CIENFUEGOS PROVINCE

Cienfuegos is a province with its own identity, marked essentially by the significant influence of African and French cultures, since ancient times were amalgamated to form the true meaning of its popular traditions. The city of Cienfuegos, dubbed by its simple beauty as "The Pearl of the South" was founded in 1819 by French settlers, around a bay excellent geographical conditions.
Since then, the city would adopt codes of European Neoclassicism more refined, noticeable especially in the sober facades, ornamental columns denuded, and the uniform grid of its urban layout. In this sense, the Arc de Triomphe, located in the central park Marti, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and the Teatro Tomás Terry are the main architectural icons of the city, integrated into its historic center, declared a World Heritage since 2005.

The port city of Cienfuegos, as well as many major coastal settlements of southern coastal province were repeatedly plundered by pirates, during the final decades of the eighteenth century, so naval battles became frequent. Currently in the seabed of the province of Cienfuegos there are several sinkholes that visitors can know, as part of planned diving expeditions.
With no doubt, one of the main attractions of this Cuban region is marked by its stunning seascapes. The south coast of the province is famous for its beautiful coral walls and long underwater caves, which come every year diving professionals and enthusiasts.

The incomparable natural scenery of Cienfuegos has their most celebrated point in the Topes de Collantes Natural Park, which includes El Nicho, a beautiful and paradisiacal set of waterfalls.
Topes de Collantes is one of the most impressive places of the Cuban geography.
Also, near the rustic town of Cruces, it is the National Park of Mal Tiempo, a lovely place that commemorates the decisive and bloody Battle of Mal Tiempo, which occurred during the War of Independence of 1895.

Cienfuegos also has two of the most visited beaches of the south coast of Cuba: Playa Rancho Luna and Playa del Inglés, preferred by locals in the summer months.




Cienfuegos is the birthplace of one of the largest soneros of Cuba, Benny Moré. The so-called "The barbarian of the rhythm" in spamish "El bárbaro del ritmo" is always defined as passionate about their land.

Cienfuegos City

"Cienfuegos is the city I like the most" is the lyrics of one of the most famous songs of Benny Moré, legendary Cuban musician. A rhythmic phrase that was recorded in the minds of those who visit this beautiful city on the south coast of Cuba, Cienfuegos.

Located inside the Caribbean bay that bears his name, Cienfuegos is considered one of the most beautiful city on the island. It is quiet and manageable, with people accustomed to tourism and leisure offer more than enough room. Coupled with this, the environment gives the possibility of day trips to the beach of Rancho Luna, Nicho waterfalls or the Jagua by boat’s Fort.

The center of Cienfuegos was declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 2005, to represent one of the first architectural ensembles in which the ideas of modernity emerged in Latin America in the nineteenth century were reflected.
This recognition led to an economic injection for the conservation of buildings that has come to make a clear difference with the rest of the island.
Although the contrast is also seen within the same city if places a little off-center, as the Queen Cemetery, where are buried many Spanish soldiers killed in Cuban soil visited.
The suburbs are humble houses and dirt streets overlooking the industrial part of the bay.

See and do

The most representative buildings of Pueblo Nuevo, as it is called the UNESCO-protected area, are at Jose Marti Park and are:

The "Pearl of the South" as it is known on the island, has proved to be an attractive mix of Cuban and French style character inherited from its first settlers.

The Promenada of Prado becomes seawall on the way to the other side of Cienfuegos, a tongue of land that is submerged in the bay.
Punta Gorda is a residential area, built along a wide avenue that is frequented by horse-drawn carriages that come and go from Pueblo Nuevo.
In this part there are more luxurious single houses and several buildings for tourists, as the Blue Palace or the Club Cienfuegos, both style of the 20s the end of the promenade is the great Jagua hotel, built by Batista with very little taste, and the Valle´s Palace, a curious building that is now a café and surprisingly disparate mix of architectural styles, but predominantly the Moorish. The charm of this coastline is in La Punta, a small park with trees and ladders to the sea where there is a wooden structure where some beautiful sunsets are seen. Peering on this balcony to the bay you can see the large yachts that stop in Marina Cienfuegos on their routes through the Caribbean.

Punta Gorda

The charm of this coastline is in Punta Gorda, a small park with trees and stairs to the sea in which there is a wooden structure from where you can see a beautiful sunsets. From this balcony you can see to the bay, the great yachts that stop at Cienfuegos Marina on their routes through the Caribbean.

Playa Rancho Luna

Rancho Luna Beach, 18 km south of the capital city, is a quaint little beach of Cienfuegos, which has the largest influx of public in the region during the summer. With fine white sand, lapped by the warm waters of the Caribbean, it is one of the most beautiful beaches in the south of Cuba coast. In it there are large concentrations coral, populated by a magnificent marine fauna, which include one of the largest coral columns of the Americas, with 5 m high. These factors, together with the added attraction of a large number of sunken ships, position it as one of the main destinations for diving in the region.

Playa Punta La Cueva

On the east coast of Cienfuegos bay, at a safe distance from the city center, there is also the Hotel Punta La Cueva, a good choice to enjoy, at rest, the natural attractions of the area. Spacious cabins, a discreet beautiful beach and a pier, which are made yacht trips, make up this magnificent complex, the repository of the most spectacular views of the bay.