Central Cuba

Discover Central Cuba

Located very close to the Caribbean Sea on the south coast of central Cuba, approximately 6 hour’s drive from Havana, lies the UNESCO World Heritage colonial city of Trinidad. Similar in size to a typical UK market town, it nestles proudly between the coastline and the impressive Escambray Mountains.

With the chance to combine history, culture, music and dance, it’s one of Cuba’s highlights and must see location for a few night’s stay. In the nearby mountains and along the Caribbean coast you can enjoy a range of experiences such as cycling, walking, horse riding, fishing, and diving. Alternatively, you can relax on the fabulous Caribbean beach, only ten minutes from the centre.

Founded in 1514, Trinidad became a major centre for trading sugar and slaves for almost 200 years, and the wealth generated by the landowners during this region’s dark past is reflected in the ornate colonial architecture found in the region. Described as a living museum, the centre is home to several lovely squares, churches and museums that can easily be explored on foot. There is also a growing local market scene, and private art galleries and delightful, original handicrafts on sale, all made by creative local folk.

For the history buffs, the small centre offers a choice of small museums. These including the Romantic Museum, housed in a mansion house that recreates the lifestyle of the wealthy sugar merchants through their furnishings and homes. The City Museum also provides an insight into life in Cuba during more opulent times.

Cuba’s intriguing revolutionary history can be revisited in the small museum called La Lucha Contra Los Bandidos, which covers the fight against the anti-Revolutionaries in the nearby Escambray mountains in the 1960s. The highlight of this museum is the chance to climb the steps to the top of Cuba’s iconic bell tower, for wonderful views across the colonial rooftops to the mountains and ocean.

In the evening, Trinidad offers a vibrant and growing selection of lively venues to enjoy music and dancing. The Casa de la Trova and Casa de la Musica feature local live music almost nightly, and are both popular with locals and visitors alike. There are a growing number of excellent and varied private restaurants and bars offering everything from fine dining, classic Cuban dishes, tapas, and light bites.

The Escambray Mountains form a picturesque backdrop to the north of Trinidad and these extensive forest-covered mountains reach up to over 960 metres in height. Nestling in the mountains are tiny farms and rural communities, where life is so different, even from those in nearby Trinidad. It’s possible to visit the local farms on walking trails, as well as enjoy picturesque waterfalls and natural swimming pools. 

Within 10 minutes drive from the city, the sugar-white beaches at Playa Ancon offer the chance to spend some time relaxing and swimming in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. There are a small number of hotels on the beach, allowing the chance to stay a few nights beachside, whilst also enjoying Trinidad and the local area.

The local marina offers catamaran cruises to peaceful local uninhabited islands, snorkelling over coral reefs as well as deep sea fishing and scuba diving.

Cienfuegos is a small, picturesque city overlooking a large bay on the Caribbean sea, and it served as a refuge against storms for explorers and pirates in centuries past. Initially settled in by French colonialists, Cienfuegos became one of the chief seaports of the Cuban sugar, coffee, and tobacco trades. This rich and culturally diverse heritage has left an eclectic legacy of French-influenced colonial and neo-classical style buildings in this UNESCO World Heritage city. The beautiful bay, historic buildings, and harbour-front Malecón promenade make it a worthwhile city to explore for 1 or 2 nights.

The Punta Gorda area of Cienfuegos is a narrow headland overlooking the bay and here you can find many excellent private restaurants and boutique private accommodation. The Palacio Del Valle is a beautiful old Moorish-style palace, with a delightful roof terrace perfect for sunsets.

Within a short drive of Cienfuegos are the foothills of the Escambray Mountains, including the picturesque El Nicho waterfalls which are a very popular place to visit and swim. Cienfuegos boasts one of the largest botanical gardens in the Americas on the outskirts of the city, and another hidden gem is the Guanaroca Lagoon, a popular habitat for large “flamboyances” of flamingos.

Sancti Spiritus is located just over 1hour from the much-visited city of Trinidad and is a little gem for those seeking a typical and authentic Cuban experience. Interestingly Sancti Spiritus uniquely boasts a river running through it and a 200-year-old bridge, one of the oldest in Cuba. With a peaceful central square, some cobbled lanes, the river, the Colonial Art Museum, and authentic Cuban street life, there is enough to enjoy for an overnight stay.

Santa Clara is most famous for being the final resting place of the globally iconic revolutionary Ernesto “Che“ Guevara and for playing a pivotal role in the final stage of the Cuban Revolution.  On December 31, 1958, revolutionary forces led in part by Che Guevara attacked and de-railed a Government arms train. This was the decisive moment in the revolution and Batista fled the country a few hours later.

The revolutionaries, led by Fidel Castro seized power and started a new era in Cuban history that exists to this day. Part of the train is still on display in the city and there is also a huge memorial where Che Guevara and other revolutionaries rest in the city’s Plaza de la Revolución, both locations offer a fascinating insight into Cuban history.

Although Santa Clara lacks the beauty of nearby Trinidad, it boasts its own pleasant colonial centre and is an interesting place to stay for a night or two. With a strong student presence in the city, there are a growing number of very affordable small bars and local restaurants, serving creative home-cooked dishes. 

Santa Clara is an ideal base from which to explore Lake Hanabanilla nestling in the Escambray mountains, which can be reached by car. Boats are available to take visitors on very panoramic journeys across the lake, where at different points there are trails into the forests.

Remedios lies 1 hour’s drive north of Santa Clara and is one of Cuba’s oldest settlements, founded by the Spanish around 1513. Remedios receives a small trickle of international visitors and is a great place to spend some time in an authentic and sleepy colonial Cuban town. The centre focuses on the small square called Plaza Marti overlooked by the Parroquial Mayor de San Juan Bautista church, with its unique 13 gold altars that for centuries had been hidden by white paint.

Every December the town has a huge firework festival, possibly the Caribbean’s oldest traditional festivity. It symbolises the efforts made by priests for the local population to attend church and has manifested itself into today’s unique celebration that takes place between the 16th to the 26th of December, with the main celebration on the evening of the 24th December.

On Christmas Eve a fierce competition between two neighbourhoods of Remedios takes place. Fireworks, flags, music, dance, and a parade of floats characterise the festival with food and drink stalls. For visitors who cannot attend the festival, the small Museum of Parrandas exhibits photos, documents, and a history of the event.

With a handful of picturesque, boutique-style hotels, and an abundance of welcoming Casas Particulares, there is certainly enough to see and enjoy in Remedios for an overnight stay.