Cienfuegos.
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Overview

Cienfuegos, the Pearl of the South, is a small city in the Central Cuban province of Cienfuegos. The historic center of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Understand

Cienfuegos is the only city in Cuba that was founded by the French. As a result, it feels a little different than other Cuban cities, with wider streets. There are two main areas of interest to tourists; Pueblo Nuevo, the city centre; and Punta Gorda, a peninsula with lots of 1950s homes. It's a nice place to visit for a day or two, but after that, you might run out of things to do.

Get in

By car Trinidad – About 1 hr, just stay by the coast most of the way. Not all turns are signposted.

By bus The two daily Viazul buses between Havana and Trinidad , as does the daily bus between Varadero, Santa Clara, and Trinidad. This last bus arrives from Varadero heading for Trinidad at noon, and arrives from Trinidad heading for Varadero at 16:00 (it is missing from the Viazul website). Travellers heading east and wishing to catch the 8:00am Viazul bus from Trinidad to Santiago de Cuba can sometimes arrange for an early morning minivan through Viazul. Ask at the bus station.

From Trinidad: 1½ hr, CUC10 From Viñales: 5-6 hr, CUC40

There are two trains that run from Havana: a very slow daytime train (every second day) that returns the following day, and a somewhat faster late-evening train (every second day) that operates via Matanzas and returns overnight. Trains may also leave for Santa Clara (very) early in the morning and return in the evening, and leave for Santa Clara and Sancti Spiritus in the afternoon, returning the following morning. Check that the trains are running in advance.

By plane Jaime González Airport has three flights a week: leaving Miami at 8am Mondays and Fridays, returning 10:45; and leaving Miami 17:30 Wednesdays and returning later in the evening (20:00). The airline is a charter.

Get around

Both the centre and Punta Gorda are easy of walk around, but are about 3 km apart. They are joined by Calle 37 (del Prado), which runs by the sea. If you don't fancy walking, the principal public transportation is coches or horse-drawn carts that seat 6 or 8 people. They go up and down Calle 37.

You can most likely easily arrange taxi at your place of stay, esp. if you'd like to visit one of the more remote parts (e.g. Playa Rancho Luna).

See

Castillo de Jagua. An 18th-century fortress built to protect Cienfuegos against (English) pirates. There's an abandoned nuclear power plant behind the castle, built by the Soviets but never finished.

Delfinario. Dolphin shows, where sometime the audience participates. For example, a dance contest for kids where the winners get kisses from the dolphins. You can also swim with the dolphins for about CUC50. For further fee, you can get a photo taken by the employees—it's not allowed to take it yourself.

José Martí Park. One of the most famous square of the city.

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral. Its parish archives date back to 1819.

Tomas Terry Theatre. Victorian theatre, built in 1890. Lots of original features, and very pretty. Also has a nice cafe.

Museo Histórico. A historical museum, with exhibits ranging from archeology of the original Indians, to the colonial eras.

Do

Freshwater fishing. Drive to the nearby secluded mountain lakes to fish for the plentiful bass.

Harbour boat trip. Take a boat trip round the harbour, stopping off at an island and chatting to the locals and enjoying a mojito.

Malecon. Walk along and hang out at the malecon (sea front) in the evenings.

Laguna Guanaroca. A lake full of flamingos in the southeast of Cienfuegos. The entrance fee includes a guided walk to the lake explaining the flora and fauna (1h) and as well includes a boat trip on the lake to get closer to the flamingos (1h). Lake is surrounded by mangroves and ashore hummingbirds can be spotted. Go there early as it can get very hot and you will be exposed entirely to the sun when sitting in the boat. Cubanacan sells you the ticket but you have to find your own transport. A taxi is CUC20 both ways. Wait in the office for other tourists to share the taxi with.

Teatro Tomás Terry. The 1889 built neoclassicist theater centrally located at the José Marti square is most impressive on the inside where little has been changed since its inception

Buy

Boulevar pedestrian street. The street contains many shops with souvenirs, but also household and others. Outdoor music is performed here often too.

Tienda Artex. Good shopping for gifts, such as shower curtains printed with paintings from the Museo Bellas Artes.

Eat

Club Cienfuegos. Quite touristy but pleasant to eat in the formal restaurant upstairs or the informal snack bar in the basement.

Palatino. Nice, quiet restaurant for lunch. The grilled tuna salad sandwiches are delicious!

Mi Ringcón. A small cafeteria catering for Cubans where you can have breakfast. Offers a variety of sandwiches, some juice and coffee. Try the Café Bonbón, a coffee made with condensed milk and chocolate. Pay in National Pesos.

Restaurante. Cuban restaurant that offers a variety of creol food as well as a vegetarian option on request. Pay in National Pesos.

Food stalls. On the Paseo del Prado you will find a good number of Pizza stalls, ice cream shops and juice vendors. All paid in national pesos.

Te Quedara's. Bar and restaurant a few floors up. It has a small balcony where you can sit and study the life on Boulevar. Live music in the evenings.

Drink

Benny More. A nightclub which features Salsa Music and dancing.

Palacio de Valle. Adjacent to the Hotel Jagua south of the Malecon, this is an amazing building, lavishly decorated in Moorish style.

Piña Colada. A small open-air pub at the harbor, some snacks are sold here too.

Sleep

Hotel Faro Luna. Staying at the Faro Luna is like being at your own villa, only 25-30 rooms a beautiful pool overlooking the Caribbean and attentive staff. Hotel Jagua. This is a large hotel to the south of the city, around 2 km from the city centre. The building itself is a square concrete block and fairly unattractive. However, the rooms and facilities are pretty good by Cuban standards. Hotel Pascacaballo. This is a big, modern resort-hotel at Rancho Luna, on the coast, opposite Castillo de Jagua. Lunch was awful, unless you like jello and canned vegetables. The hotel looked like it was maybe a quarter full.

Teresita y Yhanes. Very nice central place with very helpful owners. Depending on season from CUC15.

Sr. Jose Luis Alvarez Leon y Sra. Beatriz Ortega Turiño. Independent apartment with kitchen and all commodies.

Casa de Nadia Hernández Garcia. Ave 16 #4307 Altos (upstairs) e/ (between) calles 43 y 45 (streets). In Punta Gorda, big room with a refrigerator, air conditioner, and bathroom. Good food and laundry. CUC25, plus CUC4 for breakfast and CUC10 for dinner.

Casa Colonial (Milagros & Gerardo). A friendly casa particular in a colonial house with high ceilings and just a block from the Jose Martí park.

Inés María. Two-room casa, close to both the center and the Viazul bus station. It has a terrace on the top floor from which one can see the city. Air-con and hot water.

Marilope Hostal. Colonial house adorned with windows and columns, in the center of the city, just opposite the bus station. Hosts are the Lopez family. Private rooms available. The house is a single level, in a central area, with two large rooms, each having two beds, fans, air conditioning, bedside lamps and a private bathroom with hot and cold water.

Hostel Casa Las Palmas. Just 200 m from the Malecon and close to the center of the city. Hostess is named Maira. Cozy rooms and some terraces with hammocks. The two bedrooms are at the second level. Air-con and hot water. Breakfast included.