Cienfuegos and Villa Clara

Villa Clara and Cienfuegos Provinces lie due east of Matanzas Province, with Villa Clara north of Cienfuegos. Together they share some of the prettiest scenery in Cuba, much of it rarely visited by travelers despite its easy accessibility. The region is skipped by most tourists, who whiz by along the Autopista or Carretera Central bound for Oriente or the colonial city of Trinidad, in Sancti Spíritus Province. Such haste is a pity, for you are likely to miss one of my favorite regions in Cuba.

The southern and eastern portions of Villa Clara Province, for example, are dominated by beautiful rolling uplands called the Alturas de Santa Clara. The Alturas rise gradually to the steep, pine-clad Sierra Escambray, whose reservoirs supply towns for miles around. Today cool forests tantalize bird-watchers and hikers, with man-made lakes good for fishing, a famous health spa, and a cool, invigorating climate to lure you away from the coast. The mountains extend south and west into Cienfuegos Province, which, despite being Cuba’s second smallest, surpasses even Havana in industrial output.

Industry is centered on the city of Cienfuegos, a major port town that also boasts some splendid colonial architecture and, nearby, a fine botanical garden, while the city of Santa Clara (also an important industrial and university city) should be on every traveler’s itinerary for the fascinating Museo de Che (Guevara). Nearby, the historic town of Remedios is a tiny charmer caught in its own delightful time warp from which the modern-day visitor may find it very hard to escape.

Villa Clara is second only to Pinar del Río as a center of tobacco production, centered on the scenic Vuelta Arriba region, east of the provincial capital. Here, Remedios and neighboring villages are renowned for their parrandas, unique year-end carnival-style revelries that border on mayhem. Nearby, gorgeous beaches lie at hand at Cayo Santa María.

Parque Martí: Cienfuegos’s expansive central plaza is surrounded by impressive neoclassical structures and a marble-clad cathedral. (read more)

Palacio del Valle: This Mogul-inspired confection in stone is a one-of-a-kind mansion turned restaurant; sure, the food and service win no awards, but the memorable setting is enhanced at night by Carmen Iznaga at the piano. (read more)

Jardín Botánico Soledad: This vast botanical garden on the outskirts of Cienfuegos has separate sections for cactus, rubber trees, and other plants, including 307 varieties of palm. (read more)

El Nicho: The placid Sierra Escambray setting of this recreational site features beautiful waterfalls and horseback riding, hiking, and other activities. (read more)

Monumento Ernesto Che Guevara: A small but splendid museum sits beneath the imposing Che Guevara monument in Santa Clara. A reverential mausoleum contains the revolutionary hero’s remains. (read more)

Remedios: Time your visit to this beautiful colonial town, good for serendipitous discoveries, for year’s end to catch the parranda — a fireworks battle like no other. (read more)

Cayo Santa María: A 50-kilometer-long land bridge provides access to stunning white-sand beaches and jade waters on a remote cay with great fishing and scuba diving and top-class resorts. (read more)