Trinidad & Sancti Spíritus Province
Trinidad
Playa Ancon & Around
Valle de los Ingenios
Topes de Collantes
Sancti Spiritus
Northern Sancti Spiritus Province
Trinidad & Sancti Spíritus Province
%41 / Pop 466,106
Why Go?
2014 was a big year for Sancti Spíritus province. Its two main colonial towns both celebrated their 500th anniversaries amid much publicity, partying and cleaning up of important public buildings. It was proof that this small but well-endowed province guards what is arguably Cuba’s most precious historical legacy. Trinidad, thanks to careful preservation efforts, is considered one of the most intact colonial towns in the Americas, while Sancti Spíritus (the city) has a more intangible, crumbling allure.
Complementing its historical depth, Sancti Spíritus province boasts beaches – Playa Ancón is a stunner, easily the best on Cuba’s underwhelming south coast – and mountains. Within mirror-glinting distance of Trinidad lies the haunting Escambray, which, with a network of decent trails, is Cuba’s best hiking area. The rest of the province hides a surprisingly varied cache of oft-overlooked curiosities, including lightly trodden ecoparks, a seminal museum to guerrilla icon Camilo Cienfuegos, and the Unesco-protected Bahía de Buenavista.
When to Go
ATrinidadians don’t wait long after Christmas to rediscover their celebratory style. The Semana de la Cultura Trinitaria (Trinidad Culture Week) takes place during the second week of January and coincides with the city’s anniversary.
AThe quiet month of May is a good time to visit this province, as you can avoid both crowds and bad weather during the off-season.
AStick around until June and you’ll witness Trinidad’s second big annual shindig, the Fiestas Sanjuaneras, a local carnival where rum-fueled horsemen gallop through the streets. Take cover!
Best Hikes
Best Natural Swimming Pools
Sancti Spíritus Province Highlights
1 Visit museums and recline in colonial comfort in one of 90+ new restaurants in time-warped Trinidad.
2 Climb the tower at the Manaca Iznaga for a killer view of the Unesco-listed Valle de los Ingenios.
3 Stroll without an itinerary around the recently beautified streets of Sancti Spíritus city.
4 Explore woodland, waterfalls and war history in the Jobo Rosado Reserve.
5 Rent a house in La Boca and stroll the sands of Playa Ancón.
6 Hike down to the Salto del Caburní and jump into a frigid natural bathing pool.
7 Go horseback riding in the cowboy-inhabited countryside around Trinidad.
Trinidad
Pop 52,896
The first sound in the morning is the clip-clop of horses' hooves on the cobbled streets followed by the cries of old men selling bread from bicycles (El pan! El pan!). Open your eyes, gaze up at the high wooden louvers of your 200-year-old colonial room, and try to convince yourself you’re in the 21st century.
Trinidad is one-of-a-kind, a perfectly preserved Spanish colonial settlement where the clocks stopped ticking in 1850 and – apart from the tourists – have yet to restart. Built on huge sugar fortunes amassed in the adjacent Valle de los Ingenios during the early 19th century, the riches of the town's pre–War of Independence heyday are still very much in evidence in illustrious colonial-style mansions bedecked with Italian frescoes, Wedgwood china and French chandeliers.
Declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1988, Trinidad's secrets quickly became public property, and it wasn't long before busloads of visitors started arriving to sample the beauty of Cuba's oldest and most enchanting 'outdoor museum.' Yet tourism has done little to deaden Trinidad's gentle southern sheen. The town retains a quiet, almost soporific air in its rambling cobbled streets replete with leather-faced guajiros (country folk), snorting donkeys and melodic, guitar-wielding troubadours.
Ringed by sparkling natural attractions, Trinidad is more than just a potential PhD thesis for history buffs. Twelve kilometers to the south lies platinum-blond Playa Ancón, the south coast's best beach, while looming 18km to the north the purple-hued shadows of the Sierra del Escambray (Escambray Mountains) offer a lush adventure playground.
With its Unesco tag and a steady stream of overseas visitors, Trinidad, not surprisingly, has an above-average quota of prowling jineteros (hustlers), though mostly they're more annoying than aggressive.
History
In 1514 pioneering conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar founded La Villa de la Santísima Trinidad on Cuba's south coast, the island's third settlement after Baracoa and Bayamo. In 1518 Velázquez' former secretary, Hernán Cortés, passed through the town recruiting mercenaries for his all-conquering expedition to Mexico, and the settlement was all but emptied of its original inhabitants. Over the ensuing 60 years it was left to a smattering of the local Taíno people to keep the ailing economy alive through a mixture of farming, cattle-rearing and a little outside trade.
Reduced to a small rural backwater by the 17th century and cut off from the colonial authorities in Havana by dire communications, Trinidad became a haven for pirates and smugglers who conducted a lucrative illegal slave trade with British-controlled Jamaica.
Things began to change in the early 19th century when the town became the capital of the Departamento Central, and hundreds of French refugees fleeing a slave rebellion in Haiti arrived, setting up more than 50 small sugar mills in the nearby Valle de los Ingenios. Sugar soon replaced leather and salted beef as the region's most important product; by the mid-19th century the area around Trinidad was producing a third of Cuba's sugar.
The boom ended rather abruptly during the Independence Wars, when the surrounding sugar plantations were devastated by fire and fighting. The industry never fully recovered. By the late 19th century the focus of the sugar trade had shifted to Cienfuegos and Matanzas provinces, and Trinidad slipped into an economic coma. The tourist renaissance began in the 1950s, when President Batista passed a preservation law that recognized the town's historical value. In 1965 the town was declared a national monument, and in 1988 it became a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Trinidad
1Top Sights
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
3Entertainment
7Shopping
1Sights
In Trinidad, all roads lead to Plaza Mayor , the town's remarkably peaceful main square, located at the heart of the casco histórico (old town) and ringed by a quartet of impressive buildings.
oMuseo Histórico MunicipalMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Simón Bolívar No 423; admission CUC$2; 
h9am-5pm Sat-Thu)
For Trinidad's showpiece museum look no further than this grandiose structure just off Plaza Mayor, a mansion that belonged to the Borrell family from 1827 to 1830. Later the building passed to a German planter named Kanter, or Cantero, and it's still called Casa Cantero.
Reputedly, Dr Justo Cantero acquired vast sugar estates by poisoning an old slave trader and marrying his widow, who also suffered an untimely death. Cantero's ill-gotten wealth is well displayed in the stylish neoclassical decoration of the rooms. The view of Trinidad from the top of the tower alone is worth the price of admission. Visit before 11am, when the tour buses start rolling in.
Maqueta de TrinidadMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Colón, cnr Maceo; CUC$1; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat)
Opened in 2014 and encased in the beautifully restored Casa Frias, this scale model of Trinidad's casco histórico displays amazing attention to detail (try to pick out your casa particiuar). A resident guide will fill you in on what's what with a conductor-like stick.
Plans are afoot to turn Casa Frias into a full-on cultural center.
Iglesia Parroquial de la Santísima TrinidadCHURCH
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; h11am-12:30pm Mon-Sat)
Despite its rather unremarkable outer facade, this church on the northeastern side of Plaza Mayor graces countless Trinidad postcard views. Rebuilt in 1892 on the site of an earlier church destroyed in a storm, the church mixes 20th-century touch-ups with artifacts from as far back as the 18th century, such as the venerated Christ of the True Cross (1713), which occupies the second altar from the front to the left.
Museo RománticoMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Echerri No 52; admission CUC$2; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun)
Across Calle Simón Bolívar is the glittering Palacio Brunet. The ground floor was built in 1740, and the upstairs was added in 1808. In 1974 the mansion was converted into a museum with 19th-century furnishings, a fine collection of china and various other period pieces. Pushy museum staff may materialize out of the shadows for a tip.
The shop adjacent has a good selection of photos and books in English.
Museo de Arquitectura TrinitariaMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Ripalda No 83; admission CUC$1; h9am-5pm Sat-Thu)
Another public display of wealth sits on the southeastern side of Plaza Mayor in a museum showcasing upper-class domestic architecture of the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum is housed in buildings that were erected in 1738 and 1785 and joined in 1819. It was once the residence of the wealthy Iznaga family.
Museo de Arqueología GuamuhayaMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Simón Bolívar No 457; admission CUC$1; h9am-5pm Tue-Sat)
On the northwestern side of Plaza Mayor is this odd mix of stuffed animals, native bones and vaguely incongruous 19th-century kitchen furniture. Given a radical rethink for the 2014 anniversary, it's now in far better shape.
Galería de ArteART GALLERY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Rubén Martínez Villena & Simón Bolívar; h9am-4:30pm Mon-Sat)
F
Admission is completely free at the 19th-century Palacio Ortiz, which today houses an art gallery on the southeastern side of Plaza Mayor. Worth a look for its quality local art, particularly the embroidery, pottery and jewelry. There's also a pleasant courtyard.
Casa Templo de Santería YemayáMUSEUM, LANDMARK
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; R Martínez Villena No 59, btwn Simón Bolívar & Piro Guinart; hhours vary)F
No Santería museum can replicate the ethereal spiritual experience of Regla de Ocha (also known as Santería, Cuba's main religion of African origin), though this house has a try with a Santería altar to Yemayá, Goddess of the Sea, laden with myriad offerings of fruit, water and stones.
The house is presided over by santeros (priests of Santería), who'll emerge from the back patio and surprise you with some well-rehearsed tourist spiel. On the goddess' anniversary, March 19, ceremonies are performed day and night.
Museo Nacional de la Lucha Contra BandidosMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Echerri No 59; admission CUC$1; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun)
Perhaps the most recognizable building in Trinidad is the dilapidated pastel-yellow bell tower of the former convent of San Francisco de Asís. Since 1986 the building has housed a museum with photos, maps, weapons and other objects relating to the struggle against the various counterrevolutionary bands that took a leaf out of Fidel's book and operated illicitly out of the Sierra del Escambray between 1960 and 1965.
The fuselage of a US U-2 spy plane shot down over Cuba is also on display. You can climb the bell tower for good views.
Iglesia de Santa AnaCHURCH
( GOOGLE MAP ; Plaza Santa Ana, Camilo Cienfuegos)
Grass grows around the domed bell tower, and the arched doorways were bricked up long ago, but the shell of this ruined church (1812) defiantly remains. Looming like a time-worn ecclesiastical stencil, it looks ghostly after dark.
Plaza Santa AnaPLAZA
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Camilo Cienfuegos; h11am-10pm)
Located on the eponymous square, which delineates Trinidad's northeastern reaches, is a former Spanish prison (1844) that has been converted into the Plaza Santa Ana tourist center. The complex includes an art gallery, handicraft market, ceramics shop, bar and restaurant.
Taller AlfareroPOTTERY
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Andrés Berro No 51, btwn Pepito Tey & Abel Santamaría; h8am-noon & 2-5pm Mon-Fri)F
Trinidad is known for its pottery. In this large factory, teams of workers make trademark Trinidad ceramics from local clay using a traditional potter's wheel. You can watch them at work and buy the finished product.
2City Walk
Photogenic Trinidad
START Plaza Mayor
END Casa Templo de Santería Yemayá
LENGTH 2km
In Trinidad, soft evening sunlight, striking colonial architecture and street scenes that have more in common with the 1850s than the 2010s conspire to create an ideal prowling ground for photographers.
Early evening, when the sunlight is less intense and the shadows longer, is a good time to undertake this walk. Start in 1Plaza Mayor, the colonial square that features in a thousand different postcards. With local life continuing at a lazy pace around you, there’s always a new way of snapping it with the 2Iglesia Parroquial de la Santísima Trinidad as backdrop.
The classic shot is looking northwest along cobbled Calle Echerri past colonial edifices to the tower of the 3Convento de San Francisco de Asís. Walk a block northwest and try to capture the small sunlit 4park opposite the convent with some human silhouettes. At the end of Echerri, stand back from the 5T-junction with Calle Ciro Redondo and wait…and wait. Something interesting will pass at the end of the street – a horse, a 1951 Plymouth, a bicycle.
Turn right on Ciro Redondo, left on Calle Juan Manuel Márquez and wander toward the shabbier, no less photogenic 6Barrio Los Tres Cruces. Slices of Trinidadian life play out here. Look out for ladies in curlers, cowboys, people dragging pigs, kids playing stickball in the neighborhood’s 7plaza, and old men sitting in doorways. A row of rainbow-colored, single-story 8houses in Calle Juan Manuel Márquez are given extra luminescence by the slanting evening sun. On Calle Samuel Feijó, horses and riders often congregate with the shadowy Sierra del Escambray looming behind them. More street life awaits back on Calle Ciro Redondo. Strike up a conversation, flash a smile and capture the moment. Outside the iconic 9Taberna la Canchánchara there’s nearly always a 1958 Chevy being used as a communal seat, or perhaps a baseball backstop. Pass the aCasa Templo de Santería Yemayá dedicated to the orisha (Yoruba god) of the sea. With dusk falling you’re back in Plaza Mayor.
2Activities
Ride a bike to one of Cuba's outstanding beaches, work up a sweat on a couple of DIY hikes, or get a different perspective astride a horse.
Trinidad to Playa AncónCYCLING
The bicycle ride to Playa Ancón is a great outdoor adventure, and once there you can snorkel, catch some rays or use the swimming pool or Ping-Pong table. The best route by far is via the small seaside village of La Boca (18km one way).
Cerro de la VigíaHIKING
For views and a workout, walk straight up Calle Simón Bolívar between the Iglesia Parroquial and the Museo Romántico to the destroyed 18th-century Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de la Popa, part of a former Spanish military hospital now occupied by a new luxury hotel.
From here it's a 30-minute hike further up the hill to the radio transmitter atop 180m-high Cerro de la Vigía, which delivers broad vistas of Trinidad, the Valle de los Ingenios and the Caribbean littoral.
Parque el CubanoHIKING
( GOOGLE MAP ; admission CUC$9)
This pleasant spot within a protected park consists of a ranchón (farm)-style restaurant that specializes in pez gato (catfish), a fish farm and a 3.6km trail, the Huellas de la História, to the refreshing Javira Waterfall. There are also stables and opportunities for horseback riding. If you hike to El Cubano from Trinidad, you'll clock up a total of approximately 16km.
With a stop for lunch in the ranchón, it can make an excellent day trip. Alternatively, for CUC$17 you can organize an excursion with Cubatur, including motor transport. To get to the park, hike west out of town on the Cienfuegos road. Pass the 'Welcome to Trinidad' sign and cross a bridge over the Río Guaurabo. A track on your left now leads back under the bridge and up a narrow, poorly paved road for 5km to Parque el Cubano.
Closer to town is the Finca Ma Dolores (%41-99-64-81; Carretera de Cienfuegos, Km 1.5), a rustic Cubanacán hotel that hosts sporadic fiestas campesinas (country fairs).
Centro Ecuestre DianaHORSEBACK RIDING
(%41-99-36-73; www.trinidadphoto.com)
S
This unique equestrian center is run out of a finca (farm) on the edge of town, but aspiring riders should inquire first with owner Julio at Casa Muñoz in the casco histórico. The finca is also a rescue center for maltreated and ill horses. Julio set up Project Diana a few years ago to promote better equine care and educate local people in humane horse-training techniques.
Various horse-related activities are offered, including nature excursions and riding lessons, but the highlight is the opportunity to see Julio use his horse-whispering techniques to pacify wild, untrained horses. The huge traditional campesino (country person) food spread offered at the finca has to be tasted to be believed. Prices are €26/30 for individual/group excursions. Helmets are included for no extra charge.
CCourses
Las Ruinas del Teatro BrunetDRUMMING, DANCE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Antonio Maceo No 461, btwn Simón Bolívar & Zerquera; lessons per hr from CUC$5 )
The roofless ruins of an 1840-vintage theater is now an entertainment space where you can take drumming and dance lessons (inquire within for times).
ParadisoCULTURAL
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.paradiso.cu; General Lino Pérez No 306, Casa ARTex)
Paradiso in Casa Fischer has incorporated a number of interesting courses into its cultural program, including Cuban architecture (CUC$20), Afro-Cuban culture (CUC$20), artes plásticas (visual arts; CUC$20) and popular music (CUC$20). These courses last four hours and are taught by cultural specialists.
The courses require a minimum number of six to 10 people, but you can always negotiate. There are also percussion lessons for CUC$5 an hour and courses in Spanish language or Cuban culture for CUC$5 an hour.
TTours
With its sketchy public transport and steep road gradients making cycling arduous, it's easiest to visit the extensive natural park of Topes de Collantes on a day tour. A tour to Topes by state taxi shouldn't cost more than CUC$35 including wait time; bargain hard. Cubatur (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Antonio Maceo No 447; h9am-8pm), just outside the casco histórico, organizes a variety of hiking and nature trips for between CUC$23 and CUC$43 per person.
Paradiso offers the best-value day tour to the Valle de los Ingenios (CUC$9 per person), and an artist-studio tour in Trinidad (CUC$10 per person).
Guided walking tours of Trinidad organized by the City Historian's Office run from the Maqueta de Trinidad daily for CUC$5.
Trinidad TravelsHIKING, HORSE RIDING
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %52-82-37-26; www.trinidadtravels.com; Antonio Maceo No 613A)
One of the best private guides is English- and Italian-speaking Reinier at Trinidad Travels, who leads all kinds of excursions, including hiking in the Sierra del Escambray and horseback riding in the nearby countryside. Salsa and Spanish lessons are also offered. He's based at Casa de Victor.
zFestivals & Events
Semana Santa (Holy Week) is important in Trinidad, and on Good Friday thousands of people form a procession.
4Sleeping
Trinidad has, at a guesstimate, 500 casas particulares, meaning competition is hot. Arriving by bus or walking the streets with luggage, you'll be besieged by jineteros (hustlers) working for commissions, or by the casa owners themselves. With so many beautiful homes and hospitable families renting, there's no reason to be rushed. Take your time and shop around.
A boutique five-star hotel, Pansea Trinidad, run by the French Accor group was due to open in 2015. The much stalled project will integrate part of the Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de la Popa, the ruins of a church dating from the mid-18th century, into the hotel building.
oCasa Muñoz – Julio & RosaCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-36-73; www.trinidadphoto.com; José Martí No 401, cnr Escobar; d/tr/q CUC$35/40/45; 
p
a)
Julio is an accomplished published photographer who runs workshops and courses out of his stunning colonial home on documentary photography, religion and life in Cuba's new economic reality (see the website for details). He's also a horse whisperer – his beautiful mare lives out back along with his three dogs and Russian Moskvich.
There are three huge rooms here and a separate duplex apartment (CUC$45 to CUC$65). Delicious food is served on a ground-floor patio or 1st-floor terrace. All the family speak English. Book early – it's insanely popular (licensed US people-to-people groups often come here).
Nelson Fernández RodríguezCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-38-49; Piro Guinart No 226, btwn Maceo & Gustavo Izquierdo; r CUC$25-30; a)
Nelson's place above the lovely El Dorado restaurant bears all the hallmarks of a fine Trinidadian homestay – lush patio, romantic terrace and Unesco-standard colonial splendor. Four rooms are available.
Hostal ColinaCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-23-19; Antonio Maceo No 374, btwn General Lino Pérez & Colón; r CUC$25-35; a)
Another place that leaves you struggling for superlatives. Although the house dates from the 1830s, it's got a definitive modern touch, giving you the feeling of being in a plush Mexican hacienda. Three pastel-yellow rooms give out onto a patio where you can sit at the plush wooden bar and catch mangoes and avocados as they fall from the trees.
Casa Gil LemesCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-31-42; José Martí No 263, btwn Colón & Zerquera; r CUC$25; a)
This casa was one of Trinidad's first (and was listed in Lonely Planet's first edition Cuba guidebook in 1997). Cast an eye over the noble arches in the front room and the religious statues, and save some breath (yes, you'll gasp) for the patio and fountain, a unique array of pots and sea serpents. Get in early for this one – there's only one room.
Hostal José & FatimaCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-66-82; Zerquera No 159, btwn Frank País & Pettersen; CUC$30-35; a)
Highly popular casa with all the colonial trimmings including a terrace. The helpful hosts can hook you up with many local activities.
El RústicoCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-30-24; Juan Manuel Márquez No 54A, btwn Piro Guinart & Simón Bolívar; r CUC$25-30; a)
Five rooms available in two adjacent houses below the popular El Criollo restaurant. Fittings are clean and modern and there's plenty of communal space. It's one cobbled block from Plaza Mayor.
Casa de VictorCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-64-44; Maceo, btwn Piro Guinart & P Pichs Girón; r CUC$20-30; a)
Handy to the bus station, Victor's place has three self-contained rooms that share a couple of spacious salas (living rooms), a balcony overlooking the street, and a fine rear terraza decorated rather ingeniously with the recycled ceramic pots for which Trinidad is famous.
Hostal El SuizoCASA PARTICULAR
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %53-77-28-12; P Pichs Girón No 22; CUC$25-30; pa)
Away from the hustle of the center and handily located for a quick entry or exit on the Trinidad–Cienfuegos road, this pink reader-recommended room-terrace with independent entry is run by an expat Swiss hombre and his Cuban wife. It is clean, tranquil and known for its adventurous cooking – Thai curry anyone?
Casa de AracelyCASA PARTICULAR
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-35-58; General Lino Pérez No 207, btwn Frank País & Miguel Calzada; r CUC$20-25; a)
Had enough of the colonial splendor? Head away from the tourist frenzy to General Lino Pérez, where Aracely rents two upstairs rooms with a private entrance, a very quiet flower-bedecked patio and a splendid roof terrace.
Finca Ma DoloresHOTEL
(%41-99-64-10; Carretera de Cienfuegos, Km 1.5; s/d CUC$36/60; pa
s)
Trinidad goes rustic with the out-of-town Finca Ma Dolores, 1.5km west on the road to Cienfuegos and Topes de Collantes. It's equipped with hotel-style rooms and cabins – the latter are the better option (try for one with a porch overlooking the Río Guaurabo).
On nights when groups are present, there's a fiesta campesina (country fair) with country-style Cuban folk dancing at 9:30pm (guests/nonguests free/CUC$5, including one drink). It also has a swimming pool, a ranchón restaurant, and boat and horseback-riding tours.
oIberostar Grand HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-60-70; www.iberostar.com; cnr José Martí & General Lino Pérez; s/d/ste CUC$165/220/313; a
i
W)
Look out, Habaguanex! One of a handful of Spanish-run Iberostar's Cuban hotels, the five-star Grand oozes luxury the moment you arrive in its fern-filled tile-embellished lobby. Maintaining 36 classy rooms in a remodeled 19th-century building, the Grand shies away from the standard all-inclusive tourist formula, preferring to press privacy, refinement and an appreciation of history (you are, after all, in Trinidad).
The wi-fi is free to guests – almost unheard of in Cuba.
Motel Las CuevasHOTEL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-61-33; s/d incl breakfast CUC$88/126; pas)
Perched on a hill above town, Las Cuevas is more hotel than motel, with bus tours providing the main drive-by clientele. While the setting is lush, the rooms – which are arranged in scattered two-storied units – are a little less memorable, as is the breakfast.
Value is added with a swimming pool, well-maintained gardens, panoramic views and the murky Cueva la Maravillosa, accessible down a stairway, where you'll see a huge tree growing out of a cavern (entry CUC$1). The hotel is accessed via a steep road that climbs northeast from the Iglesia de Santa Ana.
Hotel La RondaBOUTIQUE HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-61-33; José Martí No 238; s/d CUC$123/138; ai)
Renovated in 2012, the Ronda’s second incarnation is far better than its first. A modernist fountain, sharp color accents, old blown-up art nouveau photos and bolero (romantic love song) lyrics inscribed outside every room add individualistic touches to an impressive colonial whole, easily justifying the ‘boutique’ label.
BEWARE TOUTS
Trinidad's jineteros are becoming increasingly sophisticated and meddlesome for locals and tourists alike. Touts on bikes besiege travelers fresh off the buses, or divert rental cars entering the city, with tall stories about how the traveler's chosen casa particular is full or out of business. They have even been known to assume the identities of real casa owners in order to lure travelers elsewhere. If you have prebooked your casa particular, make sure you agree to meet the casa owner inside the house in question. If you haven't, feel free to stroll the streets unmolested and make your own choice. Arriving with a jinetero in tow will not only add at least CUC$5 to your room rate, but will also exacerbate a problem that has left many of Trinidad's honest casa owners unfairly out of pocket.
5Eating
Call it a tidal wave. In January 2011 there were three private restaurants in Trinidad, the same three that had been here for over a decade. Now there are over 90! Suddenly your problem is not finding one, but sifting through the raft of options.
ParaitoFAST FOOD
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-23-47; Martí No 181B, btwn Lino Pérez & Camilo Cienfuegos; snacks CUC$1-3; h11am-9pm)
Wave goodbye to weighty antiques and poorly coordinated foreign dancers and dive into this local 'dive' for cheap snacks (the fried rice is good), stand-up tables, and quick-fire Spanish gossip. Welcome to the other, nontouristy side of Trinidad.
DulcineaCAFE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Antonio Maceo & Simón Bolívar; snacks CUC$1-4; h7:30am-10pm)
The former Begonias cafe has long been a daytime nexus for Trinidad's transient backpacker crowd, meaning it's a good place to swap tips, books and jinetero stories. Reborn as a bakery and cake shop, it retains its busy street corner atmosphere, cleanish toilets, and five or six cheap – but always crowded – internet terminals (CUC$3 for 20 minutes).
Cubita RestaurantINTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Antonio Maceo No 471; mains CUC$8-15; h11am-midnight)
When great food and fine service conspire, it can be a highly pleasurable experience – and one which, until recently, had been hard to find in Trinidad. Fighting hard in a highly competitive field, La Cubita has set a fast pace with its inventive starters, complimentary salads, some wonderfully marinated brochettes and highly discreet service. It's run by Trinidad's famous ceramic-makers.
Restaurant El DoradoINTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-38-49; Piro Guinart No 226, btwn Maceo & Gustavo Izquierdo; meals CUC$7-18; hnoon-midnight)
An exquisite colonial house, meticulously polished period furniture, and highly courteous wait staff; Trinidad is full of such historic easy-on-the-eye eating establishments. But at El Dorado, the food effortlessly emulates the decor. Look forward to beef strips, well seasoned fish and grilled turkey, rounded off with some professional touches (complimentary bread basket and – if you're lucky – a comp house cocktail too).
Guitarra MiaCUBAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-34-52; Jésus Menéndez No 19 , btwn Camilo Cienfuegos & Lino Pérez; mains CUC$6-8; hnoon-midnight)
Drift a few blocks from the Centro Histórico and the prices magically get cheaper without any measurable drop in food quality. Music is the theme in this interesting nook that is never short of a quintet or passing troubadour. From the menu, the tostones (plantain pan-fried in oil) stuffed with minced crab linger longest in the memory.
Write your comments on the door (literally) on the way out.
Sol AnandaINTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-82-81; Rubén Martínez Villena No 45, cnr Simón Bolívar; mains CUC$8-15; h11am-11pm)
Fine 18th-century china, grandfather clocks, even an antique bed: Sol Ananda in Trinidad’s Plaza Mayor is, on first impressions, more museum than restaurant. Situated in one of the town’s oldest houses (dating from 1750) it tackles an ambitious cross-section of global food from traditional Cuban (excellent lamb ropa vieja) to South Asian (fish kofta and samosas).
La CeibaCUBAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; P Pichs Girón No 263; mains CUC$12; hnoon-11pm)
Set in a back patio under the boughs of a giant ceiba tree, this fledgling paladar (private restaurrant) specializes in chicken in honey and lemon sauce, and serves up Trinidad’s favorite cocktail, the canchánchara (rum, honey, lemon and water) in ceramic cups. In good old-fashioned paladar style you must walk right through the middle of the owner’s house to reach it.
Restaurante Plaza MayorCARIBBEAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Rubén Martínez Villena & Zerquera; dishes from CUC$4, buffet CUC$10; hnoon-11pm)
Trinidad's best government-run restaurant courtesy of its on-again/off-again lunchtime buffet, which ought to fill you up until dinnertime.
oVista GourmetCUBAN, INTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-67-00; Callejón de Galdos; mains CUC$12-18; hnoon-midnight)
The slickest of the town’s private restaurants is perched on a lovely terrace above Trinidad’s red-tiled rooftops and run by the charismatic sommelier Bolo. Among many novelties are the free cocktails on the 'Atardecer Forever' roof terrace.
Equally innovative is the appetizer and dessert buffet spread out invitingly on side tables – both are included in the price of your main dish (which you choose from an à la carte menu). The lechón asado (roast pork) and lobster are both recommended. Not surprisingly, the wine list is the best in town.
Self-Catering
Mercado AgropecuarioMARKET
(
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Pedro Zerquera & Manuel Fajardo; h8am-6pm Mon-Sat, to noon Sun)
Trinidad's agropecuario (vegetable market) isn't London's Covent Garden, but you should still be able to get basic fruits and vegetables.
Galería Comercial UniversoSUPERMARKET
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; José Martí, cnr Zerquera)
Mini shopping center that includes a variety of shops for most of your immediate needs including Trinidad's best (and most expensive) grocery store. Head here for yogurt, lifesaving biscuits and pharmacy goods.
6Drinking & Nightlife
oTaberna La BotijaBAR, INTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Juan Manuel Márquez, cnr Piro Guinart; h24hr)
While other restaurants send their wait staff out into the street to fish for customers, La Botija crams half the town into its lively corner bar without even trying. The key: a warm talk-to-your-neighbor atmosphere, cold beer served in ceramic mugs and the best house band in Trinidad (think jazz meets soul over a violin). The international food ain't bad either.
Café Don PepeCAFE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-35-73; Piro Guinart, cnr Martínez Villena; h8am-11pm)
Best coffee in Trinidad served in ceramic mugs with a square of Baracoan chocolate on the side. Imbibe in a colonial courtyard decorated with modern graffiti.
Casa de la MúsicaCLUB
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Calle Cristo)
One of Trinidad's (and Cuba's) classic venues, this casa is an alfresco affair that congregates on the sweeping staircase beside the Iglesia Parroquial off Plaza Mayor. A good mix of tourists and locals take in the 10pm salsa show here. Alternatively, full-on salsa concerts are held in the casa's rear courtyard (also accessible from Juan Manuel Márquez; cover CUC$2).
La FloriditaBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; General Lino Pérez No 313; h24hr)
Where the feistily local Bar Daiquiri once stood, the Trinidadian authorities have unveiled a cheap copy of Havana's much-hyped Hemingway bar, although this one – thankfully – peddles its daiquiris for a more reasonable CUC$3. A life-sized statue of the revered writer props up the bar.
La Casa de la CervezaBAR, LIVE MUSIC
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Antonio Maceo No 461, btwn Simón Bolívar & Zerquera; admission CUC$1; hnoon-midnight)
The 1840-vintage Brunet theater has been a ruin since its roof collasped in 1901. Today it serves as a beer hall and live music venue. Don't get too excited; there are no microbrews, just Cristal on tap.
Disco AyalaCLUB
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; admission CUC$10; h10pm-3am)
A slightly tacky cabaret with an indigenous theme that takes place in a cave up on the hill behind the Ermita Popa church. A frenetic disco, usually thick with jineteras, kicks off afterwards. Entry includes as many mojitos as you care to sink.
To get there follow Calle Simón Bolívar from Plaza Mayor up to the Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de la Popa. The disco is 100m further along on your left.
Bodeguita Fando BrothersBAR, RESTAURANT
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Antonio Maceo No 162B, cnr Zerquera; h24hr)
Functioning both as a snack bar and a drinking hole, Fando’s is best enjoyed in the early evening, while nursing a beer or cocktail. Unlike other private places, it’s open 24/7.
Taberna la CancháncharaBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Rubén Martínez Villena & Ciro Redondo; h10am-6pm)
This place is famous for its eponymous house cocktail made from rum, honey, lemon and water. Local musicians regularly drop by for off-the-cuff jam sessions, and it's certainly not unusual for the canchánchara-inebriated crowd to break into spontaneous dancing.
3Entertainment
Get ready for the best Cuban nightlife outside Havana.
Bar YesterdayLIVE MUSIC
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Gustavo Izquierdo, btwn Piro Guinart & Simón Bolívar; h4pm-midnight)
They've changed the beat to 4/4 time in the old Casa de la Rumba where the decor is dedicated exclusively to The Beatles, including four life-sized statues. But there's nothing 'yesterday' about the audience, most of whom are barely out of their teens. Beatlemania redux?
Palenque de los Congos RealesRUMBA
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Echerri & Av Jesús Menéndez)
A must for rumba fans, this open patio on Trinidad's music alley has an eclectic menu incorporating salsa, son (Cuban popular music) and trova (traditional poetic singing). The highlight, however, is the 10pm rumba drums with soulful African rhythms and energetic fire-eating dancers.
Casa FischerCULTURAL CENTER
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; General Lino Pérez No 312, btwn José Martí & Francisco Codania; admission CUC$1)
The local ARTex patio cranks up at 10pm with a salsa orchestra (on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) or a folklore show (Friday). If you're early, kill time at the art gallery (free) and chat to the staff at the on-site Paradiso office about salsa lessons and other courses.
Casa de la TrovaLIVE MUSIC
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Echerri No 29; admission CUC$1; h9pm-2am)
Trinidad's spirited casa retains its earthy essence despite the high package-tourist-to-Cuban ratio. Local musicians to look out for here are Semillas del Son, Santa Palabra and the town's best trovador (traditional singer/songwriter), Israel Moreno.
Estadio Rolando RodríguezSPORTS
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Eliope Paz; hOct-Apr)
This stadium, at the southeastern end of Frank País, hosts baseball games.
7Shopping
You can shop until you drop from heat exhaustion in Trinidad, at least at the open-air markets, which are set up all over town. See local painters at work – and buy their paintings too. The town is full of picture-crammed, open-windowed workshops.
Arts & Crafts MarketCRAFTS, SOUVENIRS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Av Jesús Menéndez; h9am-6pm)
This excellent open-air market in front of the Casa de la Trova is the place to buy souvenirs, especially textiles and crochet work. Note: should you see any black coral or turtle-shell items, don't buy them. They're made from endangered species and are forbidden entry into many countries.
Tienda Amelia PeláezCRAFTS, SOUVENIRS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Simón Bolívar No 418; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-noon Sun)
Just down from Plaza Mayor, this government store has a good selection of Cuban handicrafts.
Taller Instrumentos MusicalesMUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Av Jesús Menéndez & Valdés Muñoz)
Musical instruments are made here and sold in the adjacent shop.
Casa del HabanoCIGARS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Antonio Maceo & Zerquera; h9am-7pm)
Dodge the street hustlers and satisfy your alcoholic (rum) and tobacco vices here.
Galería La PauletART
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Simón Bolívar No 411)
Interesting selection of probing, mainly abstract art by local artists.
8Information
Internet Access
DulcineaINTERNET
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Antonio Maceo No 473; internet per 20min CUC$3; h9am-8:30pm)
Half a dozen terminals on the corner of Simón Bolívar. Crowded.
Etecsa TelepuntoINTERNET
(
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr General Lino Pérez & Francisco Pettersen; internet per hr CUC$4.50; h8:30am-7pm)
Telepunto office with modern, if slow, computer terminals. Not too crowded.
Medical Services
General HospitalHOSPITAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-32-01; Antonio Maceo No 6)
Southeast of the city center.
Servimed Clínica Internacional CubanacánMEDICAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-62-40; General Lino Pérez No 103, cnr Anastasio Cárdenas; h24hr)
There is an on-site pharmacy selling products in convertibles.
Money
CadecaBANK
(
GOOGLE MAP
; José Martí No 164, btwn Parque Céspedes & Camilo Cienfuegos; h8.30am-8pm Mon-Sat, 9am-6pm Sun)
Post
Travel Agencies
CubaturTRAVEL AGENCY
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Antonio Maceo No 447; h9am-8pm)
Good for general tourist information, plus hotel bookings, car rentals, excursions etc. State taxis congregate outside.
EcoturTRAVEL AGENCY
( GOOGLE MAP ; Simón Bolívar No 424)
Has a desk in Mesón del Regidor (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Simón Bolívar No 424; h10am-10pm) restaurant.
InfoturTRAVEL AGENCY
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Gustavo Izquierdo , btwn Piro Guinart & Camilo Cienfuegos; h9am-5pm)
Useful for general information on the town and its surroundings.
ParadisoTRAVEL AGENCY
( GOOGLE MAP ; General Lino Pérez No 306)
Excellent selection of cultural tours in English, Spanish and French.
8Getting There & Away
Bus
The centrally located bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; Piro Guinart No 224) runs provincial buses to Sancti Spíritus and Cienfuegos, though most foreigners use the more reliable Víazul service. Tickets are sold at a small window marked Taquilla Campo near the station entrance. Check the blackboard for the current schedule.
The Víazul ticket office (
GOOGLE MAP
; h8-11:30am & 1-5pm) is further back in the station. This office is well organized and you can usually book tickets a couple of days in advance.
The Varadero departures can deposit you in Jagüey Grande (CUC$15, three hours) with stops on request in Jovellanos, Colesio and Cárdenas. The Santiago de Cuba departure goes through Sancti Spíritus (CUC$6, 1½ hours), Ciego de Ávila (CUC$9, two hours 40 minutes), Camagüey (CUC$15, five hours 20 minutes), Las Tunas (CUC$22, 7½ hours), Holguín (CUC$26, eight hours) and Bayamo (CUC$26, 10 hours).
The new Cubanacán Conectando bus service has direct links daily with Havana, Varadero and Viñales for similar prices as Víazul. Inquire at Infotur ( GOOGLE MAP ; Antonio Maceo No 461).
Train
Train transport out of Trinidad is awful even by Cuban standards. The town hasn't been connected to the main rail network since a hurricane downed a bridge in the early 1990s, meaning the only functioning line runs up the Valle de los Ingenios, stopping in Iznaga and terminating at Meyer. The local train leaves at around 5am; the more reliable tourist train leaves at 9:30am. Always check ahead at the terminal ( GOOGLE MAP ; Lino Pérez final), in a pink house across the train tracks on the western side of the station.
8Getting Around
Bicycle
There weren't any official bike rentals at last visit, but with 500+ casas particulares, it's inconceivable to think that you couldn't organize some kind of bike hire with a local. Just don't expect the latest Shimano gears. Trinidad to Playa Ancón is a pleasant and flat 30-minute ride; Trinidad to Topes de Collantes is akin to a tough stage in the Tour de France.
Car & Motorbike
The rental agencies at the Playa Ancón hotels rent mopeds (CUC$25 per day).
Cubacar ( GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Antonio Maceo & Zerquera) rents cars. Prices vary wildly depending on season, car type and length of hire; CUC$70 per day is a good general yardstick. They also have an office in Hotel Club Amigo Ancón.
The Servi-Cupet gas station (
GOOGLE MAP
; h24hr), 500m south of town on the road to Casilda, has an El Rápido snack bar attached. The Oro Negro gas station is at the entrance to Trinidad from Sancti Spíritus, 1km east of Plaza Santa Ana.
Guarded parking is available in certain areas around the casco histórico. Ask at your hotel or casa particular, where staff can arrange it.
Taxi
Trinidad has Havana-style coco-taxis; they cost approximately CUC$5 to Playa Ancón. A car costs from CUC$6 to CUC$8 one way. State-owned taxis tend to congregate outside the Cubatur office on Antonio Maceo. A cab to Sancti Spíritus (70km) should cost approximately CUC$35.
TRINIDAD TOUR BUS
Trinidad has a handy hop-on/hop-off tourist-oriented minibus (all-day ticket CUC$2), similar to Havana's and Viñales', linking its outlying sights. It plies a route from outside the Cubatur office on Antonio Maceo to Finca Ma Dolores, Playa la Boca, Bar las Caletas, and the three Playa Ancón hotels. It runs approximately four times a day in both directions starting at 9am and terminating at 6pm.
Playa Ancón & Around
Playa Ancón, a precious ribbon of white beach on Sancti Spíritus' iridescent Caribbean shoreline, is usually touted – with good reason – as the finest arc of sand on Cuba's south coast.
While not comparable in all-round quality to the north-coast giants of Varadero, Cayo Coco and Guardalavaca, Ancón has one important trump card: Trinidad, Latin America's sparkling colonial diamond, shimmering just 12km to the north. You can get here in less than 15 minutes by car or a leisurely 40 minutes on a bike. Alternatively, Ancón has three all-inclusive hotels and a well-equipped marina that runs catamaran trips to a couple of nearby coral keys.
Beach bums who want to be near the water but don't have the money or inclination to stay at one of the resorts, might consider a homestay in the seaside village of La Boca.
There's no doubting Ancón's beauty, but what gushing tourist brochures fail to mention are the sand fleas: they're famously ferocious at sunrise and sunset. Be warned.
The old fishing port of Casilda, 6km due south of Trinidad, is a friendly village with one paved road. On August 17 the Fiesta de Santa Elena engulfs little Casilda, with feasting, competitions, horse races and loads of rum. The road from Ancón to Casilda crosses a tidal flat, meaning abundant birdlife is visible in the early morning.
2Activities
From Hotel Club Amigo Ancón, it's 18km to Trinidad via Casilda, or 16km on the much nicer coastal road via La Boca. The hotel pool is also open to nonguests and you can usually nab the Ping-Pong table undetected.
Marina TrinidadFISHING, SNORKELING
(%41-99-62-05; www.nauticamarlin.com)
The marina is a few hundred meters north of Hotel Club Amigo Ancón. Four hours of deep-sea fishing, including transport, gear and guide, costs CUC$280 for up to six people. Fly-fishing is also possible around the rich mangrove forests of Península de Ancón (CUC$250 for six hours, maximum two people).
Romantic types might want to check out the sunset cruise from CUC$20, which has been enthusiastically recommended by readers. The marina also runs an all-day snorkeling-and-beach tour to Cayo de Las Iguanas for CUC$50 per person with lunch.
Cayo Blanco International Dive CenterDIVING
(Marina Trinidad; single dive/open-water course CUC$35/320)
The Cayo Blanco International Dive Center is located at the marina, and offers single/multiple dive packages as well as open-water courses. Cayo Blanco, a reef islet 25km southeast of Playa Ancón, has 22 marked scuba sites where you'll see black coral and bountiful marine life.
Windward Islands Cruising CompanyBOAT TRIPS
(www.caribbean-adventure.com; Marina Trinidad)
This company charters crewed and bareboat monohulls and catamarans out of the Marina Trinidad to the Jardines de la Reina and the Archipiélago de los Canarreos. You can sail with or without guides, on a partial package or an all-inclusive tour. Interested parties should inquire using the contact details on the website.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
LA BOCA
Between the architecturally incongruous beach hotels of Playa Ancón and the sometimes frenetic tourist scene of Trinidad lies half-forgotten La Boca, a small fishing village at the mouth of the Guaurabo River. If you like lazy tranquility, fresh-from-the-ocean lobster, raspberry-ripple sunsets and bantering in Spanish with the local fishers, La Boca is pure bliss. The village has no reputable restaurants and its ‘beach’ is a little pebbly though splashed with ample scarlet-flowered acacia trees. However, it excels in casas particulares with wraparound porches, dinner offers, and relaxing rockers located just yards from the waterfront. Try Villa Rio Mar (%41-99-31-08; San José No 65, La Boca; r with shared bathroom CUC$20-25; pa) or Hostal Idel & Domingo (%41-99-86-34; Av del Mar No 9, La Boca; r CUC$25; pa). La Boca is 5km from Trinidad and 8km from Playa Ancón.
4Sleeping
Hotel Club Amigo AncónRESORT
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-61-23, 41-99-61-27; Playa Ancón; all-incl s/d CUC$54/86; pais)
Built during Cuba's 30-year flirtation with Soviet architectonics, the Ancón wouldn't win any beauty contests. Indeed, this steamship-shaped seven-story concrete pile looks more than a little incongruous next to the natural beauty of Ancón beach. But if it's beach proximity you're after, this deal could cut ice.
Some like the hotel's lack of pretension and low prices; others are apt to quote Groucho Marx and say that they'd rather not belong to a club (Amigo) that would have them as a member.
Brisas Trinidad del MarRESORT
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-99-65-00; Playa Ancón; all-incl s/d CUC$60/100; pais)
Although a kitschy attempt to recreate Trinidad in a resort environment, Brisas wins kudos for rejecting monolithic architecture in favor of low-rise colonial-style villas. The swath of beach is stunning and the massage, sauna, gym and tennis courts handy for the sports-minded. However, after barely a decade in operation, the quality of this place has begun to suffer from poor maintenance and decidedly iffy service.
5Eating & Drinking
Bar las Caletas, at the junction of the road to Casilda, is a local drinking place.
Grill CaribeCARIBBEAN
(
GOOGLE MAP
; meals CUC$10; h24hr)
Other than the hotel restaurants, there's this place on a quiet beach, which specializes in seafood, such as fish and shrimp or lobster, and charges a pretty price. Strict vegetarians will be disappointed here. It's a great sunset spot.
8Getting There & Away
A shuttle bus run by Transtur links Ancón to Trinidad four times daily (CUC$2). Otherwise, it's a pleasant bike ride or a cheap taxi (CUC$6 to CUC$8).
Valle de los Ingenios
Trinidad's immense wealth was garnered not in the town itself, but in a verdant valley 8km to the east. The Valle de los Ingenios (or Valle de San Luis) still contains the ruins of dozens of 19th-century sugar mills, including warehouses, milling machinery, slave quarters, manor houses and a fully functioning steam train. Most of the mills were destroyed during the War of Independence and the Spanish-Cuban-American War, when the focus of sugar-growing in Cuba shifted west to Matanzas. Though some sugar is still grown here, the valley is more famous today for its status as a Unesco World Heritage Site. Backed by the shadowy sentinels of the Sierra del Escambray, the pastoral fields, royal palms and peeling colonial ruins are timelessly beautiful. A horseback-riding tour from Trinidad should take in most (if not all) of the following sights.
1Sights
Mirador de la Loma del PuertoVIEWPOINT
( GOOGLE MAP )
Six kilometers east of Trinidad on the road to Sancti Spíritus, this 192m-high lookout provides the best eagle-eye view of the valley with – if you're lucky – a steam train chugging through its midst. There's also a bar.
San Isidro de los DestiladerosHISTORIC SITE
(CUC$1; h9am-5pm)
After lengthy excavations, the ruins of this once grand sugar mill have been made accessible to the public. Dating from the early 1830s and sophisticated for its time, the mill belongs to the pre-industrial age and functioned primarily with slave labor. After ceasing production in 1890, the main buildings – a hacienda, a three-story belltower, slave quarters and some cisterns – fell into ruin.
Renovation is ongoing and has been criticized by some who think the ruins should have been left as, well, ruins. San Isidro is accessed by branching right off the Trinidad–Sancti Spíritus road, 10km east of Trinidad. It's a further 2km from there.
Manaca IznagaMUSEUM, LANDMARK
(admission to tower CUC$1; h9am-4pm)
The valley's main focal point is 16km northeast of Trinidad. Founded in 1750, the estate was purchased in 1795 by the dastardly Pedro Iznaga, who became one of the wealthiest men in Cuba through the unscrupulous business of slave trafficking. The 44m-high tower next to the hacienda was used to watch the slaves, and the bell in front of the house served to summon them.
Today you can climb to the top of the tower for pretty views, followed by a reasonable lunch (from noon to 2:30pm) in the restaurant-bar in Iznaga's former colonial mansion. Don't miss the huge sugar press out back.
Casa GuachinangoLANDMARK
(h9am-5pm)
Three kilometers beyond the Manaca Iznaga, on the valley's inland road, is an old hacienda built by Don Mariano Borrell toward the end of the 18th century. The building now houses a restaurant. The Río Ay is just below, and the surrounding landscape is truly wonderful. Horseback riding can be arranged.
To get to Casa Guachinango, take the paved road to the right, just beyond the second bridge you pass as you come from Manaca Iznaga.
The train stops right beside the house every morning, and you can walk back to Iznaga from Guachinango along the railway line in less than an hour.
Sitio GuáimaroLANDMARK
(h7am-7pm)
Seven kilometers east of the Manaca Iznaga turnoff, travel for another 2km south and you'll find the former estate of Don Mariano Borrell, a wealthy early-19th-century sugar merchant. The seven stone arches on the facade lead to frescoed rooms, now a restaurant.
8Getting There & Away
Trinidad's much revered but frustratingly unreliable steam train was out of action at last visit. A less loveable diesel train was plying the Valle de los Ingenios instead, leaving Trinidad at 9:30am and calling first at Manaca Iznaga and then Guachinango. The return train departs Guachinango at 2:35pm and Manaca Iznaga at 2:50pm, leaving sufficient time for seeing the sights. Cubatur in Trinidad will know when the next tourist-train trip is scheduled and if it's working. Train tickets are CUC$10. It's a beautiful ride. Tour desks at the Ancón hotels sell the same train tour for CUC$17, including bus transfers to Trinidad.
Horseback-riding tours can be arranged at the travel agencies in Trinidad or Playa Ancón. Alternatively, you can contract a horse and guide privately in Trinidad for CUC$15 per six hours.
Topes de Collantes
Elev 771m
The crenellated, 90km-long Sierra del Escambray is Cuba's second-largest mountain range, and it straddles the borders of three provinces: Sancti Spíritus, Cienfuegos and Villa Clara. Though not particularly high (the loftiest point, Pico de San Juan, measures just 1156m), the mountain slopes are rich in flora and surprisingly isolated. In late 1958 Che Guevara set up camp in these hills on his way to Santa Clara and, less than three years later, CIA-sponsored counterrevolutionary groups operated their own cat-and-mouse guerrilla campaign from the same vantage point.
Though not strictly a national park, Topes is, nonetheless, a heavily protected area. The umbrella park, comprising 200 sq km, overlays four smaller parks – Parque Altiplano, Parque Codina, Parque Guanayara and Parque el Cubano – while a fifth enclave, El Nicho in Cienfuegos province, is also administered by park authority Gaviota.
The park takes its name from its largest settlement, an ugly health resort founded in 1937 by dictator Fulgencio Batista to placate his sick wife, for whom he built a quaint rural cottage. The architecture went downhill thereafter with the construction of an architecturally grotesque tuberculosis sanatorium (now a health 'resort') begun in the late '30s but not opened until 1954.
Topes de Collantes has two basic hotels open to foreigners, plus the best network of hiking trails in Cuba. Its jungle-like forests, harboring vines, lichens, mosses, ferns and eye-catching epiphytes, are akin to a giant outdoor biology classroom.
The Centro de Visitantes (
GOOGLE MAP
; h8am-5pm), near the sundial at the entrance to the hotel complexes, is the best place to procure maps, guides and trail info.
1Sights
Museo de Arte Cubano ContemporáneoMUSEUM
(
GOOGLE MAP
; admission CUC$2; h8am-8pm)
Believe it or not, Topes de Collantes' monstrous sanatorium once harbored a veritable Louvre of Cuban art, containing works by Cuban masters such as Tomás Sánchez and Rubén Torres Llorca. Raiding the old collection in 2008 inspired provincial officials to open this infinitely more attractive museum, which displays over 70 works in six salas (rooms) spread over three floors. The museum is on the main approach road from Trinidad just before you get to the hotels.
Casa Museo del CaféMUSEUM
(
GOOGLE MAP
; h7am-7pm)S
Coffee has been grown in the Escambray mountains for over two centuries, and in this small rustic cafe you can fill in the gaps on its boom-bust history while sipping the aromatic local brew (called Cristal Mountain). Just up the road there is the Jardín de Variedades del Café, a short stroll around 25 different varieties of coffee plant.
Plaza de las MemoriasMUSEUM
(h8am-5pm)F
Topes' token museum is this quaint little display housed in three small wooden abodes just down from the Casa Museo del Café. It tells the history of the settlement and its resident hotels.
2Activities
Topes has the best network of hiking trails in Cuba. A recent relaxation in park rules means you can now tackle most of them solo, although you'll need wheels to reach some of the trailheads.
oSalto del CaburníHIKE, SWIM
(entry CUC$9)
The classic Topes hike, and the one most easily accessed on foot from the hotels, is to this 62m waterfall that cascades over rocks into cool swimming holes before plunging into a chasm where macho locals dare each other to jump. At the height of the dry season (March to May) you may be disappointed by these falls.
The entry fee is collected at the toll gate to Villa Caburní, just down the hill from the Kurhotel near the Centro de Visitantes (it's a long approach on foot). Allow an hour down and 1½ hours back up for this 5km (round-trip) hike. Some slopes are steep and can be slippery after rain.
Sendero Jardín del GiganteHIKE
(entry CUC$4)
For those pressed for time who still want to get a small taste of Topes' ecosystems, this 1.2km ramble is ideal. It starts at the Plaza de las Memorias and finishes just downhill in the Parque la Represa on the Río Vega Grande. En route you can count 300 species of trees and ferns, including the largest caoba (mahogany) tree in Cuba.
The small restaurant at the entrance to the garden is in a villa built by Fulgencio Batista's wife, whose love for the area inspired her husband to build the Topes resort.
Sendero la BatataHIKE
(entry CUC$4)
This 6km out-and-back trail to a small cave containing an underground river starts at a parking sign just downhill from Casa Museo del Café. When you reach another highway, go around the right side of the concrete embankment and down the hill. Keep straight or right after this point (avoid trails to the left). Allow an hour each way.
Vegas GrandesHIKE, SWIM
(entry CUC$9)
The Vegas Grandes trail begins at the apartment blocks known as Reparto el Chorrito on the southern side of Topes de Collantes, near the entrance to the resort as you arrive from Trinidad. Allow a bit less than an hour to cover the 2km to the waterfall (and a refreshing dip), and the same for the return journey.
It's possible to continue to the Salto del Caburní, but consider hiring a guide as the paths are poorly signposted.
Hacienda CodinaHIKING
(entry CUC$6)
The hacienda is 8km from Topes by a rough road (the 4km 4WD track begins on a hilltop 3km down the road toward Cienfuegos and Manicaragua). Alternatively you can hike there by taking La Batata trail and continuing 1.5km past the cave. Ask for directions at the Centro de Visitantes first and hire a guide if you're unsure.
At the hacienda itself there's an additional trail, the 1.2km circular Sendero de Alfombra Mágica through orchid and bamboo gardens and past the Cueva del Altar. Also here are mud baths, a restaurant and a scenic viewpoint.
Gruta NengoaHIKE, SWIM
(entry CUC$6)
A newly developed 2.6km trail centered on a grotto and 12m-high waterfall with some good opportunities for bird-watching and swimming. The trailhead is located 16km from Topes, just south of the village of Cuatro Vientos.
Sendero 'Centinelas del Río Melodioso'HIKE, SWIM
(entry CUC$9)
The least accessible but by far the most rewarding hike from Topes de Collantes is the 3km (6km return) hike in the Parque Guanayara, 15km from the Centro de Visitantes along a series of steep and heavily rutted tracks. For logistical reasons you may want to organize this excursion with a guide from the Centro de Visitantes, or as part of an organized tour from Trinidad with Cubatur (CUC$45 with lunch).
The trail itself begins in cool, moist coffee plantations and descends steeply to El Rocio waterfall, where you can strip off and have a bracing shower. Following the course of the Río Melodioso (Melodic River), you pass another inviting waterfall and swimming pool, the La Poza del Venado, before emerging into the salubrious gardens of the riverside Casa la Gallega, a traditional rural hacienda where a light lunch can be organized and camping is sometimes permitted in the lush grounds.
4Sleeping
Hotel los HelechosHOTEL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-54-02-31; s/d CUC$36/49; pas)
Never 100% at home in its verdant natural surroundings, this clumsy chocolate-box building with its wicker furnishings and holiday-camp-style villas still looks a bit awkward. Not helping matters is the unattractive indoor pool, poky steam baths (if they're working), journeyman restaurant and kitschy local disco (in a natural park of all places!).
The saving grace is the restaurant's delicious homebaked bread – surely the best in Cuba.
Villa CaburníCABINS
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-54-01-80; s/d CUC$31/44; pa)
This place in a small park next to the Kurhotel has one- or two-story Swiss-style chalets with kitchenettes and private bathrooms. It is located just behind the Information Office.
5Eating & Drinking
As well as the restaurants in Topas, three eating options exist on the trails (mains CUC$6 to CUC$9): the Hacienda Codina, Restaurante la Represa and Casa la Gallega (in Parque Guanayara). El Mirador ( GOOGLE MAP ; Carretera de Trinidad) is a simple bar with a stunning view halfway up the ascent road from Trinidad.
Restaurante Mi RetiroCARIBBEAN
(Carretera de Trinidad; meals CUC$6-9)
Situated 3km back down the road to Trinidad, Restaurante Mi Retiro does fair-to-middling comida criolla (Creole food) to the sound of the occasional traveling minstrel.
Bar-Restaurante Gran NenaCUBAN
(%41-54-03-38; Carretera Principal; meals CUC$12-18; h24 hrs)
A little garden of Eden in the village of Topes, this new private restaurant is about as farm-to-table as you can get. Bananas, papaya, avocado, oranges and peaches all grow abundantly in the adjacent sloping garden and you can follow a trail through them to a hidden cave.
Food is served under a traditional open-sided sitting area by the mega-friendly owner (his family has lived here for eons) and glows with the true taste of the countryside.
The restaurant is next door to the Museo de Arte Cubano Contemporáneo.
8Getting There & Away
Without a car, it's very difficult to get to Topes de Collantes and harder still to get around to the various trailheads. Your best bet is a taxi (CUC$35 return with a two- to three-hour wait), an excursion from Trinidad (CUC$29) or a hire car.
The road between Trinidad and Topes de Collantes is paved, but it's very steep. When wet, it becomes slippery and should be driven with caution. There's also a spectacular 44km road that continues right over the mountains from Topes de Collantes to Manicaragua via Jibacoa (occasionally closed, so check in Trinidad before setting out). It's also possible to drive to/from Cienfuegos via Sierrita on a partly paved, partly gravel road (4WD only).
Sancti Spíritus
Pop 114,360
Don't underestimate Sancti Spíritus. In any other country this attractive colonial city would be a cultural tour de force. But cocooned inside illustrious Sancti Spíritus province and destined to always play second fiddle to Trinidad, it barely gets a look-in. Of course, for many visitors therein lies the attraction. Sancti Spíritus is Trinidad without the tourist hassle. You can get served in a restaurant here and search for a casa particular without an uninvited assemblage of pushy 'guides' telling you that the owner is deceased, on vacation or living in Miami. You can also get decidedly comfortable sitting in Parque Serafín Sánchez watching talented kids play stickball while plaintive boleros (romantic love songs) infiltrate streets that never quite earned a Unesco listing.
Founded in 1514 as one of Diego Velázquez' seven original villas, Sancti Spíritus was moved to its present site on the Río Yayabo in 1522. But the relocation didn't stop audacious corsairs, who continued to loot the town until well into the 1660s.
While Trinidad gave the world Playa Ancón, filthy-rich sugar barons and jineteros (touts) on bicycles, Sancti Spíritus concocted the dapper guayabera (pleated, buttoned) shirt, the guayaba (guava) fruit and a rather quaint humpbacked bridge that wouldn't look out of place in Yorkshire, England.
Sancti Spíritus was impressively beautified in 2014 to celebrate its 500th anniversary. Visually, at least, it's not far off rivaling Trinidad.
Sancti Spíritus
1Sights
4Sleeping
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
3Entertainment
1Sights
The main streets north and south of the Av de los Mártires and Calle M Solano axis get an appropriate north/south suffix.
Puente YayaboLANDMARK
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
Looking like something out of an English country village, this quadruple-arched bridge is Sancti Spíritus' signature sight. Built by the Spanish in 1815, it carries traffic across the Río Yayabo and is now a national monument. For the best view (and a mirror-like reflection) hit the outdoor terrace at the Taberna Yayabo.
The Teatro Principal ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), alongside the bridge, dates from 1876, and the sun-bleached cobbled streets that lead uphill toward the city center are some of the settlement's oldest. The most arresting is narrow Calle Llano, where old ladies peddle live chickens door to door, and feisty neighbors gossip noisily in front of their sky-blue or lemon-yellow houses. Also worth a wander are recently rehabilitated Calle Guairo and Calle San Miguel.
Parque Serafín SánchezSQUARE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
While not Cuba's shadiest or most atmospheric square, pretty Serafín Sánchez is full of understated Sancti Spíritus elegance. Metal chairs laid out inside the pedestrianized central domain are usually commandeered by cigar-smoking grandpas and flirty young couples with their sights set on some ebullient local nightlife.
There's plenty to whet the appetite on the square's south side, where the stately Casa de la Cultura often exports its music onto the street. Next door the columned Hellenic beauty that today serves as the Biblioteca Provincial Rubén Martínez Villena (
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-32-77-17; Máximo Gómez Norte No 1) was built originally in 1929 by the Progress Society.
The magnolia-colored grand dame on the square's northern side is the former La Perla hotel, which lay rotting and unused for years before being turned into a three-level government-run shopping center.
Casa de la GuayaberaMUSEUM, BAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; San Miguel No 60; h10am-5pm)
The favored uniform of South American strongman presidents and blushing grooms at Mexican beach weddings, the guayabera shirt was purportedly 'invented' in Sancti Spíritus by the wives of agricultural workers who sewed the trademark pockets into the garments so that their men could safely store their tools and packed lunches. This new museum honors the iconic shirts displaying guayaberas worn by international icons such as Hugo Chávez, Gabriel Márquez and – yes – Fidel.
The complex, set on a charming riverside patio in front of the city's famous packhorse bridge, also has a bar, garden and workshop where you can watch guayaberas being made.
Fundación de la Naturaleza y El HombreMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Cruz Pérez No 1; recommended donation CUC$2; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat)
Replicating its equally diminutive namesake in Miramar, Havana, this museum on Parque Maceo chronicles the 17,422km canoe odyssey from the Amazon to the Caribbean in 1987 led by Cuban writer and Renaissance man Antonio Nuñez Jiménez (1923–98). Some 432 explorers made the journey through 20 countries, from Ecuador to the Bahamas, in the twin dugout canoes Simón Bolívar and Hatuey. The latter measures over 13m and is the collection's central, prized piece.
Beware of sporadic opening hours.
Museo de Arte ColonialMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Plácido Sur No 74; admission CUC$2; h9am-5pm Tue-Sat, 8am-noon Sun)
This small museum got a 2012 refurb and displays 19th-century furniture and decorations in an imposing 17th-century building that once belonged to the sugar-rich Iznaga family.
Iglesia Parroquial Mayor del Espíritu SantoCHURCH
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Agramonte Oeste No 58; h9-11am & 2-5pm Tue-Sat)
Overlooking Plaza Honorato is this beautiful blue church that underwent a Lazarus-like renovation for the 2014 anniversary. Originally constructed of wood in 1522 and rebuilt in stone in 1680, it's said to be the oldest church in Cuba still standing on its original foundations.
The best time to take a peek at the simple but soulful interior is during Sunday morning Mass (10am). A small donation will go a long way.
Plaza HonoratoSQUARE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
Formerly known as Plaza de Jesús, this tiny square was where the Spanish authorities once conducted grisly public hangings. Later on, it hosted a produce market, and scruffy peso stalls still line the small connecting lane to the east. The north side of the square is now occupied by a boutique hotel, Hostal del Rijo.
BoulevardSTREET
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
The city's revived shopping street, Calle Independencia Sur, is traffic-free and lined with statues, sculptures and myriad curiosity shops. Check out the opulent Colonia Española Building ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), once a whites-only gentlemen's club, now a mini–department store. The agropecuario (vegetable market) is unusually located right in the city center.
A flea market inhabits Calle Honorato just off Independencia and all around are vendutas (small private shops or stalls), illustrating the recent economic relaxation.
Museo de Ciencias NaturalesMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Máximo Gómez Sur No 2; admission CUC$1; h8:30am-5pm Mon-Sat, to noon Sun)
Not much of a natural history museum, this colonial house just off Parque Serafín Sánchez has a stuffed crocodile (which will scare the wits out of your kids) and some shiny rock collections.
Museo ProvincialMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Máximo Gómez Norte No 3; admission CUC$1; h9am-5pm Tue-Thu, 2-10pm Fri, 9am-noon & 8-10pm Sat, 8am-noon Sun)
This is one of those vaguely comical Cuban museums where guides follow you from room to room as if you’re about to make off with the crown jewels. In reality the collection is less distinguished, logging the history of Sancti Spíritus with a dusty stash of ephemera that includes English china, cruel slave artifacts and the inevitable revolutionary M-26/7 paraphernalia.
Museo Casa Natal de Serafín SánchezMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Céspedes Norte No 112; admission CUC$1; h8am-5pm Mon-Sat)
Serafín Sánchez was a local patriot who took part in both Wars of Independence and went down fighting in November 1896. The museum cataloguing his heroics will delay you for 20 minutes max.
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la CaridadCHURCH
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Céspedes Norte No 207)
Across from the Fundación de la Naturaleza y El Hombre is the city's second church, the recipient of a handsome 2014 paint job. Its internal arches are a favored nesting spot for Cuban sparrows, who seem unfazed by the church interior's continuing state of disrepair.
4Sleeping
In Town
Sancti Spíritus is blessed with a trio of gracious boutique sleeping establishments, branded as Encanto hotels, belonging to the Cubanacán chain. Each occupies an attractive restored colonial building and is a blissful nook to spend a night or two. They are complemented by a handful of pleasant casas particulares.
Hostal ParaísoCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-33-46-58; Máximo Gómez Sur No 11, btwn Honorato & M Solano; r CUC$25; a)
Hang out amid the hanging plants in these centrally located colonial digs. The house itself dates from 1838, and the original two-bedroom capacity has recently been doubled. The bathrooms are huge and the surrounding greenery is spirit-lifting.
'Los Richards' – Ricardo RodríguezCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-32-30-29; Independencia Norte No 28 Altos; r CUC$25; a)
The dark unkempt stairway off the main square belies the size of this place. The two front rooms are enormous, dwarfing the numerous beds, indoor bar, private dining area and fridge. Best part – the wrought-iron protected balconies overlooking the theatrics of the main square.
Estrella González ObregónCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-32-79-27; Maximo Gomez Norte No 26; r CUC$25; a)
Two rooms with plenty of space and some cooking facilities make this place ideal for families. There's a roof terrace with good views of the Escambray Mountains.
oHostal del RijoBOUTIQUE HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-32-85-88; Honorato del Castillo No 12; s/d CUC$75/100; ais)
Even committed casa particular fans will have trouble resisting this meticulously restored 1818 mansion situated on quiet (until the Casa de la Trova opens) Plaza Honorato. Sixteen huge, plush rooms – many with plaza-facing balconies – are equipped with everything a romance-seeking Cuba-phile could wish for, including satellite TV, complimentary shampoos and chunky colonial furnishings.
Downstairs in the elegant courtyard restaurant you'll be served the kind of sumptuous, unhurried breakfast that'll have you lingering until 11am. Oh, what the hell, might as well stay another night.
Hotel PlazaBOUTIQUE HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-32-71-02; Independencia Norte No 1; s/d CUC$52/70; ai)
The Plaza sits on the edge of the Parque Serafín Sánchez. Spreading 28 rooms over two stories, the recently refurbished hotel has pulled itself up to boutique standard with fluffy bathrobes, chunky furnishings, a romantic patio bar and prime viewing windows overlooking the ever-busy square.
Hostal Don FlorencioBOUTIQUE HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Independencia Sur; s/d CUC$75/120; ai)
Sancti Spíritus doesn't often get one over on Trinidad, but it does have a better collection of hotels, especially with the addition of Don Florencio in 2014. Bright red antique furnishings draw you in. Two inviting Jacuzzis in the cool central patio force you to stay.
North of Town
There are two very agreeable hotels along Carretera Central as you head north; either one is a good choice if the city center is full or you're merely passing through. Zaza, 5km to the east, attracts fishers.
Villa los LaurelesHOTEL
(%41-32-73-45; Carretera Central, Km 383; s/d CUC$33/44; pais)
Not content to rest on them, Los Laureles lines its laurel trees up along a shady entrance drive that beckons visitors into a surprisingly classy Islazul (Cuban hotel chain) out-of-towner.
Supplementing big, bright rooms (with fridge, satellite TV and patio/balcony) are an attractive pool, leafy flower-studded gardens and a colorful in-house cabaret, the Tropi, with a nightly show at 9pm.
Hotel ZazaHOTEL
(%41-32-85-12; s/d incl breakfast CUC$25/33; pas)
Perched above expansive Embalse Zaza 5km east of Sancti Spíritus, this scruffy rural retreat looks more like a utilitarian apartment block transplanted from Moscow than a hotel – not that this discourages the armies of bass fishermen who descend on the lake in their droves (four-hour fishing trips go for CUC$30).
For nonfishermen there’s a swimming pool and boat trips on the lake (one-hour cruise CUC$20 for two people).
Villa Rancho HatueyHOTEL
(%41-32-83-15; Carretera Central, Km 384; s/d CUC$45/60; pais)
This veritable Islazul gem is accessible from the southbound lane of Carretera Central. Rancho Hatuey spreads 76 rooms in two-story cabins across expansive landscaped grounds set back a good 500m from the road. Catch some rays around the swimming pool or grab a bite in the serviceable on-site restaurant while observing Canadian bus groups and Communist Party officials from Havana mingling in awkward juxtaposition.
5Eating
Never rated highly for its private restaurants, Sancti Spíritus has acquired a couple of good 'uns since the privatization laws were relaxed. The state sector has some equally strong contenders.
oPapo's BoulevardCUBAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-32-72-77; Independencia Sur No 124; meals CUC$2-4; h11am-11pm)
The secret of Papo's – aside from its excellent boulevard location – is its congrí. Word on the street suggests that Sancti Spíritus mixes the best rice and beans in Cuba, and Papo's backs up the legend with subtly spicy congrí – good enough to outshine the fish and meat to which its serves as accompaniment.
Dulce CremaICE CREAM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Independencia Norte & Laborni; ice creams CUC$1-2; h8am-10pm)
What, no Coppelia? Dulce Crema is Sancti Spíritus' long-standing provincial stand-in and is actually – ahem – better. Alternatively, hang around long enough in Parque Serafín Sánchez and a DIY ice-cream man will turn up with his ice-cream maker powered by a washing-machine motor.
Taberna YayaboCUBAN, SPANISH
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-83-75-52; Jesús Menéndez No 106; meals CUC$9; h9am-10:45pm)
New state-run restaurant that combines an excellent location (next to the Puente Yayabo) and fine service with one of the best wine cellars in Cuba. There's a resident sommelier and a chef who does cooking demos in front of the assembled clientele.
Restaurante Hostal del RijoINTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Honorato No 12; meals CUC$6-10; h7am-11pm)
Quiet colonial ambience in the impressive central courtyard of the Rijp or on the lovely terrace. Service is equally good, and there is a notable selection of desserts and coffee.
El 19INTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Máximo Gómez 9 , btwn Manolo Solano & Honorato del Castillo; meals CUC$8-12; h6.30am-10pm)
One of the newer strings to Sancti Spíritus' formerly disheveled bow, El 19 is located in a central nook and specializes in sirloin steak, a dish largely unavailable in Cuba until recently. It is delivered to your table by eager-to-please servers.
Mesón de la PlazaCARIBBEAN, SPANISH
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Máximo Gómez Sur No 34; mains CUC$6-9; hnoon-2:30pm & 6-10pm)
Long a solid option, this state-run restaurant is encased in a 19th-century mansion that once belonged to a rich Spanish tycoon. You can tuck into classic Spanish staples such as potaje de garbanzos (chickpeas with pork) and some chewable beef while appetizing music drifts in from the Casa de la Trova next door.
Self-Catering
Mercado AgropecuarioMARKET
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Independencia Sur & Honorato; h7am-5:30pm Mon-Sat, 7am-noon Sun)
This centrally located agropecuario is just off the main shopping boulevard. Stick your head in and see how Cubans shop.
La ÉpocaSUPERMARKET
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Independencia Norte No 50C; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat, 9am-noon Sun)
Good for groceries and assorted knickknacks.
6Drinking & Entertainment
Sancti Spíritus has a wonderful evening ambience: cool, inclusive and unpretentious.
oUneacLIVE MUSIC
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Independencia Sur No 10)
There are friendly nods as you enter, handshakes offered by people you've never met, and a starry-eyed crooner on stage blowing kisses to his girlfriend(s) in the audience. Uneac concerts always feel more like family gatherings than organized cultural events, and Sancti Spíritus' is one of the nicest 'families' you'll meet.
Casa de la Trova Miguel CompanioniLIVE MUSIC
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Máximo Gómez Sur No 26)
Another of Cuba's famous trova (traditional poetic singing) houses, this kicking folk-music venue in a colonial building off Plaza Honorato is on a par with anything in Trinidad. But here the crowds are 90% local and 10% tourist.
Café ARTexCLUB
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; M Solano; admission CUC$1; h10pm-2am Tue-Sun)
On an upper floor on Parque Serafín Sánchez, this place has more of a nightclub feel than the usual ARTex patio. It offers dancing, live music and karaoke nightly, and a Sunday matinee at 2pm (admission CUC$3). Thursday is reggaetón (Cuban hip-hop) night, and the cafe also hosts comedy. Clientele is mainly under 25.
Casa de la CulturaLIVE MUSIC
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-32-37-72; M Solano No 11)
Numerous cultural events that at weekends spill out into the street and render the pavement impassable. It's situated on the southwest corner of Parque Serafín Sánchez.
Teatro PrincipalTHEATER
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %232-5755; Av Jesús Menéndez No 102)
This landmark architectural icon next to the Puente Yayabo was recently given a comprehensive clean-up. It has weekend matinees (at 10am) with kids' theater.
Cine Conrado BenítezCINEMA
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-32-53-27; Máximo Gómez Norte No 13)
Of the city's two main cinemas, this is your best bet for a decent movie (some in English with Spanish subtitles).
Estadio José A HuelgaSPORTS
( GOOGLE MAP ; Circunvalación)
From October to April, baseball games are held at this stadium, 1km north of the bus station. The provincial team Los Gallos (the Roosters) last tasted glory in 1979.
7Shopping
Anything you might need – from batteries to frying pans – is sold at stalls along the pedestrianized Independencia Sur (known colloquially as the 'boulevard'), which benefited from a very handsome refurbishment to tie in with the city's 500th anniversary in 2014.
ColoniaACCESSORIES
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Independencia Sur & Agramonte; h9am-4pm)
Mini–department store housed in one of the city's finest colonial buildings.
La PerlaSHOPPING CENTER
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Parque Serafín Sánchez; h9am-4pm)
Three levels of austerity-busting shopping behind a beautifully restored magnolia colonial edifice on Parque Serafín Sánchez.
Librería Julio Antonio MellaBOOKS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Independencia Sur No 29; h8am-5pm Mon-Sat)
Revolutionary (mainly in Spanish) reading material for erudite travelers in a store opposite the post office.
8Information
Internet Access & Telephone
Etecsa TelepuntoINTERNET
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Independencia Sur No 14; internet per hr CUC$4.50; h8:30am-7:30pm)
Two rarely busy computer terminals.
Medical Services
Hospital Provincial Camilo CienfuegosHOSPITAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-32-40-17; Bartolomé Masó No 128)
Five hundred meters north of Plaza de la Revolución.
Policlínico Los OlivosHOSPITAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-32-63-62; Circunvalación Olivos No 1)
Near the bus station. Will treat foreigners in an emergency.
Money
Banco Financiero InternacionalBANK
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Independencia Sur No 2; h9am-3pm Mon-Fri)
On Parque Serafín Sánchez.
Post
Post officePOST OFFICE
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Independencia Sur No 8; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat)
There are two branches: the other (
GOOGLE MAP
; Bartolomé Masó No 167; h9pm-6pm Mon-Sat) is located at the Etecsa building.
Travel Agencies
CubaturTRAVEL AGENCY
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Máximo Gómez Norte No 7; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat)
On Parque Serafín Sánchez.
8Getting There & Away
Bus
The provincial bus station (Carretera Central) is 2km east of town. Punctual and air-conditioned Víazul (www.viazul.com) buses serve numerous destinations.
Five daily departures for Santiago de Cuba (CUC$28, eight hours) also stop in Ciego de Ávila (CUC$6, 1¼ hours), Camagüey (CUC$10, three hours), Las Tunas (CUC$17, five hours 40 minutes) and Bayamo (CUC$21, seven hours). Five daily Havana (CUC$23, five hours) buses stop at Santa Clara (CUC$6, 1¼ hours). The link to Trinidad (CUC$6, one hour 20 minutes) leaves at a sleep-reducing 5:40am.
Train
There are two train stations serving Sancti Spíritus. For Havana (eight hours, alternate days) via Santa Clara (two hours), and to Cienfuegos (five hours, once a week), use the main train station (Av Jesús Menéndez al final; htickets 7am-2pm Mon-Sat), southwest of the Puente Yayabo, an easy 10-minute walk from the city center.
Points east are served out of Guayos, 15km north of Sancti Spíritus, including Holguín (8½ hours), Santiago de Cuba (10¼ hours) and Bayamo (8¼ hours). If you're on the Havana–Santiago de Cuba cross-country express and going to Sancti Spíritus or Trinidad, get off at Guayos.
The ticket office at the Sancti Spíritus train station can sell you tickets for trains departing Guayos, but you must find your own way to the Guayos train station (CUC$8 to CUC$10 in a taxi).
Truck & Taxi
Trucks to Trinidad, Jatibonico and elsewhere depart from the bus station. A state taxi to Trinidad will cost you around CUC$35.
8Getting Around
Horse carts on Carretera Central, opposite the bus station, run to Parque Serafín Sánchez when full (1 peso). Bici-taxis gather at the corner of Laborni and Céspedes Norte. There is a Cubacar (
GOOGLE MAP
; %41-32-85-33) booth on the northeast corner of Parque Serafín Sánchez; prices for daily car hire start at around CUC$70. The Servi-Cupet gas station (Carretera Central) is 1.5km north of Villa los Laureles, on the Carretera Central, toward Santa Clara. Parking in Parque Serafín Sánchez is relatively safe. Ask in hotels Rijo and Plaza, and they will often find a man to stand guard overnight for CUC$1.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
ALTURAS DE BANAO
Still well off the antennae of most guidebooks, which push tourists toward Topes de Collantes, this ecological reserve, situated off the main road between Sancti Spíritus and Trinidad, hides a little-explored stash of mountains, waterfalls, forest and steep limestone cliffs. The reserve's highest peak – part of the Guamuhaya mountain range – is 842m, while its foothills are replete with rivers, abundant plant life, including epiphyte cacti, and the ruins of a handful of pioneering 19th-century farmhouses. The park HQ is at Jarico 3.5km up a beaten track leading off the Sancti Spíritus–Trinidad road. It incorporates a ranchón-style restaurant, visitors center and chalet with eight double rooms (CUC$25). Within shouting distance is the Cascada Bella waterfall and a natural swimming pool. From Jarico the 6km La Sabina trail leads to an eponymous biostation, where La Sabina Chalet (r CUC$56) offers overnight accommodations and food in four double rooms. Alternatively, you can do the hike in a single day with a guide (CUC$3). Entry to the Banao reserve will cost you an extra CUC$3. Ecotur in Trinidad can organize overnight trips.
Northern Sancti Spíritus Province
For every 1000 tourists that visit Trinidad, a small handful gets to see the province's narrow northern corridor, which runs between Remedios, in Villa Clara, and Morón, in Ciego de Ávila.
The landscape is comprised of karstic uplands characterized by caves and covered in semi-deciduous woodland, juxtaposed with a flat, ecologically valuable coastal plain protected in the hard-to-visit (but worth it if you can) Parque Nacional Caguanes.
1Sights & Activities
oMuseo Nacional Camilo CienfuegosMUSEUM
(admission CUC$1; h8am-4pm Tue-Sat, 9am-1pm Sun)
This excellent museum at Yaguajay, 36km southeast of Caibarién, was opened in 1989 and is eerily reminiscent of the Che Guevara monument in Santa Clara. Camilo fought a crucial battle in this town on the eve of the Revolution's triumph, taking control of a local military barracks (now the Hospital Docente General, opposite the museum).
The museum is directly below a modernist plaza embellished with a 5m-high statue of El Señor de la Vanguardia (Man at the Vanguard). It contains an extremely well-curated display of Cienfuegos' life intermingled with facts and mementos from the revolutionary struggle. A replica of the small tank 'Dragon I,' converted from a tractor for use in the battle, stands in front of the hospital. Out back the Mausoleo de los Mártires del Frente Norte de las Villas is dedicated to the soldiers who died in the skirmish.
Parque Nacional CaguanesHIKING, BOAT TRIP
Strict conservation measures mean public access to Parque Nacional Caguanes with its caves, aboriginal remains and flamingos is limited but not impossible. There is a basic biological station on the coast accessible by a rough road due north of Mayajigua but, rather than just turn up, your best bet is to check details first at the Villa San José del Lago or with Ecotur, which has a handy public office in Trinidad.
The one advertised excursion is Las Maravillas que Atesora Caguanes (2½ hours), which incorporates a path to the Humboldt, Ramos and Los Chivos caves and a boat trip around the Cayos de Piedra.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
JOBO ROSADO RESERVE
This region, protected as an area of 'managed resources,' is still little explored by independent travelers, although organized groups are sometimes brought here. Measuring just over 40 sq km, the reserve includes the Sierra de Meneses-Cueto, a range of hills that runs across the north of the province and acts as a buffer zone for the heavily protected Bahía de Buenavista. As in the Sierra Maestra, history is intertwined with the ecology here: General Máximo Gómez battled through these hills during the Spanish-Cuban-American War and in 1958 Camilo Cienfuegos' rebel army (Column No 2) pitched their final command post here. An imaginative monument by sculptor José Delarra marks the spot.
The nexus for the reserve is Rancho Querete (h9am-4pm Tue-Sun) just off the main road a few kilometers east of Yaguajay, which is equipped with a bar-restaurant, natural swimming hole, biological station and small 'zoo' (roosters mainly). Guided hikes from here can be organized to La Solapa de Genaro (1km) through tropical savannah to a gorgeous set of waterfalls and more swimming holes, and the Cueva de Valdés (800m) through semi-deciduous woodland to a cave. A longer hike heads 8km to Chalet Los Álamos, the house of an erstwhile sugar plantation near the village of Meneses.
You'll need a taxi or your own wheels to get to Jobo Rosado.
4Sleeping
Villa San José del LagoHOTEL
(%41-55-61-08; Antonio Guiteras, Mayajigua; s/d CUC$25/36; pas)
This novel spa, once popular with vacationing Americans, is just outside Mayajigua in northern Sancti Spíritus province. The tiny rooms set in a variety of two-story villas nestle beside a small palm-fringed lake (with pedal boats and two resident flamingos).
The complex is famous for its thermal waters (32°C), which were first used by injured slaves in the 19th century but are now mainly the preserve of holidaying Cubans. The 67 rooms are no-frills, but the setting, wedged between the Sierra de Jatibonico and Parque Nacional Caguanes, is magnificent and makes a good base for some of Cuba's lesser-known excursions. There's a restaurant and snack bar on-site.
8Information
EcoturTRAVEL AGENCY
(%41-55-49-30; Pedro Díaz No 54, Yaguajay)
The best information portal for the region, one block north of the Caibarién–Morón road in Yaguajay.
8Getting There & Away
A Víazul bus used to ply this northern route, but it wasn't running at last visit, meaning you're on your own with a bike, hire car or taxi.