Trinidad

Exploring the town of Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is like stepping back in time. The beautifully restored buildings and cobblestone streets in the city center imbue a quaint colonial feel. Much of the architecture dates from the 17th to the 19th century when Trinidad prospered from both the sugar and slave trades.

Today, Trinidad is one of Cuba's most popular tourist towns and the streets are often packed with foreigners. Travelers can soak up the lively ambiance of this charming city in the cobblestone Plaza Mayor, the city's central square. Above the square stands the Neoclassical Church of the Holy Trinity (Iglesia Parroquial de la Santisima Trinidad). Other highlights are the Church and Monastery of Saint Francis (Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco) with its distinctive bell tower, the Museum of Colonial Architecture (Museo de Arquitectura Colonial), the art gallery at the Casa de Aldeman Ortiz, and the Palacio Brunet, a grand home, built in 1812 and still featuring original frescoes and marble floors.

East of Trinidad, on the road to Sancti Spiritus, the lush World Heritage-listed Valle de los Ingenios contains numerous relics and monuments from the 19th century when the sugar cane plantations and mills flourished. It's also a great place to drive or horseback ride through the beautiful scenery of green sugar cane fields, palm trees, and mountains.