Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Santiago de Cuba Province is the second most populated province in the island of Cuba. The largest city Santiago de Cuba is the main administrative center. Other large cities include Palma Soriano, Contramaestre, San Luis and Songo-la Maya. Santiago de Cuba province has been the site of many battles, both during the war for independence and the 1959 Cuban Revolution, where much of the guerrilla fighting took place in the mountainous province.

Prior to 1976, Cuba was divided into six historical provinces. One of these was Oriente province, which was, prior to 1905, known as Santiago de Cuba province. The present day province comprises the south-central region of Oriente. The province is rich in material resources such as iron and nickel. The economy, however, relies mostly on agriculture, with large plantations growing bananas, cacao, and coffee dotting the landscape. Industry is growing around the capital, as is tourism. The natural beauty of the area is attracting many tourists from both the rest of Cuba and from overseas.

Founded in 1515 by the Spanish conqueror Diego Velázquez, the city keeps several places that remind of the period that changed the direction of the history of the island. Other important periods are reflected in the mark that they left on the architecture, art and traditions of the people of Santiago.

In this wonderful city you can visit the Museum of the Historical Cuban Atmosphere, located next to the Céspedes Park and very near the Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Cathedral. You can also visit the Velázquez Balcony and the Casa Diego Velázquez House to know more about the colonial period.

Besides, the city has a privileged location in the Santiago de Cuba Bay, which allowed it to be the first country’s capital during a short time. Through it, the first black slaves arrived to Cuba and, with them, their traditions still kept and maintained in places like Casa del Caribe House and the Casa de las Religiones Populares House.

Along with the bay, the relief of the area gives a lot of opportunities to enjoy wonderful landscapes while doing activities related to the ecologic and mountain tourism. This way, you can see the incredible landscape of the Caribbean Sea from the Pico Turquino Summit, the green views you can see from the Gran Piedra or the beautiful images of the Santiago de Cuba Bay from the Cayo Granma Cay or the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca Castle, declared World Heritage Site by the Unesco in 1997.

For centuries, this city has seen the different struggles for the Independence of the country, as well as the Revolution, the most important event of the second half of the 20th century in the island. Known as the Hero City of Cuba, moving locations were built to remember to all those persons who fought in every single decisive clashes. In this way, you can visit the Cementerio Santa Ifigenia Graveyard, where several heroes from Santiago de Cuba are buried next to monuments that remind their deeds.

Furthermore, the city uses the extended tradition of dedicating squares and parks to important celebrities from Cuban history. You can visit a series of beautiful open spaces like the Céspedes Park, the San Juan Historical Park and the Peace Tree or the Abel Santamaría Historical Park, which are the perfect place to have a break and let oneself go by the atmosphere of the city while seeing the most important monuments.

Santiago de Cuba is an incredible city formed by impressing landscapes, interesting historical buildings, streets full of life and color bursting with culture and traditions, memories of past times that come to meet you in every corner and kind people whose roots are spread throughout the world.

The religion has also an important place in the culture of the island, and that is the reason why many of the most interesting buildings are related to it. During your stay in Santiago de Cuba, you can visit the different churches that constitute the historical and architectonic heritage for the future generations. Among the most interesting temples, you can see the Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Cathedral, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores Church and the Iglesia de San Francisco Church.