optional visit on a speed boat to Guamá (a replica of a typical pre-Columbian Indian village. and to a Crocodile breeding.
  • Lunch at a local private restaurant: “Paladar” (price varies depending on your choice).
  • Visit to Playa Larga (a beach at the Bay of Pigs), to the fascinating Cave of Fish (a 70 m deep and crystalline water pool, ideal for scuba diving and snorkeling.

Drive to Cienfuegos city. Founded by French in 1819, is a maritime town with well-preserved historic buildings and one of the most captivating bays in the Caribbean Sea. UNESCO declared its historic center World's Heritage Site in 2005. It's known as The Pearl of the South.

  • Visit to the Heart of Cienfuegos (Tomas Terry Theater, Purísima Concepcion Cathedral, Ferrer's Palace, former City Hall, Marti Park, the triumphal arch, the Prado Promenade). Free time to walk along the Boulevard.
  • Visit to Punta Gorda (the aristocratic quarter of the city in the early 1900s), Valle's Palace and Hotel Jagua).
  • Drive to Trinidad along a lovely panoramic view of the Guamuaya Mountain Range and bordering the Caribbean Sea.
  • Dinner at a local private restaurant: “Paladar” (price varies depending on your choice).
  • Free time to feel the city's rhythm. Casa de la Trova, Casa de la Cultura are some of the choices for refreshing mojitos and live traditional music.
Day 5: "Trinidad"

Trinidad (1514), one of the first seven villages founded in Cuba which still seems slept in time, was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. Its architectural wealth makes you travel back in time thanks to conservation and restoration of buildings.

  • 9.00 am - Walking tour of the Central Square or Plaza Mayor of Trinidad.
  • Visit to The Cathedral Santísima Trinidad, the former Basilica Saint Francis of Assisi, Cantero's, Brunet's and Iznaga's Palaces, visit to a local family's house and try a local drink at la Canchánchara Tavern.
  • Optional visit to the Romantic Museum or the Municipal Museum.
  • Free time at a local flea market.
  • Lunch at a local private restaurant: “Paladar” (price varies depending on your choice).
  • Dinner at a local private restaurant: “Paladar” (price varies depending on your choice).
  • Free time to feel the city's rhythm at night. Casa de la Trova, Casa de la Cultura are some of the choices for refreshing mojitos and live traditional music.
Day 6: "Santa Clara – Varadero or Havana"
  • Drive to Santa Clara city, which was founded in the 17th century and was of great significance witnessing some of the most decisive episodes of the final stage in 1958 for the final triumph of the Revolution.
  • Visit to the Armored Train Monument.
  • Visit to Che's Mausoleum and Museum. Free admission.
  • Lunch at a local private restaurant: “Paladar” (price varies depending on your choice).
  • Drive to (Varadero or Havana).
  • Free time.
Day 7: "Transfer out to the airport"
  • Transfer out to the airport.

Book this ROUND TRIP

Important notes:

  • Quality: Experienced, Reliable, English speaking local guides.
  • Convenient: Pick-up with private air-conditioned and insured transportation
  • Personalized: Fully customizable tour itineraries.
  • Service: 24/7 Customer Support.
  • Payment in USD cash is required at the end of the tour. Keep in mind that we don’t accept local currency. Moreover all the places you will go such as restaurants/shops/flea market will only accept international currencies (EUR, GBP, CAD) but preferably USD.
  • In case of American citizens, this cultural exchange includes a full-time schedule of activities intended to enhance contact and support for Cubans. All our tours fall under the Support for the Cuban People Category.



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Tour Highlights

  • Hotel Nacional This gem of Eclecticism opened in 1930 and became famous for excellent service and a long list of illustrious guests such as Nat King Cole, Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra, Walt Disney, Marlon Brando, and several American Mafiosi as Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano. It stands where in the 18th Century the Santa Clara Battery was emplaced, part of the old city´s defense system, of which two cannons remain in the hotel´s garden. It was declared in 1998 as National Monument.
  • Revolution Square “José Martí”This construction was conceived in 1953 as Civic Square, on the 100th anniversary of the Cuban national hero´s birth and finished in 1959 when it was renamed as Revolution Square. It consists of a 142 meters tower representing a five pointed star and a huge statue of José Martí whose Memorial is in the interior of the base. Since 1959 it has been Cuba´s political and administrative center and the main venue for political rallies and official celebrations. Pope John Paul II in 1998 and Pope Benedicto XVI in 2012 celebrated masses together with thousands of worshipers.
  • Morro Castle Construction of this fortress was designed by Bautista Antonelli and built between 1589 and 1630. The original lighthouse was rebuilt many times, the one that still stands today is from 1845 and has its original lamp. Havana was a highly prized target for enemies and pirates for its extremely favorable strategic position in the Caribbean and became the most fortified city in any Spanish colony. It was declared a UNESCO site as part of the city´s defense system along with other  fortresses as La Cabaña, La Real Fuerza, La Punta, etc.
  • Grand Theater of Havana It was designed by Belgian architect Paul Belau to host the social activities of Havana´s large and affluent Spanish community. The magnificent façade is decorated with four sculpture groups depicting Charity, Education, Music and Theater. It was built over the foundations of the Tacón Theater which opened on November 1837. The present building was inaugurated on 1915 and has witnessed world famous artist as Fanny Essler, Verdi, Sarah Bernhardt, Arthur Rubinstein, Anna Pavlova and Alicia Alonso, etc. Today, it houses the National Ballet of Cuba.
  • The Capitol The Cuban Capitol, Inaugurated on May 20th, 1929 was the seat of the House of Representatives and the Senate until 1959. It marks the 0 kilometer of Cuba’s highways system. Its almost 92 meters high dome, the Chamber of Deputies, the Hall of Lost Steps and the statue “the Republic”, made by the Italian artist Angelo Zanelli, the third largest indoor statue in the world are among its many attractions. Today, it houses the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment.
  • El Floridita BarErnest Hemingway’s favorite place to enjoy his daiquiri. In 1953 it was considered one of the seven most famous bars in the world, and in 1992, the American Academy of Gastronomical Science presented the Floridita with the Best of the Best Five Star Diamond Award. Kwon as the “cradle of the Daiquiri”, it still keeps its original Regency décor from 1950s.
  • Old SquareThe hustle and bustle at San Francisco Square bothered religious services at the Basilica. The Franciscan fathers requested the creation of a square for exclusive commercial use, named New Square. After the creation of other urban areas in the 19th century it lost its initial name becoming Old Square. Cristina Market was built in the center in honor of the Queen, being demolished in 1908. Administrative and business offices sprang up with the 20th Century and a small amphitheater with a parking lot beneath were built in 1952 which are no longer part of this square after its restoration.
  • La Bodeguita del MedioA very well-known bar where Hemingway loved to drink mojitos and a one of the city’s great tourist attractions, where countless visitors have left their imprint in a souvenir, a photo or on its graffiti covered walls. Here you will find signatures by Errol Flynn, Nat King Cole, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Neruda, Gabriel García Márquez, Alejo Carpentier and Nicolás Guillen, among many others.
  • Cathedral SquareIt was originally known as Swamp Square because of the marshy land and subterranean springs. A church built by the Jesuit order (1748-1776) was promoted to the status of cathedral 1789, thus the original plaza became Cathedral Square. Some aristocratic buildings appeared later as Lombillo, Marquis of Aguas Claras and Marquis of Arcos palaces. The cathedral´s Baroque façade is grandiose with two large asymmetrical towers and its neoclassical interior treasures frescoes by Italian Giovani Perovani and Jean Baptiste Vermay. Pope John Paul II visited it in 1998.
  • Square of Saint Francis de AssisiIts location made it the center of imports, export, sailors and troops disembarking. The construction of a humble Franciscan convent, later one of the most beautiful buildings in the area, gave its name to the open space. The Fountain of the Lions, donated by Villanueva Count in 1836 and sculpted in Carrara marble, supplied for many years the ships docked here with drinking water. The Stock Exchange (1909) and the Customs House (1914) were added to the physiognomy of the square.
  • El TempleteNeoclassic monument inaugurated in 1828 as a remembrance to the foundation of Saint Christopher of Havana. It stands where there was a silk-cotton tree, under whose shadow the first Mass and city council were held on November 16th, 1519. Inside, there are three canvases by Jean Baptiste Vermay depicting these scenes. Every year on November 16th, locals would circle the tree three times, knock on its trunk three times and ask for their wishes as part of a town tradition.
  • MalecónThis seafront promenade runs for 7 km alongside the city´s historic quarters, from the colonial center to the skyscrapers of El Vedado. This busy boulevard is lined with many attractive buildings whose pastel hues have faded in the sun and salty air. It is magical at sunset, popular among fishermen, and the perfect place for people to hang out, meet friends and socialize.
  • Real Fuerza CastleThis fortress was built in 1558-1577 to protect the city from pirate attacks and is the oldest military construction in Havana. Despite its perfect Renaissance architecture, it couldn´t be efficient as it was built too far inside the bay, in a low area. It was used as warehouse, Governor´s residence, barracks, National Archive, Army Headquarters, National Library, and Arms Museum, etc. The Giraldilla, a sculpture cast in bronze by Havana artist Jerónimo Martínez Pinzón was placed as a weather vane on top of the Northwest tower in the 1630s and became a city´s symbol.
  • Central ParkThe Central Plaza was built in 1877 after the old city walls were demolished. Since February 1905, its large esplanade is presided by a statue of José Martí, which replaced a marble statue of Isabel II of Spain. The Central Plaza is surrounded by significant buildings, such as the Grand Theater of Havana, the Inglaterra, Telégrafo, Plaza and Parque Central Hotels, the old Gómez Mena mall, the Universal Art building of the Fine Arts National Museum and the Payret Movie Theater.
  • Payret Movie TheaterCuba´s first motion picture theater, opened in 1897, a year after the Lumiere brothers presented their invention in Paris.
  • La Reunión PharmacyIt houses today the Museum of Havana´s Pharmacies. The institution presents the history of this science in Cuba through permanent exhibits distributed in three large rooms. It still preserves the old drugstore´s furniture, medicine bottles and other items related to the art of curing and prescribing.
  • Revolution MuseumThe residence of 22 Cuban presidents since 1920 until 1959 was designed by Carlos Maruri and Paul Belau and decorated by Teffany of New York. The museum features documents, photographs of the different historical processes in Cuba. The Granma Memorial treasures the boat which brought Fidel Castro and his comrades from Mexico to begin the armed struggle against Batista. There also objects and vehicles relating to the invasion of the Bay of Pigs and missile crisis, etc.
  • Christopher Columbus CemeteryHavana’s monumental Cemetery, built in (1871-1886), is one of the largest in the world, occupying an area of 57 hectares. Because of its many sculptures and monuments from eclectic to contemporary art, the Necropolis was proclaimed a National Monument in 1987. It was designed by Calixto de Loira as a Roman military camp. The statue in Carrara marble of the three theological virtues Faith, Hope and Charity which crowns the front gate was sculpted in 1904 by the Cuban artist José Villalta de Saavedra. The most visited grave, “The Miraculous one”, is the tomb of Amelia Goyri de la Hoz who became a protector of pregnant women and newborn children.
  • Arms squareFew steps away from the village´s foundation site, it was built between the Parochial Church and the Real Fuerza Castle, spot that grouped the political, military, religious and civilian functions of an emerging population. Used for military exercises in the 1700s, it is surrounded by important public buildings of the time as the Royal Post Office (1772-1790), subsequently the Lieutenant Governor’s Palace; the Governor´s Palace, the City´s Museum since 1968; the Count of Santovenia’s Palace, today Santa Isabel Hotel, and El Templete.
  • Hotel Ambos MundosThis charming hotel from 1923, eclectically decorated, is rich in literary memories. The American writer Ernest Hemingway stayed here for long periods during the 1930´s writing fishing chronicles and began to write his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Room 511, where he mostly stayed is now a museum that features personal belongings and pictures of the author.
  • Tropicana The most famous nightclub in Cuba is located in the outskirts of Havana. Many legendary figures of the 20th century have performed here, including Josephine Baker and Nat King Cole. The Tropicana was originally a farm estate which was transformed in the 1930s into a vast nightspot with a restaurant and casino opening on December 31st, 1939. At the main entrance is the Fountain of the Muses (1952) and the statue of a ballet dancer, by Rita Longa (1959) is now the symbol of the club.
  • Sloppy Joe´s BarSloppy Joe's was a spectacular Havana bar in the 30's. Ernest Hemingway was a regular with his pal, Joe Russell who was the owner of another Sloppy Joe's Bar in Cayo Hueso, a name Hemingway had suggested in honor to Mr. Garcia, the owner, who ran his business very messy and careless at first, hence the name of Sloppy Joe. A sandwich served here, made of shredded beef "ropa vieja”, was worldwide known as Sloppy Joe´s. It was also a very popular place for having the longest mahogany drinks cabinet of Cuba.
  • Fábrica de Arte Cubano Fábrica de Arte Cubano is one of Havana’s finest new art projects, an interactive place for live music, art expos, fashion shows. This converted cooking-oil factory in Vedado founded by Cuban fusion musician X-Alfonso in 2014 is a cultural-social project which aims at supporting and promoting young artists work from all art expressions such as cinema, music, dance, theatre, plastic arts, literature, photography, fashion and graphic design.
  • Viñales Valley Viñales valley and a section of this Mountain Range where it is located became in 1999 a National Park and was declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site in the category of Cultural landscape. This overwhelming landscape houses 17 botanical species and 47 archeological sites, most of them related to aboriginal communities and runaway African slaves. It features unique gigantic limestone hillocks, mogotes, honeycombed with cavities which resemble a huge church organ, therefore the name Sierra de los Organos, Organs Mountain Range.
  • Indian´s CaveThis cave discovered in 1920, lies in the San Vicente Valley. The first part of the tour here is on foot and then a motorboat takes visitors through a river which runs inside the cave. It´s plenty of gorgeous stalactites and stalagmites, some of which resemble animals, ships, skull, etc.
  • Pre History Mural Located at Dos Hermanas Valley, this spectacular Mural (120 meters high and 160 meters long) was painted by Leovigildo Gonzáles Morillo who was Chief Cartographer of the Cuban Academy of Science. The face of a limestone hillock features the history of local evolution from ammonites to Hommo Sapiens.
  • Runaway slave refugeIn the depths of San Miguel´s cave, there is a Palenque, run away refuge, which houses a museum now. Cimarrones were runaway slaves who hid in the mountains or forests to avoid those whose job it was to capture them alive or dead. These fugitives organized frequent revolts which were almost inevitably suppressed with bloodshed.
  • Mogotes They are among the most ancient rocks in Cuba and all what remains of a limestone plateau. Over a period lasting millions of years, underground aquifers eroded the softer limestone giving rise to large caverns whose ceiling later collapsed. Only the hard lime stone pillars, mogotes, were left standing. They are covered with thick vegetation where some endemic plant species have adapted to life on their craggy crevices.
  • Tobacco farmingIn Cuba, the process of tobacco growing is the result of age old expertise handed down to generations. Tobacco plants are very delicate and need skilful handling. There two types: Corojo, grown in green houses, which has the finest leaves, selected as the cigar´s wrapper, and Criollo, which grows outdoors and provides the cigar´s filler and its binder. Harvesting tobacco is a laborious operation. The leaves are tied in bunches and put to dry in sheds hanging on horizontal poles. Humidification is a hydrating process carried out after the drying so that the leaves do not dry out.
  • Zapata Swamp Located to the South of Matanzas, it´s one of Cuba´s most unique spots where several ecosystems can be found. Named after the landowner who was granted the land by the Spanish crown in 1636, it is one of the least populated areas of the island and mostly consists of a huge swamp, one of the most complete wildlife reserves in the Caribbean, rich in birds and animals, and the area around the Treasure Lake has been designated a national park.
  • GuamáLocated at the Zapata Peninsula, declared by UNESCO a Reserve of the Biosphere, Guamá features a replica of a pre Columbian Taino Village which shows aboriginal´s lifestyle through 25 amazing sculptures by the Cuban artist Rita Longa. It is also home to a holiday resort built on ten islands on the Treasure Lake. This village is named after Guamá, a native warrior who resisted the Spanish conquistadors and the only way to get there is by boat.
  • Fish Cave It is a natural pool (cenote), 70 m deep, lying along a fault line. It is an ideal spot for scuba diving and snorkeling.
  • Crocodile BreedingFounded in 1962 to safeguard 16 endangered species of reptiles, this is the largest crocodile farm in Cuba and includes thousands of animals kept in separate pools according to size and age. Visitors can watch and photograph crocodiles from an observation point overlooking one of the ponds.
  • Cienfuegos City Founded in 1819, it is a maritime town with well-preserved historical buildings and one of the most captivating bays in the Caribbean Sea which helped the city earn the name “Pearl of the South”. The town was planned according to geometric layout typical of Neo Classicism, compact constructions and stylistic homogeneity. Martí Park and the surrounding buildings, Prado promenade, the city´s seafront, Valle´s Palace and Punta Gorda are a must for any visitor.
  • Tómas Terry TheaterThis theater was built in 1886-90 to fulfill the last will and testament of Tomás Terry Adams, a sugar factory owner. World famous personalities such as Italian Tenor Enrico Caruso, French actress Sarah Bernhardt performed here in the early 1900´s. The austere well-proportioned façade shows three ceramic masks “Three Graces” on the pediment made by Salvatti workshops in Venice.
  • Ferrer´s Palace It was built in the early 1900´s by the sugar magnate José Ferrer Sirés and houses today the Provincial Culture Center. Enrico Caruso is said to stay here when he performed at the theatre. It is distinguished by its cupola with blue mosaic decoration and the wrought iron spiral staircase.
  • Purísima Concepción CathedralIt was constructed 1833-1869 and features a Neo Classical façade with two bell towers of different heights and stained glass windows made in France depicting the Twelve Apostles.
  • Valle´s Palace The most amazing building in the area, located in Punta Gorda, was a wedding gift of Acisclo del Valle Blanco, one of the wealthiest sugar merchants in Cuba, to his wife. It was built in 1913-1917 at a cost of 1.5 million pesos by French, Arab, Italian and Cuban architects. The facade has three towers of different designs symbolizing power, religion and love.
  • José Martí ParkA large nautical rose in the middle of the park marks the zero kilometer, the central point of Cienfuegos city where it was founded in 1819 laying out the city´s first 25 blocks. This park along with the surrounding buildings, the historical center of the city, was declared World Heritage Site in 2005. The only triumphal arch in Cuba and two lions on marble pedestal flanking a monument of Jose Martí stand in the park.
  • Punta GordaAt the southern tip of the bay of Cienfuegos lies Punta Gorda, the aristocratic quarter of the city in the early 1900´s which affords a lovely panoramic view of the bay. Several wooden Art Nouveau villas were modelled here on the American pre-fabricated “balloon frame” homes that were so much in vogue in the early 20th century.
  • Trinidad CityFounded by Diego Velazquez in 1514, it was declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site in 1988. This city flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries thanks to sugar cane and slave trade, reflected in the buildings around the Main Square. The original cobble stone streets and pastel colored houses give the impression that time has scarcely moved on since colonial times. Trinidad offers a wide variety of architectural details such as red tile roofs, wooden beams, ornamental wrought iron grates and high windows which set slightly above ground level having strong wooden shutters.
  • Parochial Church of Santísima TrinidadThis 1892 built church with Neo Classical façade has four aisle interior and a Neo Gothic altar dedicated to the Virgin of Mercy. But the real attraction of this place is an 18th century wooden statue “Lord of the True Cross” made in Spain for a church in Vera Cruz which left Barcelona´s port in 1731 but three times the ship was driven by strong winds to the port of Casilda, 6 km from Trinidad. On its fourth attempt to reach Mexico the ship´s captain decided to leave behind part of the cargo which included the statue of Christ. Locals believed this was a signal from heaven becoming an object of worship.
  • Church and Convent of Saint Francis of AssisiThis church was built by Franciscan monks in the late 18th century. The authorities transformed the monastery into a garrison for the Spanish army during the 1890´s. The convent and part of the church were demolished because of its deteriorated condition, only the bell tower and its clock are still standing along with adjacent buildings, which were used as school. The complex became the home of the Museum of the War against Bandits.
  • Cantero´s PalaceThis building was commissioned by Mariano Borrell Padrón and bought later by María de Monserrate who married Cantero, a landowner from the Sugar Mills Valley, who transformed it into one of the most sumptuous Neo Classical residences of Trinidad. It is now the Municipal Museum of History where local history can be traced here through exhibits, maps and monuments related to different themes: the Cantero family, piracy, the plantations of the Sugar Mills Valley the slave trade and the wars of independence. The tower has a commanding view of the historic center.
  • Iznaga´s HouseThis building belonged to the sugar magnate Saturnino Sánchez Iznaga and is now the home of the Museum of Colonial Architecture. It covers the different architectural elements seen in Trinidad and illustrates the building techniques used during the colonial period. There is a collection of several locks, latches, doors, hinges, windows and grates.
  • Brunet´s PalaceBuilt in 1812 as the residence of the wealthy Borrel family, it now houses the Romantic Museum whose decoration blends in well with the objects on display, most of which belonged to this family. It features precious wood furniture, Sevres vases, Bohemian crystal ware and other decorative objects from the 18th and 19th century.
  • Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de la Popa HermitageThis small 18th century church on a hill north of the center is connected to the Main Square by a narrow steep street. The striking three arch bell tower loggia was added in 1812, when work was done to the church to repair the damage done by a cyclone.
  • La CancháncharaThis 18th century building is known for a local traditional cocktail “Canchánchara”, made from rum, lemon, water and honey. This drink helped Cuban rebels “Mambises” to bear the cold weather and different respiratory diseases out in the fields during the independence wars in the 19th century. .
  • Jigüe SquareThis is the city´s foundational site where Bartolomé de las Casas celebrated the first ecclesiastic mass in Trinidad in 1514 and where a Jigue tree still stands.
  • House of ConspiratorsThis nice looking house, built in the early 18th century, with a wooden balcony on the corner was the meeting place for local nationalist members of the Conspiracy “Mina de la Rosa Cubana” in 1848.
  • The Che Guevara MausoleumThe Che Guevara Mausoleum is a memorial in Santa Clara, Cuba, located in "Plaza Che Guevara" (Che Guevara Square). It houses the remains of the revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara and twenty-nine of his fellow combatants killed in 1967 during Guevara's attempt to spur an armed uprising in Bolivia.

Highlights