In spite of poet Manuel Navarro Luna’s warning, Santiago de Cuba is a place that causes the permanent astonishment of the visitor who wants to learn its history, its traditions, the Santiagueros’ style of living.

"This is Santiago de Cuba, let nothing surprise you..."

Because you can find in this province from an unusual “Guinnes” to the most unique variety of museums and the seat of the patron virgin of the Island, the Caridad del Cobre, because there is not enough time to learn everything in a place that stores almost five hundred years of history. Because when you tour Santiago de Cuba you stroll through the history of the country. Because in the outskirts, you find so many places of natural beauty and of historical interest that the hours fly by like seconds while you watch.

A BIT OF HISTORY Santiago de Cuba was founded by Diego Velázquez, the First Governor representing the Catholic King and Queen of Spain, toward 1514, in a valley stolen from Sierra Maestra. Santiago was the capital of the country to 1607. It was razed by an earthquake in 1675, before it had suffered the attacks of corsairs and pirates. These motivated the construction of an extraordinary fortifications: the San Pedro de la Roca del Morro Fortress, or Morro Castle. Its construction took more than 200 years to build it. For this reason, it was no longer very useful when it was completed. Standing there today, you can see the most beautiful scenery of the territory’s west coast. The fortress was abandoned after it was damaged during the Spanish-Cuban-American War. It was not until 1962 that its restoration began, and in December 1997, the site was declared by UNESCO Heritage of Mankind. Ironically today the fortress houses the Museo de la Piratería (Museum of Piracy).

The Santiaguero’s Character The Santiaguero is an amalgam of different peoples: the Spaniards brought their guitars and dances, the Africans, their drums, and the French introduced the piano and their quadrilles in Cuba through Santiago. There is also the contribution of Venezuelans, Dominicans, Jamaicans and all of the Caribbean peoples that have set foot here. All of this gave way to the trova–the old Trova Santiaguera–that still identifies Cuban music in the world and where the son and the bolero were born.

A WALK THROUGH THE CITY Céspedes Park is the heart of Santiago. The expeditions for the conquest of mainland were formed in this place. It has served for celebrating big parties, and as a place of leisure for Santiagueros. The park takes the name of the Father of the Homeland, he initiator of the Cuban wars of independence in 1868. His remains rest in the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery, next to those of other generals and amongst valuable samples of works of funeral art, as José Martí's mausoleum. This park is surrounded by many of the most important buildings in the city. Among the most outstanding is the 16th century Cathedral of Our Lady of the Ascension, after destruction and reconstruction, the most majestic of all. The Basilica houses the Archdiocesan Museum where the "Ecce Homo" is preserved, a painting on wood that is presumably the oldest in Cuba. Opposite one of its corners, the oldest house in the country is still preserved, that of Diego Velázquez that is today the Museum of the Cuban Ambiance. It is a regal mansion in blocks of quarry stone, with many of its original elements still present typical of the colonial architecture. The furnaces where they melted the gold that was sent to Spain still exist as proof of the use this house was given. Not very far from there is the Museo Bacardí that last year turned 100 years old, which makes it the oldest in the nation. Founded by Emilio Bacardí Moreau, it stores a collection of weapons of the Liberation Army, one of José Martí's dress-coats and other objects of the fight against colonialism. It exhibits two Incan and one Egyptian mummies. Santiago's most famous street, Heredia, contains architectural monuments, and public buildings. Among them, Number 260, to the mid 18th century, is the house where the poet José María Heredia was born, toady a Museum. The street is ateeming with cultural activities that lead us to the places of greatest interest. The House of the Trova is one of these because Santiago is the cradle of the son. Musician Rafael Salcedo was born here in l844. Salcedo spent 51 years of his life teaching music, and this music is still popular today. At present, this place is a must for the best cultivators. Another regal mansion of Calle Heredia, is the Carnival Museum that collects the whole history of the most popular festivity in the country, and displays the attributes of different Caribbean cultures. There are many other charming spots in the old city, such as the Plaza Dolores. In the past it was the center of intensive economic. There are still several buildings that remind us of that time, among them Dolores's Tavern, the Governor's residence, and the residence of Cuban patriot Francisco Vicente Aguilera. Officially the square is named after him, but by tradition it is still called Plaza Dolores. One of the most emblematic places of the city is the Plaza Antonio Maceo, presided over by the biggest sculptural monument in the city that pays homage to Major General, a promoter of the independence wars. Designed to hold more than 200,000 people, it harbors the original equestrian sculpture in brass of Maceo, a work by sculptor René Lescay. Maceo is escorted by twenty-three machetes that symbolize intransigence. The square was inaugurated on 1991, when Fidel Castro closed the 4th Congress of the Communist Party there. Pope John Paul II said mass and crowned the Virgen de la Caridad. Another place that causes astonishment in Santiago is without a doubt the Balcony of Velázquez. It offers one of the most beautiful landscapes in the city. Used as army barracks since 1906, It cannot be accurately determined when it began to be called Balcony of Velázquez, although the only relationship that it has with him is his effigy in high relief next to others. The Moncada Garrison, built in 1859 by the Spaniards, was used as a prison during the liberation struggles. Considerable investments modernized it and by the 50’s it had been regarded as the second military fortress of the country. One century after its foundation, it was taken by the Castro revolutionaries that transformed it into the 26 of July School City, where more than a thousand of children enroll in the primary school every year. Visiting the San Juan Park is also a must. This park commemorates the battle of the Cubans and Americans against the Spaniards in 1898. The Spaniards surrendered the Tree of Peace. You can also find here the Spaniards’ defensive trenches, the infantry cannons, an outpost and sculptures that honor soldiers.

And in the surroundings In the surroundings, it is The Great Rock, a granite mass whose weight is calculated at some 70,000 tons and that, located 1,226 meters over sea level, has been registered as "the biggest rock in the world" in the book of records. A Reservation of the Biosphere waits for us in the outskirts of Santiago, the Baconao Park that owes its name to a beautiful lagoon, with more than 80,000 hectares. Besides its exuberant nature, it has attractions of interest: the Gran Piedra, the Valley of Prehistory, its Aquarium and Dolphin Pool, the Museum of Transport, the Meadow of Sculptures... And in the town of El Cobre, the Virgin's famous Sanctuary, on a promontory that looms over the whole town, keeps a magnificent treasure: The Virgin of El Cobre, worshipped by the Santiagueros, has an 18 caret gold crown embedded with 1,450 diamonds. But besides what has been pointed out, Santiago that also holds the title of Heroic City of the Republic of Cuba, has another treasure to offer to its guests: its people, hospitable and charming. The visitor will be able to discover this for himself as soon as he arrives...

The Most Complete and Caribbean Options

Santiago de Cuba is located on the eastern shore regarded as the most protected bay of the Cuban archipelago. Located in the south coast of the eastern region, it was founded in 1515. Its economic and social development, has made it the second city in importance of the country. Its privileged geographical situation, in the course of almost five centuries, has enabled it to sustain a remarkable trade with the whole Caribbean area. For this, it is acknowledged as the most Caribbean of Cuban cities. City, sea and nature comprise the biggest tourist attractions. It is one of the most complete scenarios in Cuba, where the most diverse modalities exist: city tourism in an atmosphere charged with History as well as with the adventurous legends that the more renowned pirates and corsairs wrote on its seas and streets. Cultural tourism, marked by a unique architecture. And, always, sun and beach tourism, thanks to a myriad of unequaled beaches sheltered by wooded hills, a very unique underwater landscape that shows different coral populations on its step-forming sea bottom. As nature tourism, we can find inland, among the mountains (since 70% of the territory of the province is mountainous), an abundant and valuable flora, brushstroke here and there made by numerous mountain rivers and enticing waterfalls, all of which invites us to walk along the mountain paths, to fulfill the environmentalist desire of discovering its fauna or to partake, in the appropriate place, of the most restoring health tourism. For many these turn out to be the biggest attractions in Santiago from Cuba: the coexistence of the sea and the mountains, the rich and unique architecture of the city and its landscapes and monuments. But for many others, the main ingredient, is the Santiaguero, that hospitable and charming, warm and solidary human being that keeps stores and preserves this destination for the enjoyment of mankind

CARNIVAL, THE FIRE PARTY AND EXPOCARIBE

There are two big parties which that miscegenation and that Caribbean cocktail that is Santiago celebrates: one is the Carnival, par excellence the people’s party, between the rolling rhythm of the conga, and the Caribbean Festival, or Fire Party. Every summer, the Santiagueros welcome many cultural groups from the Caribbean countries for one week, in a celebration that envelops the whole city in an endless revel, but at the same time makes for the deepest eflections on the cultural identity of these peoples of the continent. This year, the Fire Party that will hold its 20th edition, will be dedicated to Africa, between July 3 and 9. Also, the city has been consolidated as a center of business and as a trade bridge with its neighbors of the Caribbean basin. It owes a lot to the annual EXPOCARIBE fair, that has the Heredia Convention Center of the city of Santiago as its traditional headquarters. From June 18-25 the doors of the 9th Fair will be open. In the 1999 edition, 43 countries, 632 Cuban exhibitors and 327 foreigners participated.