Remedios (pop. 18,000), 45 kilometers northeast of Santa Clara, is something of a time-warp and full of Spanish colonial charm. It is in a good state of preservation and the entire city is justifiably a national monument.

Remedios was founded in 1514 when a land grant was given to a conquistador named Vasco Porcallo de Figueroa. A city hall wasn’t built, however, and supposedly for that reason the town was never acknowledged as one of the first seven cities. It was originally situated closer to the shore. In 1544, it was moved a short distance inland to escape pirates.

The town continued to come under constant attack, and in 1578, the townsfolk uprooted again and founded a new settlement. In 1682, a group of citizens uprooted and founded Santa Clara, which in time grew to become the provincial capital. Apparently, in 1691 the clique returned to Remedios, determined to raze it to the ground. They were rebuffed in a pitched battle.

If you have seriously bored kids, consider a brief visit to Finca La Cabaña (tel. 042/39-5764, daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m.), one kilometer east of town. This rustic and amateurish re-creation of a peasant farmstead has horseback rides, a mini-zoo, and a cow-milking demo.

Getting to Remedios

The bus station (tel. 042/39-5185) is on the road to Santa Clara.

The railway station (tel. 042/39-5129) is eight blocks west of the main square. The train linking Santa Clara with Remedios wasn’t operating at last visit.

Cubacar (tel. 042/39-5555) has a car rental office at the Oro Negro gas station on the north side of town. Vía Rent-a-Car (tel. 042/39-5398) has an office on the west side of the plaza.

Cubanacán in Santa Clara has excursions to the parranda (CUC25).