-
Comunidad Artística Verraco
Ten kilometers past the Playa Daiquirí turn-off lies another village of painters, ceramicists and sculptors who maintain open studios (turn-off unsigned). Here you can visit the artists and buy original works of art. All it lacks is a good organic cafe.
-
Fuente de los Leones
The Plaza de San Francisco de Asís underwent a full restoration in the late 1990s and is most notable for its uneven cobblestones and the white marble Fuente de los Leones (Fountain of Lions) carved by the Italian sculptor Giuseppe Gaggini in 1836.
-
Casa del Fundador
On the parks southeastern corner stands the citys oldest building, once the residence of city founder Louis DClouet and now a souvenir store. El Bulevar , Cienfuegos quintessential shopping street, heads east from here to link up with the Paseo del Prado.
-
Galería de Arte
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. Theres also a pleasant courtyard.
-
Museo de Numismático
This numismatists heaven brings together various collections of medals, coins and banknotes from around the world, including a stash of 1000 mainly American gold coins (1869–1928) and a full chronology of Cuban banknotes from the 19th century to the present.
-
Edificio López Serrano
Tucked away behind the US Interests Section is this art deco tower, which looks like the Empire State with the bottom 70 floors chopped off. One of Havanas first rascacielos (skyscrapers) when it was built in 1932, the López Serrano building now houses apartments.
-
Casa del Caribe
Founded in 1982 to study Caribbean life, this cultural institution organizes the Festival del Caribe and the Fiesta del Fuego every July and also hosts various concert nights. Interested parties can organize percussion courses or studies in Afro-Cuban culture.
-
Palacio de los Capitanes Generales
Built on the site of Havanas original church, this extravagant building is a textbook example of Cuban baroque architecture hewn out of rock from the nearby San Lázaro quarries and has served many purposes over the years. Today it houses the Museo de la Ciudad.
-
Biblioteca Policarpo Pineda Rustán
Another architectural gift from Leticio Salcines is this beautiful provincial library which was once the city hall (1934–51). Trials of Fulgencio Batistas thugs were held here in 1959, and a number were killed when they snatched a rifle and tried to escape.
-
Museo Lezama Lima
The modest book-filled house of the late Cuban man of letters, José Lezama Lima, is an obligatory pit stop for anyone attempting to understand Cuban literature beyond Hemingway. Limas magnus opus was the rambling classic, Paradiso, and he wrote most of it here.
-
Museo del Ferrocarril
A peripheral museum housed in the old Cristina train station built in 1859. Theres a big collection of signaling and communication gear here plus old locos and an overview of Cubas pioneering railway history. Train rides are possible by prior appointment.
-
Museo de la Farmacia Habanera
A few blocks east from Plaza del Cristo, this museum-store founded in 1886 by Catalan José Sarrá still acts as a working pharmacy for Cubans. The small museum section displays an elegant mock-up of an old drugstore with some interesting historical explanations.
-
Sitio Guáimaro
Seven kilometers east of the Manaca Iznaga turnoff, travel for another 2km south and youll 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.
-
Playa Cajuajo
Halfway between Baracoa and Boca de Yumurí is this little-visited sandy beach close to the Bahía de Mata. Ecotur in Baracoa runs hiking trips here. The 5km trail runs from the Río Mata through biologically diverse woodland to the bay and, ultimately, the beach.
-
Iglesia Jesús de Miramar
Despite its modernity, Playa cradles Cubas second-largest church. The Jesús is an aesthetically pleasing neo-Romanesque structure topped by a giant dome. Built in 1948, it protects Cubas largest pipe-organ and unusual murals depicting the Stations of the Cross.
-
Colegio San Lorenzo
On the east side of Teatro Café Tomás, this building with its striking colonnaded facade was constructed during the 1920s with funds left by wealthy city patron Nicolás Salvador Acea whose name also graces one of the citys cemeteries. Admire from the outside only.
-
Fábrica de Chocolate
The delicious sweet smells filling the air in this neck of the woods are concocted in the famous chocolate factory 1km past the airport turnoff, opened, not by Willy Wonka, but by Che Guevara in 1963. Its not currently accepting visits (or golden tickets!).
-
Fábrica de Bebidas Casa Garay
Workers here use a secret recipe to distill sweet and dry versions of the citys signature liquor, Guayabita del Pinar guava brandy. Whistle-stop 15-minute multilingual factory tours are topped off with a taste of the brew in the sampling room. Theres a shop adjacent.
-
Estadio Panamericano
Built for the 1991 Panamerican Games, this shabby stadium was fitted with a new athletics track in 2008 though it still looks neglected and unloved. It’s supposed to hold 50,000 although 34,000 is quoted as the current capacity. It’s used mainly for athletics and soccer.
-
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad
On October 12, 1948, Fidel Castro Ruz and Birta Díaz Balart were married in this unusual art deco church on Parque Martí in the center of Banes. After their divorce in 1954, Birta remarried and moved to Spain. Through their only child, Fidelito, Fidel has several grandchildren.
Total
729 -travel
FirstPage PreviousPage NextPage LastPage CurrentPage:
11/37 20-travel/Page GoTo Page:
