Tucked inside a broad bay enfolded by mountains, Baracoa sits at the far northeast corner of Cuba. It was founded in 1511 as the island’s first settlement and capital. When governor Velázquez moved to Santiago, a long period of isolation set in. Locals claim that the Bahía de Miel was the site of Columbus’ first landing in Cuba in 1492, and that the flat-topped mountain he described is El Yunque, which rises behind Baracoa. Lined with wooden houses in local style, the town now buzzes with tourists, and is particularly popular with independent travelers.
NEED TO KNOW
Fuerte Matachín • Calle Martí • 21 64 2122 • 8am–noon, 2–6pm Mon–Sat, 8am–noon Sun • Adm: CUC$1 
Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción • Plaza Independencia • 21 64 3352 • 8–11am, 4–7pm Mon–Fri, 8–11am, 5–9pm Sat, 8am–noon SunMuseo Arqueológico • 8am–5pm daily • Adm: CUC$3; cameras CUC$1 - If you are curious to see the endangered rodent-like jutía and insect-eating almique, head to the Parque Zoológico, which lies 4 miles (6 km) east of the town.
- The colorful El Poeta is a great place to try local food, served in an unusual style.
1.Fuerte Matachín
Guarding the eastern entrance to town, this tiny fortress contains a museum that traces the history of Baracoa and a collection of polymitas – colored snails particular to the region.
Coloured snail on display at Fuerte Matachín
2.Bahía de Baracoa
This flask-shaped bay to the west of town is lined by a gray-sand beach, backed by thickly forested Alturas de Baracoa mountains.
Bahía de Baracoa
3.Plaza Independencia
This small plaza has a bust of the heroic Indian leader Hatüey in front of the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, where you can see a wooden cross said to have been brought to Cuba by Columbus.
Plaza Independencia
4.Museo Arqueológico
Full of fascinating dripstone formations, the Cueva de Paraíso hosts an archaeological museum with Taíno Indian artifacts and a funerary cave displaying skeletons.
5.Hotel El Castillo
Built to repel the British, the Castillo de Seboruco fortress now houses a hotel (for further details see Hotel El Castillo, Baracoa) with sensational views.
6.Regional Cuisine
Baracoa is known for its cuisine based on creative uses of coconut, such as the cucurucho, a coconut dessert mixed with fruits and honey.
7.El Yunque
An anvil-shaped mountain formation, El Yunque rises above lush rainforests that provide an ideal habitat for rare species of flora and fauna.
El Yunque
8.Punta Maisí
Accessed via a paved mountain road, this most easterly point of the island of Cuba is marked by a lighthouse, built in 1862. On a clear day, it is possible to see Haiti from here.
Punta Maisí
9.Hiking
Guided hikes into the rainforests to the south of town lead into the mountains. Birders still hope to spot the ivory-billed woodpecker, threatened by extinction.
10.Playa Duaba
This black-sand beach west of Baracoa features a monument to General Antonio Maceo, who landed here in 1895 and fought the first battle of the War of Independence.
POLYMITAS
The polymita genus of snail, endemic to the Baracoa region, is remarkable for its multi-colored shell with a whorled pattern. Each snail has a unique pattern and color. With a dwindling population, the polymita is now endangered. You are advised not to buy any shells offered for sale.
