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Municipality in Cuba
Photo: Wilder Mendez aka. Lezumbalaberenjena at English Wikipedia, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Cienfuegos, the Pearl of the South, is a small city in the Central Cuban province of Cienfuegos. The historic center of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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An 18th-century fortress built to protect Cienfuegos against (English) pirates. There's an abandoned nuclear power plant behind the castle, built by the Soviets but never finished.
Dolphin shows, where sometime the audience participates. For example, a dance contest for kids where the winners get kisses from the dolphins. You can also swim with the dolphins for about CUC50. For further fee, you can get a photo taken by the employees—it's not allowed to take it yourself.
One of the most famous square of the city.
Its parish archives date back to 1819.
Victorian theatre, built in 1890. Lots of original features, and very pretty. Also has a nice cafe.
A historical museum, with exhibits ranging from archeology of the original Indians, to the colonial eras.
See below.
Drive to the nearby secluded mountain lakes to fish for the plentiful bass.
Take a boat trip round the harbour, stopping off at an island and chatting to the locals and enjoying a mojito.
Walk along and hang out at the malecon (sea front) in the evenings.
A lake full of flamingos in the southeast of Cienfuegos. The entrance fee includes a guided walk to the lake explaining the flora and fauna (1h) and as well includes a boat trip on the lake to get closer to the flamingos (1h). Lake is surrounded by mangroves and ashore hummingbirds can be spotted. Go there early as it can get very hot and you will be exposed entirely to the sun when sitting in the boat. Cubanacan sells you the ticket but you have to find your own transport. A taxi is CUC20 both ways. Wait in the office for other tourists to share the taxi with.
The 1889 built neoclassicist theater centrally located at the José Marti square is most impressive on the inside where little has been changed since its inception
Yacht Club
Quite touristy but pleasant to eat in the formal restaurant upstairs or the informal snack bar in the basement.
Nice, quiet restaurant for lunch. The grilled tuna salad sandwiches are delicious!
A small cafeteria catering for Cubans where you can have breakfast. Offers a variety of sandwiches, some juice and coffee. Try the Café Bonbón, a coffee made with condensed milk and chocolate. Pay in National Pesos.
Cuban restaurant that offers a variety of creol food as well as a vegetarian option on request. Pay in National Pesos.
On the Paseo del Prado you will find a good number of Pizza stalls, ice cream shops and juice vendors. All paid in national pesos.
Bar and restaurant a few floors up. It has a small balcony where you can sit and study the life on Boulevar. Live music in the evenings.
Arte Centro
A nightclub which features Salsa Music and dancing.
Adjacent to the Hotel Jagua south of the Malecon, this is an amazing building, lavishly decorated in Moorish style. There is a fairly standard fare restaurant, but it is worth climbing to the rooftop bar for a drink sitting under an arched gazebo looking over the city and the harbor.
A small open-air pub at the harbor, some snacks are sold here too.
Very nice central place with very helpful owners. Depending on season from CUC15.
Independent apartment with kitchen and all commodies.
A friendly casa particular in a colonial house with high ceilings and just a block from the Jose Martí park.
Two-room casa, close to both the center and the Viazul bus station. It has a terrace on the top floor from which one can see the city. Air-con and hot water.
Colonial house adorned with windows and columns, in the center of the city, just opposite the bus station. Hosts are the Lopez family. Private rooms available. The house is a single level, in a central area, with two large rooms, each having two beds, fans, air conditioning, bedside lamps and a private bathroom with hot and cold water.
Just 200 m from the Malecon and close to the center of the city. Hostess is named Maira. Cozy rooms and some terraces with hammocks. The two bedrooms are at the second level. Air-con and hot water. Breakfast included.
The street contains many shops with souvenirs, but also household and others. Outdoor music is performed here often too.
Good shopping for gifts, such as shower curtains printed with paintings from the Museo Bellas Artes.
By bus
The two daily Viazul buses between Havana and Trinidad stop at Cienfuegos, as does the daily bus between Varadero, Santa Clara, and Trinidad.
By taxi
By train
There are two trains that run from Havana: a very slow daytime train (every second day) that returns the following day, and a somewhat faster late-evening train (every second day) that operates via…
By plane
Jaime González Airport has three flights a week: leaving Miami at 8am Mondays and Fridays, returning 10:45; and leaving Miami 17:30 Wednesdays and returning later in the evening (20:00).
Both the centre and Punta Gorda are easy of walk around, but are about 3 km apart. They are joined by Calle 37 (del Prado), which runs by the sea.
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Cienfuegos · Regional · CFG
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Articles and travel topics about Cienfuegos and Cuba.
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